Warner Bros and Village Roadshow Pictures’ gender-bending heist film Ocean’s 8 opened to 41.5 million dollars from 4,145 locations — a series best for the Ocean’s franchise. Overseas, it launched with 12.2 million dollars for a global start of 53.7 million dollars.
Women and older moviegoers bolstered box office numbers. Females accounted for 69% of audiences, while 69% were over the age of 25. Ocean’s 8 currently has a B+ CinemaScore and 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Sandra Bullock has shared how George Clooney couldn't have been more supportive of her for her new all-female 'Ocean's Eleven' spin off.
Jeff Goldstein, head of domestic distribution at Warner Bros, thanks counter-programming against a series of tentpoles for the film’s strong debut.
“We exceeded our expectations,” Goldstein said. “There’s always been a lack of movies [female-led projects]. I’m glad audiences enjoyed it as much as we did.”
The spin-off marks over a decade since Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s trilogy with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon graced the big screen. Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve, and Ocean’s Thirteen, which released between 2001 and 2007, each bowed between 36 million dollars and 39 million dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Adjusted for inflation, that range climbs to 48 million dollars and 61 million dollars.
Ocean’s 8 represents a solid return for its star, Sandra Bullock. Her latest on-screen role was in 2015 with “Our Brand Is Crisis,” which bombed with a 3 million dollar opening. The drama grossed only 7 million dollars worldwide. Prior to that, Bullock starred in the critically acclaimed Gravity. The sci-fi thriller, which landed Bullock an Oscar nom, opened with 55.7 million dollars and went on to make 274 million dollars domestically and 723 million dollars worldwide.
Meanwhile, Toni Collette’s Hereditary also got a box office boost. A24’s R-rated thriller didn’t scare audiences away — it exceeded estimates to open in fourth place with 13 million dollars from 2,964 locations. Hereditary marks A24’s best opening weekend in history, outpacing 2015’s The Witch’s 8.8 million dollar bow.
Ari Aster’s directorial debut has been critically lauded since its debut in the Midnight section at Sundance Film Festival. Audiences appear to disagree — the horror film currently has a D+ CinemaScore and 64% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while its critical rating is 94% Fresh.