'Final Destination: Bloodlines' tops box office while The Weeknd's movie falters

Entertainment
“Final Destination: Bloodlines” opened in 3,523 locations riding in on a wave of strong reviews
Death is not looming for the “Final Destination” franchise at the box office.
Its sixth installment, “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” drew big crowds to movie theaters this weekend and easily topped the domestic charts with $51 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. The movie earned the same internationally, adding up to a $102 million global debut.
The same enthusiasm did not meet Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye’s experimental thriller “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” which opened outside of the top five with an estimated $3.3 million.
“It was always going to have a tough time coming up against ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines,’” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “There was a lot of buzz.”
“Final Destination: Bloodlines” opened in 3,523 locations riding in on a wave of strong reviews (93% on Rotten Tomatoes) and viral marketing tactics, including a picture of logs on the back of trucks — a callback to one of the more infamous “Final Destination” death traps.
“Final Destination’s” win effectively revives a 25-year-old franchise that hasn’t had a new film since 2011. It also continues a hot streak for Warner Bros., which has had near back-to-back hits in Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” and “A Minecraft Movie.” All three were in the top five this weekend.