Box Office: ‘Don’t Breathe’ Smothers Newcomers With $4.2 Million Friday

In what is proving to be a sleepy Labor Day weekend at the box office, “Don’t Breathe” continues to dominate with $4.2 million at 3,051 locations on Friday. The film, which carries a price tag below $10 million, is heading for a $15 million second frame, bringing its total to about $54 million.

Newcomers “The Light Between Oceans” and “Morgan” aren’t putting up much of a fight. The former, starring real-life couple Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, will rake in about $5 million at 1,500 locations after earning $1.4 million on Friday; the later, an ensemble thriller earned $600,000 on Friday and is eyeing close to $2 million at 2,020 locations.

This first weekend in September follows a record August led by “Suicide Squad,” which will cross the $300 million domestic mark this weekend. The film picked up an additional $2.3 million on Friday and looks to take second this weekend with about $10 million at 3,292 locations.

Labor Day weekend is notoriously led by holdover films — the weekend is trapped between summer blockbuster season and fall, which is jam-packed with awards contenders. This summer’s final tally should wind up being about equal to last year’s $4.49 billion total.

The great success of Screen Gems and Stage 6 Films’ “Don’t Breathe” follows a trend of high-performing horror films. It stars Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto and Stephen Lang. Fede Alvarez directed the horror-thriller about three young robbers who target a blind veteran, but they tables turn as they are trapped and forced to fight for their lives.

“The Light Between Oceans” is a romantic drama in which a couple, who aren’t able to start a family, adopts an infant who mysteriously washes ashore. The film, from Disney, has a $20 million production budget. Derek Cianfrance directs from a script that he adapted from the M.L. Stedman novel.

“Morgan” is a sci-fi film about a humanoid girl who rebels against her creators.Anya Taylor-Joy leads the ensemble cast which includes Kate Mara, Toby Jones, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Paul Giamatti. The Fox film had only a $6 million budget, and is directed by Luke Scott who has previously worked on his father, Ridley’s, films “The Martian” and “Exodus: Gods and Kings.”

As “Bad Moms” heads for a $5 million sixth frame, the film will cross the $100 million landmark at the domestic box office. The female-driven comedy from Stx has far surpassed its $20 million budget.

In its fourth weekend, “Pete’s Dragon” is neck and neck with the third weekend of “Kubo and the Two Strings.” Both films picked up about $1.4 million on Friday and are heading for between $6 and $7 million this weekend.

“No Manches Frida,” from Lionsgate and Televisa’s Pantelion Film, cracked the top ten and is pacing about evenly with “The Light Between Oceans.” The film grossed over $1 million on Friday at 362 locations, and is eyeing a $4 million opening weekend. The Spanish language comedy is directed by Nacho G. Velilla and tells the story of a bank robber who poses as a substitute teacher in order to recover money buried underneath the school.

“Sausage Party,” “War Dogs” and “Hell or High Water” round out the weekend’s top ten.
All three films are looking to finish the weekend with around $5 million.