Despite an unenthusiastic critical response and a last-minute controversy, 20th Century Fox’s “The Predator” came in first in domestic ticket sales this weekend, unseating Warner’s surprise hit “The Nun” with an estimated $24 million. But the latest installment in the “Predator” series fell short of the $24.8 million taken in domestically during the opening weekend by its 2010 predecessor, “Predators,” while costing more than twice as much to make. (“Predators” had a production budget of roughly $40 million; “The Predator” cost Fox about $88 million to produce.) “The Predator,” directed by Shane Black and starring Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn and Keegan-Michael Key, is the fourth film in the franchise that began in 1987 with “Predator,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.” (That total does not include the two “Alien vs. Predator” crossover films.) Last month, Fox pulled a scene from “The Predator” after learning that an actor who was to have a minor role in the film, Steven Wilder Striegel, is a registered sex offender.

Source: New York Times September 16, 2018 18:45 UTC