Killers of the Flower Moon, starring DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, De Niro, is expected to score $23 million for the weekend.
It will be the third-best nationwide opening of Scorsese’s career behind 2010’s Shutter Island ($41 million) and 2006’s The Departed ($26.9 million), not adjusted for inflation.
It also ties with The Departed and Goodfellas in receiving the best CinemaScores of his career, an A-.
Apple Original Films is giving the $200 million movie traditional theatrical run via Paramount.
Its performance so far is impressive for adult drama that runs 4 hours and 26 minutes.
Skewing Older
And while Flower Moon is skewing older, 46 percent of Friday ticket buyers were under the age of 35, including 27 percent between the ages of 25 and 34.
Among older adults, 38 percent of the audience was 45 and older. Since this latter demo is not rushing out on opening weekend, Apple and Paramount are counting on Flower Moon to enjoy strong run in the ensuing weeks as awards season unfolds, due to strong reviews and audience exit polls.
Male-Dominated Audience
The movie skewed notably male on Friday (61 percent), but the gender breakdown could even out as the weekend unfolds.
Glower Moon is based on David Grann’s book about the murders of Osage Nation tribe members in the 1920s after oil was found on their Oklahoma land.
DiCaprio — one of the world’s biggest movie stars — and the rest of the cast haven’t been able to do any publicity since the SAG-AFTRA strike commenced July 14.
Apple was able to bank some interviews previous to the strike and generated headlines around the world when it took Killers of the Flower Moon to the Cannes Film Festival in late May but didn’t reap the benefits of a final publicity blitz by the actors.
Scorsese, who has a strong fan base, instead did all the promotion solo.
Apple Original Films revealed it intends to spend 1 billion a year to produce movies intended for theatrical, both to boost its streaming service and strengthen its profile in theaters.
Apple’s next major theatrical test after Killers of the Flowers Moon is director Ridley Scott’s historic epic Napoleon, starring Joaquin Pheonix in the titular role. Apple and Sony open the film Nov. 22 on the eve of Thanksgiving.
