‘Smile 2’ grinning to No. 1 at box office while ‘Anora’ glitters in limited release

Horror movies topped the domestic box office charts and an Oscar contender got off to a sparkling start this weekend. “Smile 2,” in its first weekend, and “Terrifier 3” in its second proved to be the big draws for general movie audiences in North America, while the Palme d’Or winner“Anora” got the best per-theater average in over a year.

“Smile 2" was the big newcomer, taking first place with a better than expected $23 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. Parker Finn returned to write and direct the sequel to the supernatural horror “Smile,” his debut. Originally intended for streaming, Paramount pivoted and sent the movie to theaters in the fall of 2022. “Smile” became a sleeper hit at the box office, earning some $217 million against a $17 million budget.

The sequel, starring Naomi Scott as a pop star, was rewarded with a bit of a bigger budget, and a theatrical commitment from the start. Playing on 3,619 screens, it opened slightly higher than the first's $22 million.

Second place went to Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s “The Wild Robot” in its fourth weekend with $10.1 million, bumping it past $100 million in North America. Family films often have long lives in theaters, particularly ones as well reviewed as “The Wild Robot,” and some have speculated that it got a bump this weekend from teenagers buying tickets for the PG-rated family film and then sneaking into “Terrifier 3,” which is not rated, instead. Either way, Damien Leone’s demon clown movie, which cost only $2 million to produce, is doing more than fine with legitimate ticket buyers. It added an estimated $9.3 million, bringing its total to $36.2 million.

“Rumors like that are PR gold,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “There’s no better indication that that movie is red hot right now."

The No. 1 openings for “Smile 2” this weekend and “Terrifier 3” last were only possible because of the failure of “Joker: Folie à Deux.” That big budget sequel continued its death march in its third weekend, falling another 69% to earn $2.2 million, bringing its domestic total to $56.4 million.

Warner Bros. has a better performer in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” which placed fourth in its seventh weekend with an additional $5 million, bringing its domestic total to $284 million. Star Michael Keaton also had another film open this weekend — the father-daughter dramedy “Goodrich” which stumbled in with only $600,000 from 1,055 locations.

Rounding out the top five was the romantic tearjerker “We Live In Time,” which expanded to 985 theaters following last weekend's debut on 5 screens. The A24 release starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh earned $4.2 million over the weekend. Audiences were 85% under 35 and 70% female, according to exit polls. The well-reviewed film will expand further next weekend.

One of the other brightest spots of the weekend was Sean Baker’s “Anora,” which opened in six locations in New York and Los Angeles and earned an estimated $630,000. That’s a $105,000 per theater average, the best since “Asteroid City’s” $142,000 average last summer. The Neon release, a sensation at Cannes and a likely Oscar contender, stars Mikey Madison as a New York sex worker who falls for the son of a Russian oligarch.

After several weeks of would-be awards contenders and buzzy films (“Piece by Piece,” “Saturday Night,” “The Apprentice” among them) fizzling with audiences, “Anora’s” success is a promising sign that moviegoers will still seek out arty, adult fare.

"For moviegoers, there’s a lot on offer with something in every type of movie in every category," Dergarabedian said. “I think we’re going to have a really strong home stretch with a great combination of movies big and small.”

The Walt Disney Co. also made a splash with several re-releases. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” got a place in the top 10 with $1.1 million, while “Hocus Pocus” made $841,000.

Next weekend will have a major studio comic book movie with “Venom: The Last Dance” as well as an awards movie in the papal thriller “Conclave" vying for audience attention.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Smile 2,” $23 million.

2. “The Wild Robot,” $10.1 million.

3. “Terrifier 3,” $9.3 million.

4. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” $5 million.

5. “We Live In Time,” $4.2 million.

6. “Joker: Folie à Deux,” $2.2 million.

7. “Piece by Piece,” $2.1 million.

8. “Transformers One,” $2 million.

