Forty-nine years ago, Senator Ted Kennedy drove his car into a pond on an island off Martha’s Vineyard, killing passenger Mary Jo Kopechne. The story of what really happened that night has been the subject of much speculation and debate for nearly five decades, and is now the subject of the film Chappaquiddick, opening this weekend.
While the release is considered wide, Chappaquiddick is only positioned in less than half as many theaters as other new competitors at the box office — A Quiet Place and Blockers, both releasing this weekend, have north of 3,300 screens apiece, compared to Chappaquiddick’s 1,500+. With several heavy-hitting holdovers like Ready Player One and Black Panther still enjoying solid play with audiences and the two newcomers expected to appeal to viewers seeking new offerings this weekend, there isn’t much room for Chappaquiddick to break out.
Most estimates peg Chappaquiddick at roughly $3 million for its domestic bow, but looking at the competition it seems like it’ll be a rough fight to even get to that figure. $2+ million is my prediction, unless it can pick up some serious mainstream public buzz after opening day and draw in more viewers through the rest of the weekend.
Chappaquiddick: Power,…
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I’m surprised Entertainment Studios didn’t decide to hold the film until next year and release it on the 50th anniversary of the tragedy, along with plenty of marketing about the history behind the story, including having some researchers doing interviews and Q&As at advance press screenings to discuss various theories and rumors revolving around the events.
With the right approach and timing, I think there was…