Programming away from the mainstream has paid off for a few pictures these last few weeks.
The Christian content “War Room” opened on a low-turnout weekend, built buzz on that and is closing in on the $40 million mark. It should clear that Monday or Tuesday.
And “The Perfect Guy,” an African-American cast stalker thriller with Sanaa Lathan stalked by Michael Ealy, and Morris Chestnut caught in the wringer between them, opened huge this weekend, pulling in over $26 million and winning the first official weekend of the fall.
“The Visit” opened at over $25 million, for second place and a second life into M. Night Shyamalan’s career. No name cast, modestly spooky, and it hits.
More counter programming — the Spanish language distributor Pantelion has a modest kiddie cartoon hit with “UN GALLO CON MUCHOS HUEVOS,” which cleared $6 million and cracked the top ten. Chicken Little, with a double entendre title?