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By Rebecca Rubin
Los Angeles, (Variety.com) – “In the Heights,” the acclaimed adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway show, didn’t hit all the right notes in its first box office debut.
The Warner Bros movie brought in $11.4 million from 3,456 US theaters in its first four days of release, falling short of expectations before the weekend that the movie would hit $20 million. “In the Heights” also opened on HBO Max, the streaming service owned by studio parent company WarnerMedia, although the company has not reported digital viewership for it.
The disappointing commercial reception was baffling as critics embraced the film, showering it with some of the best reviews in the pandemic era. Furthermore, Warner Bros. Significant marketing weight was behind the picture, and director John M. Choo and Miranda devoted a great deal of energy to promoting the film, making up for the fact that its cast consisted mostly of little-known stars and emerging actors.
The mixed release of the movie on HBO Max may have affected the theater’s footfall, but it’s not the only reason that “In the Heights” opening ticket sales fell below expectations. Recent Warner Bros releases such as “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Mortal Kombat,” and “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” still pull strong receipts despite being presented simultaneously during broadcast. But, as audiences slowly return to theaters, box office charts indicate that people have been more inclined to appear on properties that gain more brand recognition. Although the Tony Award-winning movie “In the Heights” isn’t as original as “La La Land” or “The Greatest Showman,” it’s not as well known as Miranda’s other musical sensation “Hamilton” or even “Rent” or “Les Miserables.” or ‘Cats’.
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To that end, box office forecasters believe In the Heights could find an audience during the summer, similar to the box office sleeper movie that was the 2017 musical “The Greatest Showman.” The Fox debuted with $8.8 million, But audiences fell in love with the soundtrack and Hugh Jackman’s charisma and returned to theaters again and again. It has invested $174 million and $438 million globally, which is a huge result. Although “In the Heights” isn’t expected to reach those heights at the box office, it doesn’t have much competition on the horizon and could continue to play on the big screen.
Based on the 2008 Broadway show, “In the Heights” follows a bodega owner named Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who discovers his shop sells winning lottery tickets. As the vibrant Washington Heights neighborhood of upper Manhattan reaches sweltering temperatures, friendships, relationships and dreams are put to the test. The cast also includes Melissa Barrera, Leslie Grace, Corey Hawkins, and Olga Meredez. Chiara Alleger Hoodies, who wrote the book for the musical, penned the script. The production budget for “In the Heights” is $55 million.
Also new in theaters this weekend, Sony’s “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” animated family hit hit an average of $10.4 million from 3,346 places through Sunday. Amid the pandemic, films have been catering to crowds of families, such as Universal The Croods: A New Age and Warner Bros. ‘Tom and Jerry has been such a reliable theatrical sketch, so the Peter Rabbit sequel could long go on in movie cartridges.
Abroad, “Peter Rabbit 2” has already brought in $ 45 million. It cost $45 million.
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