Weekend box office: ‘The Predator’ limps into first place with a paltry $24 million

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) - The weekend didn’t exactly go as planned as Fox’s “The Predator” struggled mightily. Despite being released on 4,037 screens, the horror/sci-fi sequel managed only $24 million. Early projections had the film opening closer to $40 million, that number was revised this week to $30 million. Why the drop? There are numerous factors, but a mix of bad reviews and the controversy over director Shane Black’s casting of a friend who is a registered sex offender with a criminal history of trying to seduce a 14-year-old girl played their part.

Overseas “The Predator” did hit the $30 million mark, but a worldwide total of $54 million is well below what Fox was expecting.

“The Nun” dropped 66 percent (not so bad for a horror film) with $18 million for a domestic total of $85 million. Worldwide the film has made $228 million. That’s ten times as much as the film cost to make.

“A Simple Favor,” the new dark comedy from Paul Feig starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively opened to a solid $16.5 million. If the movie holds well over the next couple of weeks, then Lionsgate will turn a profit.

Matthew McConaughey’s newest project, “White Boy Rick,” a film about Richard Wershe Jr., a teenager that became an undercover informant for the FBI, brought in $8.8 million.

“Crazy Rich Asians” rounds out the top five with $8.7 million for a domestic total of $149.5 million. Worldwide the film has made $187 million.