The audience at the cinema chose the romantic comedy horror film to kick off the month of October. Paramount’s “Smile” topped the U.S. charts with $22 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday, leaving Billy Eichner’s rom-com “Bros” in the dust.
Universal’s “Bros” opened to an estimated $4.8 million to place fourth behind “Don’t Worry Darling” ($7.3 million) and “The Woman King” ($7 million dollars). But opening weekends probably aren’t the last word on either “Bros” or “Smile.” Audiences for horror movies are generally close, falling sharply after the first weekend, while something like “Bros,” which earned great reviews and an A CinemaScore, suggests strong word-of-mouth potential on the face of it, it’s a film that could continue to find an audience. through the fall.
“Bros” is significant for being the first gay rom-com with a wide theatrical release by a major studio, as well as the first studio film starring and co-written by an openly gay man. Since premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival last month, the film has received stellar reviews from critics and has also been the target of “review bombs” on IMDB. The site last week removed hundreds of one-star reviews for “Bros” that were posted before the movie’s release.
