Both Creator and Saw X screened at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX.

Disney’s number for New Regency/20th Century Studios’ The Creator is $14M, or just shy of 1M admissions. This is an upset stateside. However, hope resides in bigger ticket sales abroad, with a $32.3M global start. Disney did support this movie. However, it’s very hard in the current SAG-AFTRA strike to trumpet an original movie like this to the masses. It’s truly upsetting for a burgeoning star such as John David Washington: This is the actor’s second conceived event movie after Warner Bros.’ Tenet to get crimped by external forces beyond movie marketing’s control; the first pic was an attempt to reopen theaters in Covid, which did not work, and this title is up against the actors’ strike.

Understand, this is the type of movie that would have blown the roof off of Comic-Con. However, the cast couldn’t travel down with Gareth Edwards for a solo studio-sponsored panel on the movie (he appeared on Collider’s directors panel and showed off some footage).

The Creator is the type of movie you’d take TIFF, just New Regency did with The Martian back in 2015. It’s also the type of movie that would have world premiered at Venice.

But it didn’t make sense for the studio to spend money to do that during the strike.

Some marketing folks will take jabs at the studio’s campaign, that it was vague in early trailers. However, the movie does deliver. Perhaps a different release date closer to summer and with the wattage of cast would have brought some more money in here. People, it’s like Covid times at the box office: With the actors on strike, we’re not in a normal marketplace. Abroad, Creator opened No. 1 in France, Spain, UK (including previews) as well as Belgium (non-local), Netherlands, Poland (non-local), Bahrain, Georgia, Kazakhstan (non-local), Oman (non-local), Portugal, Qatar, Ukraine, UAE (non-local), Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia (non-local), India (non-local) and Malaysia (non-local). Originality means something somewhere, with Creator opening ahead of Saw X in Spain, UK (including previews) and Australia, as well as Denmark, Norway, Poland, Czech Republic, and Ukraine.

Imax ticket sales for The Creator were $3M domestic, $5.2M WW, and was a big win overall in premium format, with 53% of the weekend coming from PLF and Imax screens. Disney will hold some of these into next weekend, with Sony’s Kraven the Hunter having departed the first weekend of October. Disney will co-share Imax with Universal’s Exorcist: The Believer. Proof remains in the numbers regarding the pic’s playability — with the top 20 locations earning $14K-$52K, the top being AMC Lincoln Square.

Again, New Regency had Disney stick to this release date because of the history of original sci-fi pics launching at this time of year. While we can argue that the place for the movie was elsewhere on the calendar, the exhibition marketplace is $14M richer this weekend because of Creator. Glass half-full.

Official Comscore estimate on the weekend is $85.2M, +31% from the same frame a year ago, but down -10% from the last frame of September 2019.

Sunday studio reported figures:

1.) Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Par) 3989 theaters, Fri $6.8M, Sat $9.6M Sun $6.5M 3-day $23M/Wk 1

2) Saw X (LG) 3,262 theaters Fri $8M Sat $6.1M Sun $3.9M 3-day $18M/Wk 1

3.) The Creator (New Reg/20th/Dis) 3,680 theaters, Fri $5.6M, Sat $5.1M $3.3M 3-day $14M/Wk 1

4.) The Nun 2 (NL) 2871 (-665) theaters, Fri $1.32M (-45%), Sat $2M Sun $1.2M 3-day $4.67M (-45%) Total $76.7M/Wk 4

5) The Blind (Fath) 1714 theaters, Fri $1.26M Sat $1.6M Sun $1.2M 3-day $4.1M/Wk 1

6.) A Haunting in Venice (Dis) 2,785 (-520) Fri $1M (-42%), Sat $1.6M Sun $1M 3-day $3.8M (-39%)/Total $31.6M/Wk 3

7.) Dumb Money (Sony) 2837 (+2218) theaters, Fri $1.3M (+31%) Sat $1.3M Sun $900K 3-day $3.5M (+66%), Total $7.3M/Wk 3

8.) Equalizer 3 (Sony) 2,184 (-1086) theaters Fri $765K Sat $1.2M Sun $715K 3-day $2.7M (-43%), Total: $85.9M /Wk 5

9.) Expendables 4 (LG) 3518 theaters, Fri $713K Sat $1M Sun $692K 3-day $2.495M (-68%), Total $13.2M/Wk 2

10.) Barbie (WB) 1,302 (-1332) theaters Fri $355K Sat $650K Sun $425K 3-day $1.43M (-55%), Total $633M/Wk 11

11.) My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (Foc) 1,474 (-1604) theatres, Fri $340K Sat $520K Sun $340K 3-day $1.2M (-60%), Total $26.4M , Wk 4

12.) Stop Making Sense (A24) 786 (+522) theaters, Fri $380K, Sat $372K Sun $287K 3-day $1.04M (+21%), Total $3M/Wk 2

SATURDAY AM: Brand, in the middle of an actors strike when thespians can’t promote, is triumphing at the box office. Paramount and Spin Master’s $30M budgeted sequel, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, is the top dog with a $22.5M opening and an “A” CinemaScore, which is better than the first pic’s A-.

