Can 'The First Purge' Challenge 'Ant-Man'?
by EG
The First Purge opened on Tuesday night this week in order to get a head start over Ant-Man and the Wasp, the Marvel movie that's expected to win the weekend. The thriller sequel's performance in previews wasn't bad, but was it enough to make it a serious challenger to the Disney/Marvel behemoth. Read on to find out.
Dystopian horror pic The First Purge scared up $2.5 million in Tuesday night previews before unfurling everywhere on July 4, ahead of Friday's debut of Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Marking the fourth installment in Universal and Blumhouse's successful horror franchise, The First Purge is targeting a $25-$30 million Wednesday-Sunday launch. Platinum Dunes is also a producer on the series.
In July 2016, The Purge: Election Year debuted to $31.5 million in July 2016 after earning $3.6 million in Thursday night previews (that film opened on a Friday).
The First Purge is a prequel explaining the origins of the annual "Purge," a 12-hour period during which it's legal to commit any crime, including murder. But what begins as an experiment to stop the crime rate takes a different course when "purgers" go into low-income neighborhoods. Tracking shows the movie appealing to younger, perse moviegoers.
Gerard McMurray directed The First Purge from a script by James DeMonaco, who wrote and helmed the first three films. Y'Lan Noel, Lex Scott Davis, Jovian Wade, Luna Lauren Velez and Marisa Tomei star in the prequel, which also launches this week in its first 27 international markets.
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.
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