BOOM! That’s the sound of Luc Besson’s “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.” US Weekend total is $17 million, not even a multiple of Friday’s $6 million. Costing at least $225 million, “Valerian” is a domestic dud.
The only hope for STX Films on the most expensive indie film ever made is people in non English speaking countries not caring about the story or dialogue. This often the case, and dud films– see “The Mummy” — can find audiences who just want the visual flash.
“Valerian” will have to count on China, Russia, South Korea, and other out of the way locales to bail them out.
Meanwhile, “Dunkirk” did a spectacular $50.5 million for the weekend assuring Warner Bros. of a $100 million run–plus plus since they’ll probably re-release when awards season begins in December. Nicely done!
