Box Office Split: 'Verity' Earns $62M, 'Digger' Flops at $20M
Colleen Hoover's 'Verity' opened to $62.5M worldwide, while Tom Cruise's 'Digger' grossed just $20M, marking a significant financial failure for the latter.
Key points
- 'Verity' earned $62.5M globally, ranking as the second-best opening for a Colleen Hoover adaptation.
- Tom Cruise's 'Digger' debuted with $20M worldwide, including $8M domestically, against a $160M budget.
- 'Verity' outperformed previous Hoover adaptations in multiple international markets, including the UK and Brazil.
- Both films received C+ CinemaScores, but 'Verity' is projected to be profitable while 'Digger' faces a $150M loss.
- Paramount's 'The Heart of the Beast' held strong in its second weekend with $32.5M worldwide.
Background
Pre-release projections from our archive indicated 'Verity' would open between $30M and $35M domestically, while 'Digger' was expected to flop with a $12M to $15M domestic debut. Early weekend tracking confirmed 'Verity' as the top earner, with 'Digger' underperforming significantly against its high budget.
How outlets are covering it
Deadline emphasizes the financial disparity, noting 'Verity' as a success for Amazon MGM's female-skewing content strategy, while 'Digger' is described as a 'disaster' for Warner Bros. The New York Times focuses on the critical reception of 'Verity,' praising the performances of Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson in the thriller. Yahoo highlights the North American box office performance, confirming 'Verity' as a hit and 'Digger' as a bomb in domestic theaters.
Why it matters
The contrasting performances highlight the volatility of the current theatrical market, where high-budget political satires are failing while literary adaptations with strong star power continue to draw audiences. 'Digger's' potential $150M loss underscores the financial risks of major studio releases, while 'Verity's' success validates the commercial viability of Colleen Hoover adaptations.
What to watch
Additional international markets for 'Verity' will open in the coming weeks, including Korea and Japan. 'The Heart of the Beast' is scheduled to open in Korea on October 29. Further box office updates for both 'Verity' and 'Digger' will be released as the weekend concludes.
- Box Office Global: 'Digger' Tanks $20M WW Bow, 'Verity' Vivacious $62M Deadline
- Box Office: 'Digger' Tom Cruise's Lowest Opening in 19 Years, 'Verity' No. 1 Deadline
- 'Verity' kills, Cruise bombs in N. American movie theaters Yahoo
- ‘Verity’ Review: Magnificent Confession The New York Times
- Don’t Listen To Critics Or Rotten Tomatoes About ‘Verity’ Forbes
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