The last big film of the summer is off to a solid start in Thursday previews. Bullet Train, starring Brad Pitt, is preparing to speed off this weekend, and all signs point to a pretty lucrative start.
Bullet Train grossed $4.6 million in Thursday previews which began at 3:00 PM at 3,596 locations per Deadline. In my predictions, I called for a $35 million opening weekend, and this preview start makes that a strong possibility, with the chances of soaring even higher.
For comparison’s sake, Bullet Train is trailing ahead of another late summer entry. The Meg’s Thursday preview number came in at $4 million, which turned into a $45.4 million opening weekend. It’s also coming ahead of The Suicide Squad, which grossed $4.1 million in Thursday previews as it headed to a $26.2 million opening weekend. The key difference is that the film opened day-and-date in theaters and HBO Max, so Bullet Train is in a much better position.
Critics continue to sour against Bullet Train at 53% rotten on Rotten Tomatoes, but its 83% audience score indicates that moviegoers are responding more favorably to the high-octane action film. We will have to see how things play out by the end of the day, but Bullet Train may be another hit for films not coming from a massive franchise. The film is based on a Japanese novel, but most of the target audience is probably unaware of that.
Did YOU check out Bullet Train last night?
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