The House With a Clock in Its Walls dominated the domestic box office in a quiet weekend.
Eli Roth’s adaptation of the popular children’s book performed better-than-expected $26.8 million when it opened in 3,592 locations.
The fantasy film, starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett, didn’t face any competition.
Several holdovers filled out the top five as a trio of new releases came in under expectations.
The House With a Clock in Its Walls topped “Hostel” as Eli Roth’s biggest opening to date.
The family-friendly film bowed with $3.1 million overseas for a global start of $29.9 million. Imax screens accounted for $2.5 million of its box office total.
Universal’s head of domestic distribution Jim Orr said the release date in a wide open market, along with the team of Roth, Black, and Blanchett, helped bolster the film above earlier projections.
