Universal/87North’s “The Fall Guy” has started the summer box office with $3.15 million earned from Thursday preview showings at 3,200 theaters. This amount also includes $800,000 from early access showings on Wednesday.
In comparison, director David Leitch’s previous film, “Bullet Train,” made $4.6 million in previews in August 2022 and went on to have a $30.6 million opening weekend. “The Fall Guy” is expected to have a similar opening weekend, with some competitors anticipating a potential $35-40 million start.
Featuring Ryan Gosling as a stuntman who loses confidence after a serious accident and attempts to mend his romantic relationship with an up-and-coming director (Emily Blunt), “The Fall Guy” currently holds an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Universal will require the positive critical response to translate into long-lasting positive word-of-mouth from audiences and successful international performance, as the film faces a challenging journey to profitability against its reported $125 million budget.
In other news, Sony/Screen Gems’ horror movie “Tarot” made $715,000 in previews ahead of an anticipated $5-6 million opening weekend. Disney will also re-release the “Star Wars” film “Episode I: The Phantom Menace” for its 25th anniversary, which is expected to generate $5 million this weekend, with some cinema insiders predicting as much as $8 million.
