Roland Emmerich’s World War II epic Midway beat the competition in North America to land in first place with $17.5 million.
Warner Bros.’ Stephen King adaptation Doctor Sleep was widely expected to take the top prize, but the R-rated sequel to 1980’s “The Shining” debuted at No. 2 with a slumbering $14.1 million from 3,855 venues, half of what the studio projected.
Though “Midway” arrived ahead of tracking, the film carries a massive $100 million price tag, meaning it still has a long and arduous journey ahead to achieve profitability.
Lionsgate, the studio distributing the movie, positioned its release to take advantage of Veterans Day and expects “Midway” to collect $20.05 million from 3,242 North American locations through its first four days in theaters.
Overseas, “Midway” kicked off with $21.5 million for a global start of $39 million.