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‘Downton Abbey’ Shatters Hollywood Myths With Impressive $31 Million Opening

   DailyWire.com
Michelle Dockery attends the "Downton Abbey" New York Premiere at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on September 16, 2019 in New York City.
Theo Wargo / Staff / Getty Images

The big box office winner this past weekend was not Sylvester Stallone’s “Rambo: Last Blood” or even Brad Pitt’s sci-fi adventure “Ad Astra.” It was actually a movie about a British aristocratic family hosting the royals at their estate for a jolly good time. That movie is “Downton Abbey,” and it hauled in an impressive $31 million over the weekend — earning the number one spot over two big-budget productions.

“‘Downton Abbey,’ the film adaptation of the popular British period TV drama, won the weekend with an estimated $31 million opening in North America,” reports CNN Business. “[The film] represents the highest-grossing opening for the NBCUniversal owned Focus Features. It was also a bit of a surprise since the film exceeded industry expectations. The film was projected to make closer to $20 million.”

The film’s success is largely owed to the show’s devoted fanbase on top of a certified “Fresh” rating of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics largely adored the film, likening it to a comforting weekend full of fine food and friendly faces.

“A warm if somewhat flat trip back in time that approximates the feel of the show’s Christmas specials, only over-sized, and as cozy as a seat by the manor’s fire,” CNN’s Brian Lowry described the film.

As noted by The Hollywood Reporter (THR), the film’s victory shatters several Hollywood myths about senior moviegoers:

Over much of the past decade, Baby Boomers have been more bust than boom when it comes to moviegoing as Hollywood studios shy away from adult dramas in order to stage splashy spectacles designed to offer what the small screen can’t.

But the consequences of ignoring this demo was apparent over the Sept. 20-22 weekend when Downton Abbey topped the chart with a flush debut of $31 million.

More than half of Downton‘s audience was over 45 — including a whopping 52 percent who were 55 and older, i.e., Boomers, per Comscore. Heading into the weekend, the continuation of the hit British TV series was expected to take in $18 million to $20 million, at most.

Paul Dergarabedian, a box office analyst for Comscore, told THR that mature audiences hunger for a good film that appeals to their appetites — and that they will go to the movies so long as Hollywood gives them a reason to do so.

“The idea that ‘mature’ audiences don’t like to go to the movies is completely untrue. They grew up going to the theater. But they have to have a compelling reason to go,” said Dergarabedian. “There’s this idea in Hollywood that in Hollywood everything is youth-oriented. The fall has always been more for adults, but this was a very unique weekend to have three films play to an audience predominately over 25.”

Lisa Bunnell, distribution chief for Focus Features, said that Hollywood might do well if it paid attention to more demographic groups outside the youth. “In general, we probably don’t make enough movies for older moviegoers. We should look at movies for all demos and all age groups, versus the easiest way to get people in,” she said.

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