In a slow weekend at the North American box office, the horror comedy "Lisa Frankenstein" failed to make a significant impact in its debut. Written by Diablo Cody and starring Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse, the film earned $3.8 million, securing second place behind the spy thriller "Argylle."
"Argylle," directed by Matthew Vaughn, claimed the top spot with $6.5 million, bringing its domestic total to $28.8 million in two weekends. This $200 million production marks Apple's first major theatrical disappointment. Distributed by Universal Pictures, the film played in 3,605 locations globally and has earned $60.1 million to date.
"Lisa Frankenstein," released by Focus Features in 3,144 locations, is a teenage take on Mary Shelley's classic tale set in the 1980s. It is the directorial debut of Zelda Williams, daughter of Robin Williams. Reviews for the film were mixed to negative, with a 49% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. AP's Mark Kennedy described it as "painfully incoherent and deeply, deeply dumb."
Exit data revealed that the majority of the audience for "Lisa Frankenstein" was female (61%) and under the age of 35 (71%). Despite the low opening weekend numbers, the film had a modest production budget of $13 million.
The film shares the same universe as "Jennifer's Body," also written by Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusama. Although it initially received a lukewarm response from both critics and audiences in 2009, "Jennifer's Body" has gained appreciation and a cult following over the past 15 years.
Rounding out the top five were "The Beekeeper" in third place with an additional $3.5 million, the faith-based series "The Chosen" in fourth place with $3.2 million, and "Wonka" in fifth place with $3.1 million.
Overall, this Super Bowl weekend marked the slowest weekend of the year so far, with industry-wide ticket sales at approximately $40 million, down nearly 25% from last year. Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst, attributed this decline to various factors, including the unique attention on this year's football game.
Looking ahead, the box office is expected to pick up with the release of "Bob Marley: One Love" and "Madame Web." However, significant recovery is not anticipated until "Dune: Part Two" opens on March 1.
In conclusion, "Lisa Frankenstein" struggled to make an impact at the box office, while "Argylle" claimed the top spot. The overall slow weekend can be attributed to a variety of factors, and the industry is hopeful for a recovery in the coming weeks.