On the downside, four wide major studio entries aren’t enough to push the domestic marketplace past $100M, with all pics totaling $86M. While that’s up 34% from last year’s $64M, when Smile bowed, it’s off 9% from pre-pandemic 2019. We can also blame the rain in NYC, which shuttered around 20 cinemas, including powerhouse AMC’s big venues, Lincoln Square, Empire, and 84th Street. By the way, we hear those NYC theaters are re-opening today, and that they largely closed to accommodate the safety of their employees.

There was a yearning need for families to head to the movies, and animated pics in late September have always found a place at cinemas, i.e. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Abominable etc. The flooding in NYC isn’t weathering Paw Patrol 2, as that pic is a big hit in the Midwest, where 15% of all ticket sales are coming from, versus the norm of 12.7%. Great scores will keep this movie unleashed throughout matinees this weekend, with 83% on Screen Engine/Comscore’s PostTrak and a 68% recommend, and a 91% from kids under 12. Mostly women at 65% showed, with close to half of the audience between 13-24, and the largest quad a tie between 13-17 and 18-24 at 24% each. Diversity demos were 34% Caucasian, 32% Hispanic and Latino, 15% Black, and 19% Asian/other.

Lionsgate/Twisted Pictures’ Saw X led all movies on Friday with $8M (which includes $2M previews) for what’s poised to be an $18.6M opening — higher than Jigsaw and definitely higher than franchise worst Spiral, but below the $20M+ tracking was eyeing. Providing some freak-on for Saw X are some PLFs driving 21% of the gross. Still, with all the TV spots and social marketing that Paramount had with Paw Patrol 2 and Disney/20th on The Creator, Saw X isn’t too shabby, considering its $13M production cost. CinemaScore is a B, which is a grade most of the installments in the horror sequel have received, the highest going to 2005’s Saw II, which landed a B+.

PostTrak exits are strong at 82% positive, 62% recommend, with guys at 57% turning out and 70% of the audience between 18-34, and the largest demo being 18-24 at 39%. Diversity demos were a very strong Latino and Hispanic at 44%, Caucasian 30%, 13% Black, and 13% Asian/other. Despite NYC theater closures, Saw X is slaying in East, South Central, and West. AMC Burbank, natch, is best theater stateside with $22K so far.

New Regency/20th Century Studios/Disney’s The Creator posted $5.6M on its opening day, with an outlook of $14M. The movie gets a B+, which is higher than Ad Astra (B-), higher than Arrival (B), but just under Gravity (A-). PostTrak is 81% positive and a 61% recommend. It’s unfortunate that an original sci-fi movie, which the marketplace needs more of for franchise starters — and is commendable here for studios to continue to take risks on — is underperforming in the domestic marketplace. I hear that overseas is looking better for Creator, with an outlook of $17M-$20M, which in likes-for-likes, is on par with Arrival. That movie ended its run at $102.8M abroad.

Guys at 71% showed up, with 51% between 18-34. This PG-13 movie is slightly older than the R-rated Saw X, with 25-34 the biggest demo at 31% and a third of the audience over 45. Diversity demos are 46% Caucasian, 20% Hispanic and Latino, 18% Black, and 15% Asian/other. The West is the best for Creator, with nearly a third of the gross vs the norm of 24%. IMAX and several PLFs are repping 53% of ticket sales, with the AMC Burbank the pic’s top theater with close to $42K so far.

A coastal play movie like Black Bear and Sony’s Dumb Money is getting hurt by the underwater NYC marketplace and the actors strike, with $1.3M yesterday at 2,837 locations and $4M for the weekend, with a running total in its third week of $7.8M. Black Bear financed this movie for $30M and made the Game Stop meme movie a reality for the big screen. Sony bought U.S., Latin America, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, South Africa, India and select Asian markets. Again, no late night talk shows for this pic’s movie stars of Seth Rogen, Pete Davidson, and Shailene Woodley hurts greatly.

