Tue May 20 05:10:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the provided text, focusing on key box office successes:

**A24’s ‘Friendship’ Becomes Box Office Darling; Indie Films and Opera Also See Success**

LOS ANGELES – A24’s “Friendship,” starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd, is proving to be a sleeper hit, landing at number seven at the domestic box office this weekend. Playing on just 60 screens, the R-rated comedy grossed $1.4 million, boasting an impressive $23,000 per-screen average and a total cume of over $2 million. Fueled by positive reviews (89% on Rotten Tomatoes) and strong word-of-mouth, the bromance is poised for a wider release over Memorial Day weekend.

Several other indie films and unique cinematic experiences also made waves at the box office this week:

* **Yoko Yamanaka’s “Desert of Namibia”:** Kani Releasing’s exclusive run of “Desert of Namibia” at New York’s Metrograph saw sold-out screenings, with an estimated $4.5k opening weekend. The film will expand to Los Angeles next week.
* **Met: Live in HD’s “Salome”:** The Metropolitan Opera’s broadcast of Strauss’s “Salome” grossed $622,500 in North America across approximately 800 screens, achieving the seventh-highest per-screen average for filmed content.
* **Studio Ghibli Fest’s “Kiki’s Delivery Service”:** Fathom’s re-release of “Kiki’s Delivery Service” as part of its Studio Ghibli Fest earned over $1 million on 1,062 screens, securing the number nine spot.
* **”Caught by the Tides”:** Jia Zhangke’s film, distributed by Sideshow/Janus Films, grossed an estimated $45.3k on 16 screens for a week 2 cume of $89.5k.

These results highlight the diverse tastes of moviegoers and the continued appeal of independent films, opera, and classic animation in theaters.

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