Still not in proper wide release, directorYorgos Lanthimos’ awards season favorite,Poor Things, continued to deliver strong numbers at the box office. The surreal black comedy has been playing domestically for a full six weeks, and has now grossed $20 million. With an additional $13 million coming from overseas markets, the film’scumulative global haul stands at an impressive $33 million, against a reported budget of $35 million.
Poor Thingswill likely experience a typical bump in numbersafter it earns a few nods at the Oscars this week, as it is touted to. Audiences around the world can also expect a more expansive global roll-out in the coming weeks, assuming, of course, that it gets the sort of attention that is expected of it at the Academy Awards.Emma Stoneis a hot favorite in the Best Actress category, while Lanthimos would hope to repeat the success of their last collaboration together, the period dark comedyThe Favourite, which earned 10 nominations a few years ago.
Released in just nine domestic locationsin early December,Poor Thingsdelivered one of the best per-theater averagesof the year. It expanded into 82 locations in the following week, and then into 800 locationsthe week after that.This weekend— its seventh — the film further increased its theatrical footprint, playing in 1,400 domestic locations and delivering $2 million across the three-day frame. The film’s top offshore markets are the U.K. ($2.3 million), Australia ($1.4 million), France ($1.1 million) and Germany ($800,000).
Can ‘Poor Things’ Generate Mainstream Appreciation?
Lanthimosmade a name for himself in his home country, Greece, before making his big Hollywood debut with the absurdist comedy dramaThe Lobster, which grossed 18 million worldwide and earned him a Best Original Screenplay nod at the Oscars. Lanthimos followed it up with the psychological thrillerThe Killing of a Sacred Deer, which served as an introduction forBarry Keoghan, and went on to gross $10 million worldwide.The Favouriteremains his top-grossing film with nearly $100 million worldwide; it also scored the filmmaker his third and fourth Oscar nominations.
Reviews forPoor Thingshave been exceedingly positive. The film sits at a “fresh”94% approval ratingon the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes. It also earned a rave from Collider’sRoss Bonaime, who called it “a staggering visual accomplishment, a hilarious screenplay brought to life by an incredible ensemble cast, and, quite simply,one of—if not the best—films of 2023." Also starringMark Ruffalo,Willem Dafoe,Ramy Youssef,Jerrod Carmichael,Christopher AbbottandMargaret Qualley,Poor Thingsis playing in theaters.
Check out the trailer below and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Poor Things
The incredible tale about the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter.
