As
expected,
Us sheared its way to the top of the U.S. box office in its opening weekend. Jordan Peele's sophomore feature brought in $70 million in its first weekend, which more than doubled the $33 million debut of
Get Out.
Even beyond Peele's personal work,
Us is doing well when compared to other horror films. It is the third highest horror opening ever behind only Andy Muschietti's
IT ($123M) and David Gordon Green's
Halloween ($76M). Perhaps more impressive,
Us has the second-highest opening ever for a film that isn't already adapted from an existing IP or a sequel. It trails only James Cameron's
Avatar ($77M) as best opening for a live-action original.
Us may have knocked
Captain Marvel off the domestic box office throne, but the Brie Larson-led superhero blockbuster still hauled in $35M over the weekend (
higher than originally expected), boosting its domestic total to $321.5M. Internationally, Carol Danvers is still soaring as
Captain Marvel added an additional $52.1M in her third weekend. The Marvel Studios' blockbuster blasted past the $900M mark and now sits at $910.3M worldwide — the No. 10 spot on the all-time superhero charts.
Us has a staggered release overseas, but grossed $16.7M in 47 markets, putting its worldwide total at $86.9M in the first weekend.
Set in present day along the iconic Northern California coastline, Us, from Monkeypaw Productions, stars Oscar® winner Lupita Nyong’o as Adelaide Wilson, a woman returning to her beachside childhood home with her husband, Gabe (Black Panther’s Winston Duke), and their two children (Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex) for an idyllic summer getaway. Haunted by an unexplainable and unresolved trauma from her past and compounded by a string of eerie coincidences, Adelaide feels her paranoia elevate to high-alert as she grows increasingly certain that something bad is going to befall her family. After spending a tense beach day with their friends, the Tylers (Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Cali Sheldon, Noelle Sheldon), Adelaide and her family return to their vacation home. When darkness falls, the Wilsons discover the silhouette of four figures holding hands as they stand in the driveway. Us pits an endearing American family against a terrifying and uncanny opponent: doppelgängers of themselves.
Both
Us and
Captain Marvel are now in theaters. What are your thoughts on either film?