The Last Dance’ at the box office

It’s not as clear-cut as Sony is Venom: The Last Dance will take No. 1 in its third weekend where the film seems to be doing something $12 million Exhibitors are betting that A24s Heretics could do as much if not more. A24 projections are at $8 million from 3,200 theaters to the Hugh Grant horror film directed by A quiet place architects Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.

heretic, which had its world premiere at TIFF, follows two young Mormon missionaries who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are met by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Grant), who gets caught up in his deadly cat game. and mouse. The R-rated film has 94% certified fresh reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. There were some sneak peeks in Salt Lake City, but general previews start at 7 p.m. Thursday. The target is young people, 18-34.

Married 3 had a very good Election Day second Tuesday of $3.3m, +56% from its second Monday and only 28% from its first Tuesday of $4.6m. Tuesdays are offer days. The running cume is $95.3 millionand the Kelly Marcel-directed film starring Tom Hardy will cross over $100 million brand on Friday.

Lionsgate has Kingdom Story Company’s Dallas Jenkins-directed feature of the Barbara Robinson bestseller The best Christmas competition ever, as insiders predict at $6M-$8M from 3,000 theatres. However, the exhibition believes that a $10M+ start is not out of the realm of possibility.

The family film got early sneaks last weekend and is 92% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with critics and 100% with audiences. Previews on Thursday are at 16. Image excerpt: The Herdmans are absolutely the worst children in the history of the world. They lie, they steal, they bully – and now they have hijacked the town’s Christmas competition. Starring Judy Greer, Lauren Graham, Pete Holmes and Molly Belle Wright.

Also wide this weekend is Vertical’s George Nolfi-directed sci-fi film Height, with Anthony Mackie and Monica Baccarin in 1,416 theaters; Fathoms Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration at 1,200 theaters; and the George Huang-directed action film Weekend in Taipei, Starring Luke Evans. Luc Besson co-wrote the picture from Ketchup Entertainment, which is in 1,021 locations.

Anora, Palme d’Or winner Neon, starring Mikey Madison, expands from 253 places to 1,100 this Friday in its fourth picture. The film has $4.3 million through Tuesday and owns the best opening of the year per theatrical average with $91,700.

As my colleague Nancy Tartaglione reported, Amazon MGM Studios’ $200M Dwayne Johnson-Chris Evans Christmas Action Movie The red one, flying abroad at the weekend via Warner Bros with $25M-$30M. The film opens stateside on November 15 with an eye on one $35M+.