‘IF’ Befriends $1.75M In Previews; ‘Strangers: Chapter 1’ Scares Up $1.2M – Friday AM Box Office Update

Paramount Pictures; Lionsgate

John Krasinski’s imaginary friend feature IF made $1.75M in Thursday night previews that began at 4 p.m.. It’s been awhile since we had a live-action PG-rated feature, so comps are tough. The outlook heading into the weekend is $40M. The top opening for an original live-action PG film was Hop at $37.5M in 2011.

Reviews are challenged at 51% Rotten, but there’s a better-than-anticipated audience reaction, I understand. If you need comps, well, the live-action/toon hybrid IF is close to Zootopia‘s $1.7M previews in 2016 and The Boss Baby‘s $1.5M in 2017 — but those were fully animated movies.

Lionsgate’s horror reboot The Strangers: Chapter 1 drew $1.2M from previews that began at 5 p.m. as well. Booked in 2,856 North American locations, tracking shows $7M-$9M for the $8.5M-budgeted movie from Renny Harlin about a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) whose car breaks down in a spooky town. RT critics are low at 19%.

RELATED: ‘Back To Black’ Trailer: Marisa Abela Is Amy Winehouse In Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Musical Biopic

Focus Features has StudioCanal’s Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black. The film is expected to open with just $4M-$6M. The R-rated movie starring Marisa Abela as the late Grammy-winning millennial soul singer grossed only $375K in previews from 1,700 theaters. RT critics also harsh at 36%. Focus’ exposure on the movie is limited given that it shelled out $20M for domestic and several foreign rights.

Disney’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ends its first week with $75.3M, not far from the $77.3M first week take of 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes.