The box office is on its way to being resuscitated this weekend with two big wide releases. 20th Century Fox’s Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and Warner Bros.’ Black Mass with Johnny Depp both fired up theaters last night.
Scorch Trials took in $1.7 million from 2,900 locations, notes The Hollywood Reporter. The film, reviewed here, is expected to win the box office with around $35 million.
The first Maze Runner was released exactly a year ago and went on to gross $340.7 million worldwide ($104.2 million in North America). The new film cost $61 million to make and was also directed by Wes Ball. Dylan O’Brien returned to lead the cast.
Black Mass started off with $1.4 million, playing in 2,700 locations. The film stars Johnny Depp as Boston mobster Whitey Bulger and has already returned the actor to critics’ good graces. It was directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) and cost the studio $53 million to make. Forbes is predicting a debut in the low $20 million range.
Also hitting theaters - but only in Imax - is Everest, an all-star adventure film. It grossed $325,000 last night from 481 locations. It will play in 540 Imax locations this weekend.