‘Mr. Holmes’ Dominates, Woody Allen’s ‘Irrational Man’ Debut Is Solid: Specialty B.O.

Sony Classics opened Woody Allen’s latest, Irrational Man, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone and Parker Posey in New York and L.A. this weekend, outpacing his 2014 feature Magic In The Moonlight, which also starred Stone as well as Colin Firth and Marcia Gay Harden, though his current film bowed in fewer theaters. The weekend’s biggest specialty debut in terms of absolute numbers was by far Mr. Holmes from Roadside Attractions and Miramax, opening decently in 363 theaters and landing 10th in the overall box office. A24’s doc hit Amy continued to croon solid numbers in its third weekend amidst another expansion, grossing seven figures, while The Orchard added 39 runs for its Sundance winning-doc, Cartel Land.

Allen continues to be a mainstay of summer, returning this year with Irrational Man, which he filmed in Newport and Providence, Rhode Island last year. The film grossed a healthy $188K-plus in 5 theaters, giving it a $37,623 average, by far the weekend’s highest. The weekend’s second highest PSA was Disney’s Ant-Man, which was less than half of Irrational Man’s average, across many more theaters. Irrational Man outnumbered Allen’s last film, Magic In The Moonlight in PTAs. That film grossed just over $412K in 17 theaters when it began its run in late July last year, averaging $24,241. The film went on to cume $10.53M. Woody Allen’s 2013 feature, Blue Jasmine, which won Cate Blanchett the Oscar for Best Actress, opened in 6 theaters July 26 of that year and cranked out a dazzling $102K PSA in 6 theaters, grossing over $612K its opening weekend. It went on to cume $33.4M stateside.

2012’s To Rome With Love opened well ahead of Irrational Man in June in 5 theaters, grossing over $361K opening weekend, averaging over $72K. Rome went on to total over $16.68M. The filmmaker’s 2011 film, Midnight In Paris, remains his biggest box office hit to date with a cume of over $56.8M (1986’s Hannah And Her Sisters is second with just over $40M). Midnight In Paris opened in May, 2011 in 6 locations, grossing $599K ($99,834 average).

SPC will add more cities over the rest of July and will take Irrational Man wide August 7.

Roadside teamed with Miramax on the Ian McKellen and Laura Linney starrer, Mr. Holmes, which the companies opened in 363 theaters Friday — by far the biggest limited run title of the weekend. The feature grossed more than $2.488M, giving it a $6,856 PTA. Roadside co-president Howard Cohen noted that the film’s grosses, “went up 59% Friday to Saturday, indicating terrific word of mouth,” he noted Sunday morning when reporting grosses. “The film showed broad playability across the country as theaters in Indianapolis, Salt Lake City, Denver and St. Louis landed in our top 20.” The film, which Cohen noted has an A- CinemaScore, will expand to about 650 theaters next week.

Among other openers, Kino Lorber bowed two films Friday in single engagements in New York. Cannes Directors Fortnight title A Hard Day grossed $1,500 at the Village East, while French documentary Steak Revolution, exploring new trends around the world in grass-fed beef, opened at IFC Center grossing $1K. A Hard Day will open in Washington, D.C. and Honolulu next weekend, while Steak Revolution will expand in late August in several major markets including L.A. and San Francisco.

IFC Films’ The Stanford Prison Experiment starring Billy Crudup and Ezra Miller opened solidly in 2 New York and L.A. theaters. The feature grossed $40,324 for a good $20,162 PSA. Directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez, the film is based on the real-life events that took place in 1971 in which an experiment was set up at Stanford University, with students given roles as prisoners and prison guards under the supervision of psychology professor Philip Zimbardo. IFC Films said the title had sold out shows on both coasts over the weekend. Stanford Prison Experiment will open the the top 10 markets this weekend including San Francisco and the top 20 markets by the end of July.

