‘Clayface’ Cashing In $3.5M+ Thursday Previews – Box Office
DC’s lower-budget film Clayface took an estimated $3.5 million or more in Thursday previews, setting up a projected domestic opening of $20 million to $25 million. If it reaches that range, the newly combined Paramount-Warner Bros would score its second consecutive No. 1 debut, following Street Fighter’s $31 million opening.
Directed by James Watkins, Clayface is a standalone story about actor Matt Hagen, a character drawn from a Batman villain. The film cost $44 million to make before marketing and was shot in the UK. Its preview total is close to Birds of Prey’s $4 million and similar to horror film Other Mommy’s $3.6 million; the film has a 76% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
In short
- Clayface earned at least $3.5 million in Thursday previews.
- Its domestic opening is forecast at $20 million to $25 million.
- The film cost $44 million to produce before marketing.
Explained simply
Clayface is based on a Batman character, but tells a standalone story about actor Matt Hagen. The film was directed by James Watkins and made in the UK.
The film is part of DC’s slate of comic-book adaptations. Its reported production budget was $44 million before marketing, so its box-office performance will be measured against the cost of making and promoting it.
The newly combined Paramount and Warner Bros owns the studios behind the release. A strong opening could help the company build on the launch of another recent film, Street Fighter.
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