With school back in season, September has typically been slow at the box office. That changed two years ago when It debuted at $123.4 million, nearly triple the previous record for the month. Now New Line targets the same audience with the sequel, It: Chapter Two [IT2]. James McAvoy, Bill Hader and Jessica Chastain join the cast as the now grown adults of the Losers Club members played respectively by Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard and Sophia Lillis. They reunite 27 years later when the killer clown Pennywise reappeared to terrorize children in their hometown. Advance ticket sales are outpacing the first film, which indicates anticipation from hardcore fans. However, will the more casual moviegoers return? The buzz is not as prevasive as two years ago. Reviews for Chapter Two are positive, but not as excellent as the original. While It ran 2 hours and 15 minutes, Chapter Two clocks in at 2 hours and 50 minutes. The extra half hour could limit showtimes. Floating in a record 4570 theaters for a R-rated release, It: Chapter Two may clown around $115 million.
After a two week reign, Angel Has Fallen [HFAL3] will settle for second with around $5.5 million, while Good Boys [GBOYS] rounds out the top three at about $5.0 million.
That’s the whisper on the virtual trading floor.