9. “Saturday Night,” $1.8 million.

10. “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” $1.1 million.

This image released by Neon shows Mark Eydelshteyn, left, and Mikey Madison in a scene from "Anora." (Neon via AP)

This image released by Neon shows Mark Eydelshteyn and Mikey Madison, right, in a scene from "Anora." (Neon via AP)

This image released by Neon shows Mikey Madison in a scene from "Anora." (Neon via AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Ray Nicholson in a scene from "Smile 2." (Paramount Pictures via AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Naomi Scott in a scene from "Smile 2." (Paramount Pictures via AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Lukas Gage in a scene from "Smile 2." (Paramount Pictures via AP)

Liverpool is looking more and more like Manchester City’s main title rival after beating resurgent Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday to stay top of the Premier League table.

After City needed an injury-time header from John Stones to beat last-place Wolves 2-1 in the early kickoff, Liverpool answered with a composed performance at Anfield to hand Chelsea its first league loss since the opening round.

Having seen third-place Arsenal lose at Bournemouth on Saturday to raise questions about the Gunners’ title hopes, Liverpool and City took full advantage to build a small gap atop the standings. Arne Slot’s team leads on 21 points from eight games, one ahead of City and four above Arsenal.

Curtis Jones orchestrated the win for Liverpool, earning a penalty for Mohamed Salah’s first-half opener and then scoring himself to restore the host’s lead in the 51st minute, shortly after Nicolas Jackson had equalized for Chelsea.

Jones also thought he had earned a second penalty in first-half injury time, but it was overturned after a VAR review judged that Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez got the ball before bundling over the Liverpool player.

But he capped a stellar performance by beating the offside trap to get on the end of a ball into the box from Salah and slot in the winner.

“As soon as Mo had the ball I made the run, but it bounced so I had to have a touch, and then thankfully it went in,” Jones said.

Liverpool was the last team other than City to win the title, in 2019-20, and pushed Pep Guardiola’s team to the very end several times under Jurgen Klopp before finishing just fifth two years ago and a distant third last season.

In Slot’s first season in charge, though, the Reds are looking like credible challengers again and have now won 10 of 11 games in all competitions.

And City is looking far from unbeatable, needing another last-gasp goal from Stones to avoid a third league draw in four games against a Wolves team that only has one point so far.

It also needed a VAR intervention for the goal to stand, as referee Chris Kavanagh was called to the sideline monitor to review whether Bernardo Silva was interfering with goalkeeper Jose Sa from an offside position.

“We are not used to winning games at the end,” said Guardiola, whose team has won four straight league titles by regularly overwhelming most opponents. “It is a good flavor for us.”

It also extended City’s unbeaten streak to a club-record 31 league games, beating a mark Guardiola’s team had set in 2018.

With prolific striker Erling Haaland held scoreless for a third straight league game, City’s defenders provided the goals instead after Jorgen Strand Larsen had given the hosts a surprising early lead in the seventh minute.

Josko Gvardiol curled in a superb right-foot shot from outside the area to equalize in the 33rd minute but Wolves then repelled wave after wave of City attacks before the late intervention from Stones, who also netted a last-gasp equalizer against Arsenal in the eighth minute of injury time last month.

“These moments don’t come often for us,” Stones said. “We’ve come up with a few over the years and today was one of them.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot waits for the start of the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Curtis Jones, right, scores his side's second goal past Chelsea's goalkeeper Robert Sanchez during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Curtis Jones celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Manchester City's John Stones celebrates after the VAR confirmed his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Manchester City's Josko Gvardio is congratulated by Mateo Kovacic after scoring his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Manchester City's Rico Lewis gestures during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Wolverhampton Wanderers' Jorgen Strand Larsen, right, celebrates scoring with teammates during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, England, Sunday Oct. 20, 2024. (David Davies/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol, left, celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Manchester City's John Stones, top left, scores his side's 2nd goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)