Testing new release strategy, The Croods opens to 14.2 million dollars
November 30, 2020 9:30:58 am
The Croods: A New Age grossed $9.7 million Friday-Sunday, which rivals even the weekend start for Tenet in September. (Photo: DreamWorks Animation via AP)
Testing a novel release strategy, Universal Pictures’ animated sequel The Croods: A New Age had one of the best opening weekends of the pandemic, grossing $14.2 million over the five-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Whereas new releases have traditionally lasted around 90 days in theaters, Universal has mapped out a shorted theatrical window in deals with major chains AMC and Cinemark that gives the studio the option to move new releases to premium video-on-demand after just 17 days. The Croods: A New Age is expected to shift to the home before Christmas for a $20 rental. For an industry reeling from the pandemic, it’s part of wider changes seeping through the industry.
The Croods: A New Age grossed $9.7 million Friday-Sunday, which rivals even the weekend start for Tenet in September. Warner Bros. didn’t break down the three-day weekend figures for Tenet, which began preview screenings in the US on a Monday, but said it grossed $20.2 million in its first week in US theaters plus its first two weeks in Canadian theaters.
While the opening for The Croods: A New Age was something Hollywood hadn’t seen in months — a movie that outperformed expectations — it was still only a sliver of what the industry usually sees in the typically busy holiday movie season. Last year, Frozen II led all films over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend with $123.7 million, while Knives Out scored $41.7 million
