Fri Sep 20 19:54:16 UTC 2024: ## Transformers One Roars into Box Office with $3.36M Preview Earnings
**Los Angeles, CA** – Paramount and Hasbro Entertainment’s highly anticipated animated film, **Transformers One**, roared into theaters with a thunderous $3.36 million in Wednesday and Thursday preview screenings. This figure surpasses previous family movie previews, including Paramount’s own **IF**, **The Garfield Movie**, and even the live-action **Bumblebee**, proving the franchise’s enduring popularity.
Opening on a massive 3,978 screens today, **Transformers One** is predicted to shatter expectations, potentially exceeding its initial $34 million opening weekend projection. The film is generating strong buzz with glowing audience reception – boasting a perfect 5-star rating and a 75% definite recommendation from Screen Engine/PostTrak exit polls.
The Thursday night audience demonstrated a healthy mix of general moviegoers (72%), parents (13%, with dads making up 56%), and children under 12 (15%, predominantly boys at 73%). This bodes well for the film’s long-term box office success.
Meanwhile, Mubi’s acquisition of **The Substance** – a body-swap genre film starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley – is making waves in the independent film market. The film garnered a strong $512,000 from Wednesday preview screenings and an additional $327,000 from Thursday previews. With strong reviews and audience scores, **The Substance** is poised to outperform its initial $3 million opening projection.
However, the box office landscape remains uneven. Lionsgate’s **The Killer’s Game** continues to struggle after a disappointing $2.68 million weekend debut, marking the lowest opening for Dave Bautista’s solo box office career.
The Halle Berry horror film **Never Let Go** is also facing headwinds, with a meager $360,000 preview haul. Despite the studio’s projections of a $4 million to $7 million opening weekend, comparisons to **The Killer’s Game** suggest a bleak outlook.
Other notable releases include the enduring success of Warner Bros.’ **Beetlejuice Beetlejuice**, which crossed the $200 million mark this week. Blumhouse/Universal’s **Speak No Evil** wraps its first week with a solid $15.6 million, while Disney/Marvel’s **Deadpool & Wolverine** continues to dominate in its eighth week.
The box office landscape continues to evolve as new players like Mubi emerge, challenging established studios and bringing fresh narratives to the forefront. The coming weeks will reveal whether **Transformers One** can live up to its hype, and whether **The Substance** can sustain its early momentum.
First Piper 