While it’s safe to say the North American box office is unlikely to rebound for a long, long time, people are still going to see movies, even if that means hopping into a car and making the way to your local drive-in (a way of seeing movies that’s undergoing a major resurgence in these COVID-19 times). While those theaters that are open are mostly playing older movies, one new release that’s been getting some decent traction at the box office is Dave Franco’s directorial debut, THE RENTAL. Starring Alison Brie, Dan Stevens, Sheila Vand and Jeremy Allen White, the reviews for this low-key chiller have been solid, and it seems to be turning into something of a phenomenon on the drive-in circuit.
Box Office Mojo is reporting that THE RENTAL topped the box office for the second weekend in a row, earning north of $317,000, down only 21% from the week before – a strong hold no matter how you look at it. While those numbers hardly suggest THE RENTAL is a blockbuster, all things considered, it certainly suggests that folks are digging it and I imagine the VOD numbers must be even better, so I think we can safely call Franco’s movie a sleeper hit.
It was followed at the box office by a bunch of reissues, with THE GOONIES, JURASSIC PARK, and BACK TO THE FUTURE taking the 2nd, 3rd and 4th spots. Notably, a low-budget Vinnie Jones action flick, THE BIG UGLY took fifth place – not a bad result for a film that’s had no buzz at all.
Of course, the real test will be if and when TENET finally hits theaters, with it opening in the U.S on Labor Day Weekend. Will you go check it out? Let us know in the talkbacks below!