Start Digital added 10 runs for late actor/comedian Robin Williams’ final movie, Boulevard, in its second frame. The feature grossed $27,500 in 11 theaters, averaging $2,500. Boulevard opened exclusively at the Sunshine in NYC last weekend grossing just over $7K. The film will continue to take on additional markets weekly basis throughout July and August.

2015’s biggest theatrical box office documentary, Amy, continued expanding in its third weekend. A24 added 94 locations, grossing $1,097,940 in 435 theaters, averaging $2,524. The film averaged $5,131 last weekend from a $1.78M gross in 341 theaters. Amy’s three-week came is now over $4.16M.

Another documentary, Cartel Land, grossed $123,756 ($2,098 average) in 59 theaters, 39 more locations. The award-winning Sundance feature has cumed over $311K in three weeks.

The Orchard’s title The Overnight starring Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling and Jason Schwartman crossed the $1M threshold over the weekend. In its 5th frame, the film grossed $50,908 in 63 theaters, averaging $808 for a $1,012,512 cume. The Orchard also reported VOD estimates for its documentary, Dior And I, which has been out in theaters for 15 weeks ($1,024,003 cume). The title 3-week on-demand total is now $210K.

NEW

A Hard Day (Kino Lobber Films) NEW [1 Theater] Weekend $1,500
Irrational Man (Sony Pictures Classics) NEW [5 Theaters] Weekend $188,115, Average $37,623
Mr. Holmes (Roadside Attractions/Miramax) NEW [363 Theaters] Weekend $2,488,893, Average $6,856
The Stanford Prison Experiment (IFC Films) NEW [2 Theaters] Weekend $40,324, Average $20,162

 Steak Revolution (Kino Lorber Films) NEW [1 Theater] Weekend $1K

RETURNING/SECOND WEEKEND

Boulevard (Starz Digital) Week 2 [11 Theater] Weekend $27,500, Average $2,500, Cume $31,742

Do I Sound Gay? (Sundance Selects) Week 2 [5 Theaters] Weekend $12,500, Average $2,500, Cume $28,214

Forever Young (China Lion) Week 2 [14 Theaters] Weekend $23K, Average $1,643, Cume $129,915
Meet Me In Montenegro (The Orchard) Week 2 [1 Theaters] Weekend $1,216, VOD Est. $25K

HOLDOVERS / THIRD+ WEEKENDS

Amy (A24) Week 3 [435 Theaters] Weekend $1,097,940, Average $2,524, Cume $4,165,237
Cartel Land (The Orchard) Week 3 [59 Theaters] Weekend $123,756, Average $2,098, Cume $311,264
Faith Of Our Fathers (Pureflix) Week 3 [52 Theaters] Weekend $26,956, Average $518, Cume $952,687
Jimmy’s Hall (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 3 [43 Theaters] Weekend $61,777, Average $1,437, Cume $149,839
Infinitely Polar Bear (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 4 [80 Theaters] Weekend $113,265, Average $1,416, Cume $798,344
Manglehorn (IFC Films) Week 5 [18 Theaters] Weekend $7,200, Average $400, Cume $132,727
The Overnight (The Orchard) Week 5 [63 Theaters] Weekend $50,908, Average $808, Cume $1,012,512
Me And Earl And The Dying Girl (Fox Searchlight) Week 6 [235 Theaters] Weekend $235K, Average $1K, Cume $6.2M
The Yes Men Are Revolting (The Orchard) Week 6 [3 Theaters] Weekend $1,098, Average $366, Cume $47,884
Love & Mercy (Roadside/Lionsgate) Week 7 [197 Theaters] Weekend $247,805, Average $1,258, Cume $11,790,493
Testament Of Youth (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 7 [104 Theaters] Weekend $126,434, Average $1,216, Cume $1,392,134
I’ll See You In My Dreams (Bleecker Street) Week 10 [163 Theaters] Weekend $192,428, Average $1,180, Cume $6,846,963
Dior And I (The Orchard) Week 15 [2 Theaters] Weekend $808, Average $404, Cume $1,024,003; VOD Est. Week 3: $210K