Emerald Fennell’s new Wuthering Heights, starring Australians Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, has opened in first place at the North American box office.
The Warner Bros release topped the box office charts and nabbed the title for the year’s biggest opening with $US34.8 million ($A49.0 million) in ticket sales in its first three days in North American theatres, according to studio estimates Sunday.
According to PostTrak polling, an estimated 76 per cent of those ticket buyers were women.
By the end of Monday’s US public holiday, the total could rise to $US40 million ($A56 million) from its 3682 locations.
The romantic drama starring Queensland-born Robbie and Elordi as the star-crossed Catherine and Heathcliff, won out over the weekend’s other newcomers, including the animated GOAT and the heist thriller Crime 101.
Its biggest day was Saturday’s Valentine’s Day, where it earned $US14 million ($A20 million).
Wuthering Heights is also performing even better internationally, where it’s expected to rake in an additional $US42 million ($A59 million) from 76 territories.
The Warner Bros./MRC production cost a reported $US80 million ($A113 million) to produce, not accounting for the millions spent on marketing and promotion.
If the four-day totals match the estimates, that makes for a strong $US82 million ($A116 million) global debut.
And the film still has several big openings on the horizon, in Japan and Vietnam on February 27, and in China on March 13.
The success comes while the future of Warner Bros. hangs in the balance, as Paramount continues to sweeten its hostile takeover bid in hopes of winning out over Netflix.
Wuthering Heights is the studio’s ninth number one opening in a row.
Fennell’s version of Wuthering Heights, which takes many liberties with Emily Brontë’s novel, has largely divided critics.
It’s currently sitting at a mixed 63 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
While that didn’t dissuade audiences from buying tickets, only 51 per cent of the opening weekend audience said that they would “definitely recommend” the film to friends.
Moviegoers also gave it a less-than-stellar B CinemaScore.
https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/powered-by-women-wuthering-heights-film-debuts-on-top-c-21649653
