Jordan Peele scares, and scores, again with new film ‘Us’

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LOS ANGELES, March 25, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – With his new film “Us” blasting to
an estimated $70.3 million opening in North American theaters in one of the
best launches ever for a horror film, director Jordan Peele has done it
again.

Website BoxOfficeMojo called the film’s three-day ticket sales “mind-
blowing.”

The Universal production, which stars Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke and
Elisabeth Moss in the story of a family that encounters horrifying versions
of themselves, had the second-best launch of the year, trailing only
blockbuster “Captain Marvel,” according to industry watcher Exhibitor
Relations.

Peele had impressed Hollywood with his first production, “Get Out,” another
horror film with heavy social commentary that won an Oscar as Best Original
Screenplay and was the 10th most profitable film of 2017. The new film has a
94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, rare praise for a horror flick.

“Us” pushed Disney’s “Captain Marvel” down to second place, at $35 million
for the weekend, but that female-led blockbuster had little to complain
about. With Brie Larson starring as a former fighter pilot with superpowers,
the film has taken in a combined $910 million at home and abroad.

In third spot was Paramount’s animation “Wonder Park,” at $9 million. The
film, about an amusement park based on a young girl’s imaginings, is voiced
by Brianna Denski, Jennifer Garner, Matthew Broderick and John Oliver.

Fourth spot went to CBS/Lionsgate’s teen drama “Five Feet Apart,” at $8.8
million. It stars Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse as teens who fall in
love but must keep their distance while being treated for cystic fibrosis.

And in fifth was “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” at $6.5
million. It tells the story of young Hiccup and his dragon Toothless on a
quest for a dragon utopia. Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera and Cate Blanchett
provide the voices.

Rounding out the weekend’s top 10 were:

“A Madea Family Funeral” ($4.5 million)

“Gloria Bell” ($1.8 million)

“No Manches Frida 2” ($1.8 million)

“The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” ($1.1 million)

“Alita: Battle Angel” ($1 million)