Fathom has the faith-based title, The Blind from filmmaker Andrew Hyatt, which has made $2.1M through Thursday and Friday at 1,714. The weekend outlook is $3.8M. The movie is about Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty and how he fell in love, started a family, and how his demons threatened to take their lives apart. The audience who showed up loved it at 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. Pic was strong in the Bible Belt, meaning South and South Central, where 65% of its gross is coming from, versus 34%. The Cinemark Tinseltown 18 in West Monroe, LA is the best in the nation to date with more than $11k.

Saturday numbers:

1.) Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Par) 3989 theaters, Fri $6.8M, 3-day $22.5M/Wk 1

2) Saw X (LG) 3,262 theaters Fri $8M 3-day $18.6M/Wk 1

3.) The Creator (New Reg/20th/Dis) 3,680 theaters, Fri $5.6M, 3-day $14M/Wk 1

4.) The Nun 2 (NL) 2871 (-665) theaters, Fri $1.32M (-45%), 3-day $4.6M (-46%) Total $76.6M/Wk 4

5.) Dumb Money (Sony) 2837 (+2218) theaters, Fri $1.3M (+31%) 3-day $4M (+66%), Total $7.8M/Wk 3

6) The Blind (Fath) 1714 theaters, Fri $1.26M 3-day $3.8M/Wk 1

7.) A Haunting in Venice (Dis) 2,785 (-520) Fri $1M (-42%), 3-day $3.7M (-41%)/Total $31.5M/Wk 3

8.) Equalizer 3 (Sony) 2,184 (-1086) theaters Fri $750K (-45%) 3-day $2.7M (-43%), Total: $85.9M /Wk 5

9.) Expendables 4 (LG) 3518 theaters, Fri $702K (-77%), 3-day $2.4M (-70%), Total $13.2M/Wk 2

10.) Stop Making Sense (A24) 786 (+522) theaters, Fri $369K, 3-day $1.33M (+55%), Total $3.29M/Wk 2

FRIDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Paramount/Spin Master’s PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie didn’t have previews today, but based on presales and upcoming matinees, the tike sequel is eyeing a $6.5 million Friday and a $22 million opening at 3,644 theaters.

That’s fantastic and underscores the massive power of the kiddie brand after Paramount took the first movie out in theaters and Paramount+ day-and-date back in 2021, scoring a $13.1M opening and $40.1M result. To do nearly double the amount of money in a sequel’s opening is commendable here.

Lionsgate’s decision to take its Saw franchise back to its original name in Saw X is proving worthy. As of right now the movie looks to do $7.6M today, including $2M previews, and $17.5M for the weekend at 3,262 theaters. That’s slightly more than Jigsaw but still under the bullish $20M+ tracking had. We’ll see if there’s momentum as the weekend continues.

In Twisted Pictures’ current installment, John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back, and it’s the untold chapter of Jigsaw’s final games. Set between the events of Saw I and II, a sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer – only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. The infamous serial killer returns to his work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way through devious, deranged and ingenious traps. The movie has the best reviews of any Saw pic at 86% fresh.

RELATED: Movie Release Date Calendar For 2023

At this time, New Regency/20th Century Studios’ The Creator is coming up short with $15M-$16M after a Friday that’s at $6M, including previews. The Gareth Edwards-directed title is booked in 3,680 theaters. Oy, on this $80M-budgeted spectacle.

Sony’s wide expansion of Dumb Money from 616 theaters to 2,837 is only seeing $1M today and around $3M for the weekend, way outside the top five pics. Clearly, in the cases of The Creator and Dumb Money, these movies truly require their casts and late-night talk shows to fire up a spirit in a 360-degree campaign. Movies such as PAW Patrol and Saw X aren’t contingent on their casts spurring foot traffic.

Fourth place belongs to the fourth weekend of New Line’s The Nun 2 with around $5M at 2,871 theaters, off 42%, and a running total of $77M. 20th/Disney’s A Haunting in Venice is fifth with $4M, -37%, for a running total of $31.8M in weekend three.

FRIDAY AM UPDATE: Hopefully three wide releases can wake up what’s been a relatively sleepy time at the box office, ratcheted down by the SAG-AFTRA strike. With New Regency/20th Century Studios/Disney’s original Gareth Edwards sci-fi movie The Creator, Paramount and Spin Master’s PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie and Lionsgate’s Saw X, the top three movies look to make around $45M.

All three of them are vying for No. 1 with a take in the high-teen millions, but it’s likely a two-way race between PAW Patrol 2 and The Creator since both pics have had the loudest marketing campaigns and Lionsgate usually executes its smaller-budgeted movies on the cheap.