BOX OFFICE: “Snow White” can’t fight off “A Working Man,” “Woman in the Yard” embarrasses “Death of a Unicorn”

Disney’s big-but-hardly-huge live action “Snow White” cleared the $50 million mark on its first week in release, and should add another $13 million+ on its second weekend, based on Friday’s turnout. But will it remain the top draw at the North American box office?

That 65-70% or so drop-off from its opening isn’t good. But with family films, Sat. and Sunday are the true tell. I wouldn’t be shocked if it sold a couple more million in tickets by midnight Sunday.

Weak reviews, a troubled production, a notoriously unapologetic Zionist playing the villain and an outspoken young “Free Gaza” Latina lead didn’t help this one. Probably didn’t keep that many people away, but not the sort of distractions you want for a family friendly film.

“A Working Man,” the latest Jason Statham-gets-your-revenge/gets your daughter back, etc. for you thriller, a construction worker with “particular skills,” did a meek $million or so Thursday night, which folded into a $5.6 million Friday, Deadline.com reports.

When you count Thursday afternoon/night and Friday as “opening day,” you get to edge “Snow White” which only pulled in $3.7 million worth of ticket sales on Friday, a school day and night.

“Working Man” delivers the goods, such as they are, and could clear “Beekeeper” numbers –$16 or more. But chances are, $15 million will be counted as a “win,” even if “Snow White” finds its second wind.

Fathom Events’ threatrical release of the latest chapter of streaming TV’s “The Chosen,” titled “The Last Supper,” is doing a robust second weekend of business — maybe another $12 million as it marches towards Easter. Fathom has done banner business showing this free series on the big screen.

Fourth place will fall in the hands of the simple horror thriller about the menace apparent in “The Woman in the Yard,” a Blumhouse branded title which may hit the $9 million mark.

That’ll consign the hyped A24 horror comedy/satire “Death of a Unicorn” to fifth place, with a $5.6 million take. It’s on hundreds more screens than “Woman in the Yard,” as perhaps Blumhouse lacks confidence in an African American horror tale or a horror film that isn’t a part of a franchise. It’s been a weak year for horror films at the box office.

“Unicorn” is that unicorn among A24 releases, the rare A24 title that misfires and fails to satisfy.

The re-issue of the Hayao Miyaziki anime classic “Princess Mononoke” will probably earn more cash ($3 million) than “Novocaine,” “The Alto Knights” and the other underperforming pictures of late spiraling down the box office Top Ten.

There’s been precious little content that gets anybody out to the theaters this winter into spring. Theaters can book classics with a modest following and do better business than they would with indie fare like “Penguin Lessons” or “The Ballad of Wallis Island.”

As always, I’ll update these tallies as the weekend progresses.

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About Roger Moore

Movie Critic, formerly with McClatchy-Tribune News Service, Orlando Sentinel, published in Spin Magazine, The World and now published here, Orlando Magazine, Autoweek Magazine
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