Normally having the number one movie in the U.S. is something to brag about, but when it's pegged to the lowest grossing weekend box office of the year, that's probably going to give you pause. That's exactly what's happening with Jack Quaid's Novocaine, which debuted at the top of the box office this weekend with just $8.7 million.
With Hollywood still recovering from pandemic related setbacks, not to mention the hit felt from the various strikes over the last few years, this is unwelcome news for the industry, particularly theater owners. And the next few weeks aren't likely to be any better, with releases like Disney's Snow White generating little buzz.
Here's the thing, it's certainly not what Hollywood is putting out. Novocaine is a solid movie, with good reviews and a Certified Fresh rating from RottenTomatoes.com. So, what's going on? Plain and simple, the way we consume movies has changed, and these companies aren't doing much to get people to go to the theaters. Not every movie can afford the promotional budget of a Wicked, if you will, but less should be done on standard advertising and more should be allocated to different approaches to getting people to go to a theater. (And, not for nothing, maybe people who love movies should be the ones owning these studios and not companies like Amazon and Apple. Just an idea!)
With that said, you can listen to my chat with Jack Quaid about Novocaine on Newsweek's Parting Shot podcast.
That's it for me today. Keep scrolling for more entertainment news. I'll see you Wednesday.
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