WINNING

‘A Star Is Born’ Wins Praise, but ‘Venom’ Wins Box Office

Thanks to Tom Hardy and Lady Gaga, North American theaters have had their best October weekend ever.

Sony’s Venom defied negative reviews to claim the top spot in theaters this weekend with an $80 million debut. The superhero flick starring Tom Hardy also surpassed expectations globally, earning $125.2 million in the international box office. The film, which holds a dismal 31 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, even managed to break the record for an October opening, easily beating the 2013 record of $55.7 million held by Gravity. The critically acclaimed A Star Is Born, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, also did wonders for the fall movie-going season with a $42.6 million opening. The two films combined clinched the best October weekend of all time in terms of ticket sales. “A box office star is born as October sings a glorious tune the likes of which the industry has never heard before for the oft overlooked month, as a perfect harmony of superhero blockbuster and Oscar bound musical create one of the most perfectly orchestrated movie weekends at the multiplex in recent memory,” comScore’s senior media analyst, Paul Dergarabedian, was quoted as saying by Variety.