Family Friendly LYLE, LYLE CROCODILE Outperforms Star-Studded AMSTERDAM At Box Office
By Movieguide® Staff
Major theater chains’ fears of box office woes following a strong summer have come true after director David O. Russell’s star-studded tentpole, AMSTERDAM, failed to attract audiences.
Movieguide® previously reported:
According to Comscore, the summer box office has grossed $3.027 billion, which is only 17.5% below the last pre-pandemic numbers in 2019.
Although the numbers encouraged theater owners who struggled to stay afloat amid COVID-19 shutdowns, some expect a slow decline without the prospect of more blockbusters.
“As great as the summer has been, we’re about to hit a lull,” Chief revenue officer of Flix Brewhouse Chris Randleman said. “The problem isn’t that people don’t want to go to theaters. We don’t have movies to show in August or September.”
However, AMSTERDAM could not build off the success of TOP GUN: MAVERICK.
The 1930s comedy boasted an all-star cast including Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Rami Malek, Robert De Niro, Anya Taylor-Joy, Taylor Swift, Michael Shannon, and more.
However, the R-rated comedy opened to an abysmal $6.5M in 3,005 theaters. According to Variety, AMSTERDAM cost around 80M to make, if not more, and currently sits at 10M worldwide.
While it boasted an impressive ensemble of talent, AMSTERDAM failed to attract families to the theaters, making it one of the worst box office bombs in 2022.
A portion of Movieguide®’s review reads:
AMSTERDAM’s story’s plot is too complicated. The movie’s also marred by frequent asides about the personal lives of the three protagonists, and a flashback that interrupts the main story to tell the back story of the three protagonists. AMSTERDAM also has lots of foul language, brief extreme violence, references to drug addiction, and a Romantic worldview with some Bohemian, anti-capitalist, socialist, politically correct implications. MOVIEGUIDE® commends AMSTERDAM’s performances, opposition to fascism and support for veterans but advises extreme caution.
While the media may point to the slow, early Fall season for movies, the family-friendly LYLE, LYLE CROCODILE has outperformed AMSTERDAM at the box office.
So far, LYLE, LYLE CROCODILE sits at 13M worldwide and opened to 11M in its domestic debut.
Even if by a slim margin, the Oct. 6-8 weekend at the box office proves once again that moral, uplifting content safe for the whole family make the most money.
Movieguide® previously reported on how family movies helped resuscitate the post-pandemic box office:
Uplifting movies like TOP GUN: MAVERICK, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, and D.C. LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS led the way for a historic Labor Day weekend at the box office.
Although large theater chains recently expressed their concerns over the end of the Summer box office lull, re-releases and $3 tickets helped Labor Day weekend shine despite the historically low weekend.
Thanks to National Cinema Day and many theaters across the U.S. offering $3 tickets, the National Association of Theatre Owners reported 8.1 million admissions on Saturday alone—the highest of 2022.
TOP GUN: MAVERICK continued to top charts, with a $6 million weekend, followed by BULLET TRAIN ($5.7M) and a re-release of Marvel’s blockbuster superhero movie, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME ($5.4M).
D.C. League of Super-Pets also fared well over Labor Day weekend with $5M, overtaking horror-flick THE INVITATION.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
