Jason Statham’s ‘A Working Man’ Surprises at Box Office, Beats ‘Snow White’

LOS ANGELES, CA — Jason Statham’s new action film, ‘A Working Man,’ took the top spot at the weekend box office with an impressive $15.2 million, surpassing Disney’s ‘Snow White,’ which earned $14.2 million, according to estimates released Sunday.

Directed by David Ayer, ‘A Working Man’ is a reimagining of the beloved Chuck Dixon book series featuring a retired counter-terrorism agent who returns to his old life. With a production budget of $40 million, the film has found a substantial audience, drawing in those seeking traditional action fare amidst a fluctuating marketplace.

“It’s a solid weekend for Statham, and this type of film still resonates with audiences,” said an industry analyst, highlighting the film’s connection to established genres that continue to hold sway over viewers.

The opening numbers for ‘A Working Man’ align closely with Statham’s previous collaboration with Ayer, ‘The Beekeeper,’ which debuted with $16.5 million. As Statham continues to carry action films at the box office, the industry’s dynamics maintain a firm interest in his projects.

Following the resignation of Amazon MGM Studios’ Head Jen Salke, this weekend’s results delivered a win for the studio, which committed around $20 million in promotional and advertising expenses for ‘A Working Man.’ Meanwhile, the film received a B CinemaScore from audiences.

‘Snow White,’ on the other hand, saw a significant decline of 66% from its opening weekend, grossing $14.2 million across 4,200 locations. This sharp drop was compounded by recent controversial publicity surrounding the film leading into release.

“Nobody is going! Nobody is going!” lamented a veteran Hollywood producer regarding the film’s performance. The significant weekend decline has made ‘Snow White’s’ trajectory a hot topic of conversation due to the stark comparison with previous Disney releases like ‘Dumbo,’ which saw a lesser second-frame decline.

In third place, ‘The Chosen: Last Supper Part 1′ raked in $11.49 million across 2,235 theaters. The faith-based film continues to find traction, garnering an exceptional 99% on Rotten Tomatoes’ audience rating.

In another competitive debut, ‘Woman in the Yard,’ produced by Blumhouse and Universal, secured fourth place with $9.45 million. The film, which features a predominantly female cast, outperformed A24’s ‘Death of a Unicorn,’ which ended the weekend with $5.8 million.

‘Death of a Unicorn,’ carrying a production budget of $15 million, struggled to find its footing at the box office, despite having popular star Jenna Ortega. Audiences responded more favorably to the horror elements in ‘Woman in the Yard,’ which effectively utilized a solid marketing campaign.

The audiences were fairly divided demographically, with ‘Woman in the Yard’ attracting 31% of women over 25, while ‘Death of a Unicorn’ brought in 29% within the same bracket. Despite favorable initial reactions to the film’s premise, ‘Death of a Unicorn’ ultimately failed to draw audiences effectively.

Overall, the weekend box office was projected around $79 million, indicating a slight uptick over the previous week but a 42% decrease compared to the same weekend last year. The box office situation reflects a challenging landscape as studios navigate audience preferences amid significant competition.

Please see below for final weekend box office results:

1.) A Working Man (AMZ): 3,262 theaters — $15.2 million

2.) Snow White (Dis): 4,200 theaters — $14.2 million (total $66.3 million)

3.) The Chosen: Last Supper Part 1 (Fath): 2,235 theaters — $11.49 million

4.) Woman in the Yard (Uni): 2,842 theaters — $9.45 million

5.) Death of a Unicorn (A24): 3,050 theaters — $5.8 million