UPDATE 1-Box Office: 'Goosebumps' Tops 'The Martian,' 'Crimson Peak' Falls Flat

(Adds quotes)
By Brent Lang
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18 (Variety.com) - "Goosebumps" rode a
wave of Clinton era nostalgia to the top of the box office
charts, as the adaptation of the popular children's book series
earned $23.5 million in its opening weekend.
That just edged out Fox's "The Martian," the science-fiction
smash that was trying to be the number one picture for a third
week in a row. The film added $21.5 million to its $143.8
million haul.
It was a crowded time at the multiplexes, as four new
releases jockeyed for audiences' attention. Aside from
"Goosebumps," the weekend's best performer was "Bridge of
Spies," the Steven Spielberg Cold War drama that capitalized on
good reviews and Oscar buzz by nabbing $15.4 million. Disney is
distributing the true story of an attorney (Tom Hanks) who
defends a Russian spy (Mark Rylance). DreamWorks produced the
$40 million production. Its look at prisoner rights resonates in
the post-Guantanamo age and positions "Bridge of Spies" to
remain part of the conversation in coming weeks, Disney
executives argued.
"It's overwhelmingly applicable to today," said Dave Hollis,
Walt Disney Studios' executive vice president of theatrical
distribution. "But that's Steven Spielberg. He's able to do that
with almost every single story."
"Crimson Peak" fared less well. The Gothic Romance from
Guillermo del Toro proved too niche for mainstream crowds,
falling flat with a $12.6 million debut. The story about a
virginal bride (Mia Wasikowska) who moves into a haunted mansion
cost $55 million to bring to the screen. Legendary Pictures
fully financed the picture and Universal is distributing the
film. The studio believes that "Crimson Peak" struggled to break
out from other fare aimed at older crowds such as "Bridge of
Spies" and "Sicario." It also had more romance than straight
scares, which may have disappointed ticket buyers looking for a
more traditional horror film.
"This is a challenging play time for adult-oriented films,"
said Nick Carpou, Universal's domestic distribution chief. "The
film is definitely a throwback to an old fashioned way of
creating atmosphere and layering tension. It's visually stunning
and genuinely creepy."
"Goosebumps" takes its names from the spooky children's
books by R.L. Stine, but provided a meta-twist by having the
author play a role in the movie. Jack Black, who played Stine,
injected some humor into the proceedings, and a PG-rating made
the film family friendly. Sony Pictures backed the $58 million
production.
"Our marketing was able to convey just how fun this movie
is," said Rory Bruer, Sony's distribution chief. "This is a an
all audience movie. It works for teens, as well as adults and
younger kids."
That left faith-based drama "Woodlawn," the story of a high
school football team that makes a playoff run after finding
religion, debuted across 1,553 to a stronger than expected $4.1
million. Pure Flix, the film's distributor, declined to provide
a budget.
In limited release, abduction drama "Room" leveraged awards
chatter into a very strong start, earning $120,000 from four
screens for a per-screen average of $30,000. "Truth," another
Oscar hopeful, was less successful. Sony Pictures Classics bowed
the story of "60 Minutes'" controversial report on George W.
Bush's National Guard service across six screens where it
brought in $76,646, for a per screen average of $12,774.
And "Beasts of No Nation," Cary Fukunaga's drama about child
soldiers in Africa, made headlines when Netflix (O:NFLX) bested all
bidders by offering $12 million for rights to the movie. It
debuted simultaneously on the company's streaming service and in
31 theaters, but barely registered at the box office, eking out
$50,699 for a per-screen average of $1,635. It's difficult to
call the picture a failure, however, given that Netflix is more
interested in offering up something exclusive to its subscribers
that differentiates itself from other subscription video
services. A theatrical release is being launched primarily to
qualify "Beasts" for awards.
"Steve Jobs," a biopic about the Apple (O:AAPL) co-founder, impressed
in its expansion after scoring the year's highest per-screen
average last weekend. It moved from four theaters to 60
locations, where it earned $1.5 million for a per-screen average
of $25,831.