The Predator Tops US Box Office, But It's Hardly A Killer Result

The Predator is the latest movie in the long-running sci-fi action series, and while it took the top slot on the box office Top 10 this week, its estimated $24 million weekend debut was hardly a spectacular result. Although this is in line with the $24.7 opening weekend for 2010's Predators, The Predator's reported $88 million production budget is more than twice as much as that of the earlier movie.

Last week's biggest movie, the Conjuring spin-off The Nun, moves to second place. As Box Office Mojo points out, despite scoring the best opening weekend in the series to date, it also suffered the biggest second-week drop-off, making $18.2 million. Nevertheless, the movie has now grossed $85 million in the US, from a modest $22 million budget.

The week's second highest new entry was the glossy thriller A Simple Favor, starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, which debuted at No.3. Just behind that was the drama White Boy Rick, which features Matthew McConaughey and made $8 million. The only other new entry was the faith-themed Unbroken: Path to Redemption, which made just $2.3 million.

The rest of the chart sees the hugely successful romcom Crazy Rich Asians at No.5, the action movie Peppermint fall to No.6 in its second week, and the blockbuster shark thriller The Meg at No.7. The acclaimed thriller Searching is at No.8, while Mission Impossible: Fallout continues to cling on, and is at No.10 in its eighth week of release.

You can see the full Top 10 list for the September 14-16 US box office below, as compiled by Box Office Mojo.

US/Canada Box Office For September 14-6:

1. The Predator – $24.0 million
2. The Nun – $18.2 million
3. A Simple Favor – $16.51 million
4. White Boy Rick Studio – $8.8 million
5. Crazy Rich Asians – $8.7 million
6. Peppermint– $6.07 million
7. The Meg – $3.8 million
8. Searching – $3.2 million
9. Unbroken: Path to Redemption – $2.35 million
10. Mission Impossible: Fallout – $2.31 million