Street Fighter's Strong Start
Paramount and Legendary's PG-13 adaptation of Capcom's Street Fighter video game began Thursday previews with approximately $4 million, according to sources. Showtimes started at 2 p.m. and were further boosted by a 7 p.m. fan showtime. The film, which cost a net $82 million co-financed by Legendary and Capcom, is expected to open north of $30 million. Critics have been harsh, giving it a 47% score on Rotten Tomatoes.[S1][S2][S3]
According to insiders, the Thursday preview haul for Street Fighter comes in below the $5.2 million that New Line's R-rated Mortal Kombat 2, adapted from the Midway game, earned when it launched in mid-May. A notable distinction between the two fighting-game properties: Street Fighter first appeared in 1987, whereas Mortal Kombat arrived in 1992 in arcades and pizza parlors. Mortal Kombat 2's previews started at 3 p.m., leading to a $16.8 million opening Friday and a $38.5 million three-day gross.[S1]
Street Fighter's preview numbers also top those of Paramount's 2020 pre-pandemic Sonic the Hedgehog, which collected $3 million in previews on its way to a $20.9 million first Friday and a $58 million three-day debut. That title, however, opened during the Presidents Day holiday and carried a PG rating. A mid-fall school break is now in progress and could lift attendance; Rentrak data shows 21% of K-12 schools and 7% of colleges are on holiday.[S1]
Documentary and Other Openings
A24's three-hour documentary You Can See Everything is posting roughly $2 million from previews that started at 3 p.m. The film is co-directed by Lance Oppenheim and features Nathan Fielder, who chronicles fallen Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes ahead of her federal prison term. For context, the most recent documentary to achieve the decade's strongest domestic opening, Amazon MGM Studios' Melania, launched to $7.1 million with no previews.[S1]
Oppenheim's prior film, which was also his first narrative feature, this fall's Primetime, earned $2.7 million in previews that started at 4 p.m. and went on to an $18.8 million opening. Early weekend projections had placed You Can See Everything in the high single digits, but optimism is rising that this well-reviewed title (100% fresh on RT, 98% RT audience score) could debut above $10 million, surpassing Melania's documentary domestic opening record. You Can See Everything was filmed across four years for under $10 million, with marketing costs also below $10 million.[S1]
Focus Features' Sense & Sensibility and 20th Century Studios' Whalefall likewise ran previews today, each starting at 2 p.m., with sources putting both near $1 million. Sense & Sensibility is projected to open at about $8 million, while Whalefall, adapted from Daniel Kraus's thriller novel, is looking at a Friday-to-Sunday figure above $11 million. Sense & Sensibility holds a 76% critics' freshness score, and Whalefall sits at 70%. Studios will release official numbers Friday morning.[S1]
