The Killer’s Gamehas broken a record for star Dave Bautista by hitting a box office low during its opening weekend. The new action-comedy movie, which also stars Sofia Boutella, Pom Klementieff, Terry Crews, Scott Adkins, and Ben Kingsley, followsa hit man (Bautista) who orders a hit on himself after receiving a terminal diagnosis, only to learn that he was misdiagnosed, at which point he is forced to fight for his life against multiple assassins.TheKiller’s Gamereleaseopened the same weekend as the Blumhouse horror remakeSpeak No Eviland the documentaryAm I Racist?.
PerDeadline, as of Sunday morning,The Killer’s Gameis projected to earn a 3-day opening weekend total of $2.6 million at the domestic box office from 2,623 theaters. This is set to place it at No. 6 on the domestic chart belowAm I Racist?at No. 4 andSpeak No Evilat No. 2, both of which fell below the holdover hitBeetlejuice Beetlejuice, which is in its sophomore weekend. The action-comedy has earnedthe lowest debut ever for a Dave Bautista movie, beating his previous low of $3.2 million for 2018’sHotel Artemis.
What This Box Office Record Means For The Killer’s Game
Dave Bautista Thrives More As Part Of An Ensemble
This debut forThe Killer’s Gamemay not bode well for Dave Bautista, who has held roles in many hit movies but typically is part of an ensemble in those projects, including theDuneandGuardians of the Galaxymovies. WhileHotel Artemiswas also an ensemble effort,his ensemble movies tend to perform best, including the 2022 whodunitGlass Onion, which only played in 696 theaters during its pre-Netflix limited release but nevertheless opened with $9.4 million. Below, see how the new movie ranks among the lowest debuts earned by Bautista movies that played in more than 100 theaters:
$2.6 million
$3.2 million
$7.9 million
$8.2 million
$9.4 million
The Boy and the Heron(2023)
$13 million
Knock at the Cabin(2023)
$14.1 million
$19 million
$32.7 million
Dune(2021)
$41 million
Of Bautista’s ten lowest-grossing opening weekends,all three movies in which he can be considered to hold a lead role are among their number. While this excludes 2020’sMy Spy, which moved to a streaming release on Prime Video amid theater closures during the COVID-19 pandemic but was successful enough to earn a sequel, his highest-grossing movies all see him playing major supporting roles rather than lead characters. This does not necessarily mean that he is not a financially viable star, but he may take a hit if the movie’s performance does not improve as its theatrical run continues.
Our Take On The Killer’s Game’s Box Office Debut
The Movie’s Prospects Are Still Murky
This debutdoes not necessarily mean that the action-comedy will be a commercial failure, especially because its budget is likely slimmer than many modern blockbuster tentpoles.TheKiller’s Gameendingalso implies that a sequel could be a possibility, though the movie will likely need to have its prospects significantly improved first before that can happen.
Dave Bautista’s New Assassin Movie Is The Anti-John Wick The World Needs Right Now
The John Wick franchise’s uncertain future can be remedied, at least in part, by Dave Bautista’s upcoming assassin action comedy movie.
It does not seem especially likely to become a sleeper hit because it faces strong competition withBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceand the upcomingTransformers One, which may crowd out theaters, but it remains to be seen how it performs by the end of its run. Although its initial box office performance is low,it appears the movie is getting positive audience reception, scoring a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes' Popcornmeter and a 6/10 on IMDb as of writing.
While these scores aren’t as high as some of Bautista’s best movies, likeGuardians of the Galaxy’s 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, they indicate general enjoyment from moviegoers.
While these scores aren’t as high as some ofBautista’s best movies, likeGuardians of the Galaxy’s 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, they indicategeneral enjoyment from moviegoers.While it’s unlikely to beat forthcoming franchise movies in future weekends, word of mouth could giveThe Killer’s Gamea boost in popularity, potentially keeping it from floundering as its theatrical run continues.
The Film’s Final Box Office Numbers Are Still Unclear
With the final box office performance of the movie still up in the air, it’s unclear ifThe Killer’s Gamecan launch Bautista’s next franchise, following his exit from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and his last appearance inDune: Part Two. WhileThe Killer’s Gamehas no post-creditsscene, potential for a continuation still exists, something that could spawn a franchise depending on its performance. However, if the movie isn’t able to garner as much attention in theaters as other small releases this month,it will seemingly remain a one-off for the prolific actor.
Dave Bautista’s next movie roles include the voice of the antagonist in 2026’sAang: The Last Airbender, alongside lead roles in the dramaThe Last Showgirl, the action thrillerTrap House, and the post-apocalyptic movieAfterburn.
AlthoughBautista’s new action moviedoesn’t have the box office draw of his franchise films and previous endeavors,it may instead find success when it hits VOD or streaming.Although this wouldn’t guarantee a sequel toThe Killer’s Game, at the very least it could reflect audience interest in the movie at home despite its initial theatrical performance. But, withBautista’s upcoming movies and TV showspoised to perform differently, this latest film is just a drop in the bucket for the seasoned actor.
The Killer’s Game
Cast
A hitman named Joe is diagnosed with a terminal illness and decides to end his life on his own terms by placing a hit on himself. When he learns the diagnosis was a mistake, he must evade the world’s deadliest assassins who are now targeting him. The action-packed narrative follows Joe as he fights for survival while confronting his past decisions and the relentless killers pursuing him.
