‘Fear’, ‘Infinity Pool’, ‘Skinamarink’ Cash In Indie Horror Bonanza – Box Office Special

Even on a special level, post-pandemic horror only works with the latest pop of a strong performance from a trio of films. fear and infinity poolreleased this weekend, and skin amarin in week three.

fear comes from Deon and Roxanne Avent Taylor’s Hidden Empire Film Group, the all-Black production company behind the cult hit Meet the Blacks (2016) and The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2released to a shaky theatrical market in June 2021, grossing nearly $3 million fearDirected by Deon Taylor, it was independently distributed by Hidden Empire Releasing on 974 screens and grossed an estimated $1.28 million, averaging $1,315 per screen. The breakdown: Fri: $466.9K (including $132K in Thursday sneaks); Saturday: $504,000; Sun: estimated at $310,000.

The shows sold out in key markets across the country, including LA, New York, Sacramento, Atlanta, Miami, DC and Chicago. The 50 percent increase from Friday to Saturday, excluding Thursday previews, shows strong word-of-mouth among the film’s core audience.

“I made the film out of fear,” Deon Taylor told Deadline last week. It was filmed during Covid “when the world went into lockdown. I was nervous for my life, my children’s lives. And there was the uproar when George Floyd was killed on camera. “As an artist, I have to do something,” I told Roxanne. “I have an idea… a horror movie. A sublime psychological horror film.’ It illuminates social media in a wonderful way.”

In the picture, a group of friends gather at a remote and historic hotel for a much-needed weekend getaway, but the party turns into terror as they take turns confronting their own worst fears.

The branding effort began on January 9 with an event in Santa Monica titled Overcome: Facing Fear, with live audience streaming on YouTube and Instagram. CNN’s Van Jones moderated the exploration of fear with panelists NBA champion Scottie Pippen, 50-0 boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather, actress Ruby Modine, and Dean and Roxanne Taylors, and guests Dennis Quaid, Joseph Sikora, Master P, Tip “Ti Harris, Boris Kodjoe, Quincy Brown, Michael Jai White and Sean Garrett.

“We have a passion for independent films and fear is a great example of why we started Hidden Empire Releasing,” said the Taylors. “Giving budget indie films a level of creative support they can’t get at a major studio – from development to distribution – is our mission and we look forward to fear make contact with the public everywhere.”

Horror thriller by Neon infinity pool opened by Brandon Cronenberg on 1,835 screens for an estimated $2.72 million. Breakdown: Friday, $1.13 million; Saturday, $910,000; Estimated $685,000 as of Sunday – for a PSA of $1,485. This premiered in Sundance last weekend with an NC-17 cut — the film seemed to be chasing the NC-17 box office record — but it came out with an R-rated release. A couple (Alexander Skarsgard and Cleopatra Coleman) are led into all sorts of ghosts at a remote island resort by a seductive and mysterious stranger (Mia Goth).

Meantime, Hautamarin, from IFC Midnight/Shudder, which cost $15,000 to make, will close the weekend with an estimated $1.86 million in week three across 275 screens. Estimated weekend gross is $124,000. The viral horror photo, a first feature film directed by Kyle Edward Ball and screened at Fantasia Fest, shows two children waking up in the middle of the night to find their father gone and all the windows and doors in their home is gone It’s a nightmare for him and apparently for many others.

Other special openings: A24 was nominated for an Oscar near by Lukas Dhont grossed a whopping $68,000 on four screens in NY and LA. The film, which opened in Cannes, will be selectively expanded to other top markets next weekend and then rolled out further.

Classics from Sony Pictures Nice morning grossed $14,282 across three screens, for a $4,761 per screen average and $23,976 total.

perhaps by Vertical Entertainment earned an estimated $562,000 on 465 screens for a PSA of $1,209.Michael Jacobs’ multigenerational romantic comedy starring Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey and William H. Macy

Leftovers/Extensions: SKPs The son, in week two. collected $32,174 on 172 screens (up from 554 last week) for a total of $409,952.

A24s The whale earned $1 million this weekend with $14.9 million as it continues a long theatrical run through the awards season following Brandon Fraser’s Best Actor Oscar nomination.

And the multi-nominated juggernaut of the distributor Everything everywhere at once returned to theaters (1,400 venues) and earned $1 million – and over $71 million in North America.

Searchlight Pictures has boosted Martin McDonagh’s awards magnet The Banshees by Inisherin to 1,205 theaters earning $353,000 for the weekend total of $9.8 million.

Similarly, UAR was strengthened tarto 537 runs, earning an estimated $173,000, bringing the film’s domestic gross to $6.15 million. Tod Field’s Cate Blanchett starrer debuted on Peacock in the US this weekend.

Sideshow/Janus Films Release of E.O grossed an estimated $45,300 on 64 screens in its 11th weekend, for a $708 per screen average and new sales of $829,530.

Also from Sideshow/Janus Films, Jafar Panahi’s No bears grossed an estimated $10,800 from 10 screens for an average of $1,080 per screen and a new tally of $103,476 in its 6th weekend.