‘Midway’ storms past ‘Doctor Sleep’ to top the box office with $17.5 million
Reiner Bajo(NEW YORK) — Midway, the drama based on the true story of the titular World War II Battle from Independence Day director Roland Emmerich, pulled off a huge upset this weekend, topping the weekend box office by beating Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep, which was favored to win the weekend.
Midway, starring Woody Harrelson, Luke Evans, Patrick Wilson, Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart and Nick Jonas, beat expectations, delivering an estimated $17.5 million. That number should swell to around $20 million with the Veterans Day holiday factored in on Monday.
In second place was Doctor Sleep. The sequel to The Shining, starring Ewan McGregor, pulled in an estimated $14.1 million — way below the $25 million it was expected to deliver.
Playing with Fire, which debuted this weekend, also topped expectations, collecting an estimated $12.8 million, for a third place finish. The family comedy, starring John Cena, Keegan-Michael Key and John Leguizamo, took in $2 million more than predicted.
Fourth place belonged to this week’s fourth major release, the holiday rom-com Last Christmas. Led by Game of Thrones‘ Emilia Clarke and Crazy Rich Asians‘ Henry Golding, the film from Bridesmaids director Paul Feig earned an estimated $11.6 million.
Rounding out the top five was Terminator: Dark Fate, delivering an estimated $10.8 million in its second week of release.
Finishing just outside the top five at number 6 was Joker, in its sixth week of release. The film, spotlighting the classic Batman villain, is now just $15 million shy of reaching the $1 billion mark worldwide. Once it does, it will become the fourth DC Comics adaptation to accomplish that, joining Aquaman, The Dark Knight Rises and The Dark Knight.
In limited release, Honey Boy, Shia LeBeouf’s semi-autobiographical drama, had an impressive opening, earning an estimated $288,825 from just four theaters.
Here are the top 10 movies Friday through Sunday, with estimated domestic box office earnings:
1. Midway, $17.5 million
2. Doctor Sleep, $14.1 million
3. Playing With Fire, $12.8 million
4. Last Christmas, $11.6 million
5. Terminator: Dark Fate, $10.8 million
6. Joker, $9.2 million
7. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, $8 million
8. Harriet, $7.2 million
9. Zombieland 2: Double Tap, $4.3 million
10. The Addams Family, $4.2 million
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