The box office still isn't back to its pre-COVID glory days but films that are opening in the 1200-1500 theaters that have kept their doors open, have been pulling what little money they can. Previous weekends have seen catalog titles winning the box office but this weekend it was Dave Franco's directorial debut THE RENTAL that came out on top.
THE RENTAL topped the box office with $420,871 in 251 theaters during its first three days of release. There is a lack of significant competition at the box office right now but the indie feature's performance should be something that is celebrated for those in the theater industry who are desperately waiting for the time that the movie business can get back to normal. These earnings, although modest, is a sign that moviegoers do want to get out to the movies again and thankfully the drive-in experience, which has seen a resurgence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, has kept moviegoing alive during a time when most thought it would be a complete dead zone.
THE RENTAL came out well ahead of a re-release of 1984's THE KARATE KID, which grossed $135,000 over the weekend. The next few weeks will see the box office continuing to cater almost exclusively to various indie movies and the re-release of popular catalog titles as studios patiently wait for more theaters to open so potential blockbusters like TENET can have room to perform to the best of their abilities. The good news is that the current state of the box office has shined a brighter light on independent films since their performance leads most box office headlines. This is giving films like THE RENTAL a chance to gain exposure when they may have normally been missed.
THE RENTAL is directed by Dave Franco is was written by Franco and Joe Swanberg. The film follows two couples who rent a house for a weekend getaway. While enjoying their vacation, the couples realize their rooms are bugged with recording devices and things grow more problematic when a masked man starts attacking them on by one. The film stars Alison Brie, Sheila Vand, Dan Stevens, Jeremy Allen White, and Toby Huss. THE RENTAL was released in select drive-ins and theaters on Friday, July 24 and it was made available On Demand on the same day.
Did YOU check out THE RENTAL this weekend?