The Photograph brought romance to the box office just in time for Valentine’s Day, and debuted with an estimated $12.2 million for a fourth place finish.
The Universal Pictures release from writer-director Stella Meghie is expected to earn a total of $13.3 million through Monday over the long Presidents Day holiday, according to Comscore. With a reported production budget of $16 million, the film’s weekend haul is in line with studio expectations.
Related Story: ‘Bad Boys for Life’ Races Past $100 Million at Box Office
The Will Packer production played in 2,516 theaters for a per location average of $4,877. The romantic drama, which stars Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield, tells the story of a woman who must learn from the secrets in her mother’s past if she is to move forward and allow herself to love and be loved.
The Photograph saw its biggest audiences in the Southeast and Northeast, with strong showings in Atlanta, New York, and Washington, D.C., Deadline reported. Of those ticket buyers, exit data showed the racial breakdown was 48 percent African American, 27 percent Caucasian, 17 percent Hispanic and 8 percent Asian/Other. The majority of the audience was women, with female moviegoers making up 56 percent of the audience.
Elsewhere this weekend, Sonic The Hedgehog topped the box office with a massive $57.0 million and an expected $68.0 million through Monday. Opening in 4,167 theaters, the film averaged $13,679 per location.
The Paramount Pictures release follows the adventures of Sonic as he navigates the complexities of life on Earth with his newfound human best friend Tom Wachowski (James Marsden). It scored the best domestic debut ever for a movie based on a video game.
Birds of Prey took second place with $17.1 million for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and an expected $19.6 million over the long holiday weekend. Now in its second week of release, the Harley Quinn superhero saga has earned a total of $83.6 million in North America.
Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island opened in third with $12.4 million for the weekend and $14.0 million over four days. This new spin on Fantasy Island comes from Sony Pictures and features a cast that includes Michael Peña, Maggie Q, Portia Doubleday, Kim Coates, Michael Rooker, Robbie Jones, Ryan Hansen, Lucy Hale, Charlotte McKinney, and Jimmy O. Yang. It’s directed by Jeff Wadlow.
As mentioned, The Photograph debuted in fourth place. Bad Boys For Life rounds out the top five after earning another $11.3 million for the weekend and an expected $12.8 million over the long holiday. Now in its fifth weekend of release in North America, the action saga starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence has earned a total of $181.3 million.
