Hadestown: The Musical pulled in $9.7 million across 1,949 theaters. Bleecker Street’s stage capture debuted at No. 4 domestically, but other indie releases didn’t fare as well. IFC Films watched its action project Motor City stall in ninth place. The Alan Ritchson movie only managed a $1.6 million weekend.
Hadestown: The Musical
The box office demand forced a quick schedule change. Distributor Crosswalk and partner LD Entertainment plan to expand the five-day run they originally planned for. The film secured the second-largest opening for a stage capture since Hamilton. Honestly, the $9.7 million debut showed event cinema still draws large crowds.
Motor City
But IFC Films struggled with the Alan Ritchson project. The action movie debuted in 1,600 locations and dropped to a $1.6 million haul. Audiences simply ignored the marketing material they were exposed to.
Her Private Hell
Neon didn’t fare much better this weekend. Nicolas Winding Refn directed the sci-fi thriller, and it generated a dismal $530,000 across 675 screens. So the studio quickly abandoned the expansion plans they committed to.
The Tentpole Vacuum and Greek Mythology Synergy
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey retained the No. 1 spot. The blockbuster generated $87 million during its second weekend, bringing its domestic total past $286 million. A lack of new studio tentpoles created a sudden vacuum in the market. That gap allowed an alternative release to sneak into the top five.
Industry analysts noted a direct thematic overlap. Heavy hype for Nolan’s film perfectly complemented the Greek mythology elements of Hadestown. Fans of the ancient genre just bought tickets for both.