It was going to be a daunting task for whatever film open in the week following Deadpool & Wolverine. The commercial juggernaut for Marvel studios had retained the top spot at the global box-office, with a sophomore weekend haul of over $100 million.
Warner Bros. seemed undaunted by the challenge, setting M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap for an August 2nd release. And although the tense thriller didn’t soar to the top of the charts, Trap put up an impressive fight against two huge blockbusters.
Estimated to open to a final domestic tally between $15-$20 million, Trap landed right on target with $15.5 million in the US and Canada. The film made an additional $4.6 million from other territories, for a final weekend gross of $20.1 million.
Finishing in a respectable third place, Trap looks set to take in a reasonable amount over the coming week, as it’s set to open in several major markets Friday August 9th.
Like many other Shyamalan projects, Trap has polarized critics, earning a divisive 53% on Rotten Tomatoes. Whilst the movie’s lead performance from Josh Hartnett has been universally praised, the film’s concept has garnered criticism, many believing it was stretched too thin.
Trap’s admirable performance in the face of competition continues a strong summer for genre cinema. A Quiet Place: Day One made plenty of noise with a $259 million final gross, Ti West’s MaXXXine is sitting pretty with a series high of $21 million, and Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs set records with the highest debut for an independent horror film.
So, what other box-office battles lie ahead for the genre? We’ll fill you in on how all your anticipated flicks perform.
