Amazon MGM’s Verity is heading for first place at the North American box office, according to reports published on October 3. TheWrap forecasts a $33 million opening weekend for the thriller, against $7.5 million for Tom Cruise’s Digger. The figures are forecasts for the three-day period of October 2–4, rather than completed weekend results, with Sunday’s ticket sales still to come.
The Numbers reports that Verity earned $15.102 million from 3,510 theaters on Friday, including $4.5 million from Thursday previews. Its October 3 update puts Amazon MGM’s own weekend estimate at $33.6 million. TheWrap reports a rounded opening-day figure of $15 million, also placing the adaptation comfortably ahead of its new rival.
Directed by Michael Showalter, Verity adapts Colleen Hoover’s novel and stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, according to Hollywood Outbreak. Its story follows a writer hired to finish an injured author’s books. The film brings another Hoover adaptation to cinemas after It Ends With Us, Regretting You and Reminders of Him.
For Digger, TheWrap and The Numbers report $3.4 million from 3,321 theaters on Friday. The Numbers projects roughly $8 million for the weekend, slightly above TheWrap’s estimate. Hollywood Outbreak describes Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film as a dark comedy in which Cruise plays an oil tycoon whose company causes an ecological disaster.
The two releases face sharply different financial stakes in light of their reported production costs. TheWrap puts Verity’s production budget at about $40 million and Digger’s at no less than $125 million, noting higher estimates in other reports. It also reports C+ CinemaScore grades for both films, leaving their ability to sustain ticket sales beyond the opening rush uncertain.
The weekend remains unfinished, and the reported opening-day receipts must be distinguished from projected three-day totals. The Numbers says fuller studio weekend projections will follow on Sunday. Those updates will show whether Verity maintains its forecast lead and whether Digger improves on the subdued start reflected in Saturday’s reporting.
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