‘A Man Called Otto’ Starring Tom Hanks and his Real-Life Son, Truman
Based on a screenplay by David Magee, the feature is a remake of the 2015 Swedish film A Man Called Ove, which was based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Fredrik Backman.
The film stars Tom Hanks and his son Truman in the title role, with Mariana Treviño, Rachel Keller, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in supporting roles.
The plot follows a bitter old man who reluctantly gets involved in the lives of his neighbors.
A Man Called Otto began a limited theatrical release on December 29, 2022, before a wide release in the United States on January 13, 2023, by Sony Pictures Releasing. The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed $113 million worldwide against a $50 million production budget.
Hanks is well cast as Otto Anderson, a 63-year-old widower, living in a rowhouse in suburban Pittsburgh. Six months after losing his wife Sonya, who was a schoolteacher, Otto has become a cynical, fastidious crank.
Pushed into retirement from his job at a steel plant, he cancels his utilities and plans to kill himself to join his late wife.
The Sony release, playing in 2,802 theaters, is expected to open to $15 million over the long weekend, enough to beat new wide offering Plane, an action pic starring Gerard Butler.
Otto is expanding nationwide after starting out in select theaters at the year-end box office. It earned an A Cinemascore on top of strong reviews.
End Note
A sentimental movie, with an emotional ending, A Man Called Otto grossed $64.3 million in the US, and $48.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $113.1 million, against a budget of $50 million.
Other Movies at the Box-Office
James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water is expected to finish Monday with a global cume of $1.9 billion, one of the best showings of all time.
Plane, from Lionsgate, is projected to gross $11.6 million for the four days from 3,023 cinemas. The movie, earning a B+ CinemaScore from moviegoers, is coming in ahead of expectations.
Both films are drawing most of their strength from older consumers over the age of 45.
The two movies are looking at fourth and fifth-place finishes. Holding at No. 1 is James Cameron’s powerhouse Avatar 2, which is eyeing a four-day holiday gross of $38.5 million-plus from 4,045 cinemas. The Disney and 20th Century tentpole will finish Monday with a domestic total in the $570 million range.
Through Sunday, The Way of Water will have grossed an estimated $1.89 billion globally, including a foreign haul of $1.33 billion. Sometime on Monday, the worldwide total is expected to reach $1.9 billion, one of the best showings of all time.
Horror offering M3GAN is doing nicely in its second weekend with earnings of $21.2 million for the four days from 3,605 locations. That would put the movie’s domestic total at $58.7 million through Monday against a modest $12 million budget. M3GAN is from Universal, Blumhouse and Atomic Monster.
Universal will also claim the third spot on the chart with family film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which is expected to earn $17.3 million for the four days from 3,687 cinemas, jumping the $100 million mark domestically and finishing Monday with a North American total of $110.3 million.
Among other new nationwide offerings, House Party, which was initially set up to debut on HBO Max, is looking at a sixth-place finish with a four-day opening of $4.5 million from 1,300 theaters. The picture is produced by LeBron James, who also has a cameo in the comedy redux.
