NEW YORK – Theaters’ economic recovery didn’t seem so far off on Sunday after the cartoon and live-action “Tom & Jerry” debuted at $ 13.7 million, its best opening to date in the United States this year.
The Warner Bros. had a better-than-expected opening despite the fact that only 42% of theaters in the United States are open, information agency Comscore said. “Tom & Jerry” was also shown in 2,475 North American theaters and homes simultaneously, where it is available on HBO Max for a month.
Despite that limited screening, the film achieved its second-most successful premiere in the pandemic after Warner Bros. “Wonder Woman 1984,” which grossed $ 16.7 million in December and also aired on HBO Max. The next two best releases – “Tenet” and “The Croods: A New Age” – made about $ 10 million the weekend of their debut.
“With half of the theaters still closed, the pandemic still a threat and ‘Tom & Jerry’ available at home, this is a very good premiere,” said David A. Gross, who runs the film consultancy Franchise Entertainment. Research runs. “Under normal circumstances, more than $ 35 million would have easily been raised this weekend, a positive sign for the company and for movie theaters’ appeal over home entertainment.”
“Tom & Jerry” also raised $ 25.1 million internationally, bringing the global total to $ 38.8 million, according to the study’s calculations. The film, directed by Tim Story and based on the characters created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, stars Chloë Grace Moretz.