FRIDAY AFTERNOON: Well, we didn’t expect that, it’s still early in the weekend. Transformers One is currently running lower than expected for a $26 million opening a $9.7 million opening day (including $3.36 million in previews) in 3,978 theaters. Clearly, the Josh Cooley-directed Paramount Hasbro Entertainment film is a family affair, and the question is whether more will come out tomorrow. The same goes for all the Hispanic and Latino audiences who gave the animated film a high 93% score last night; the demo represents 33% of the film’s revenue, single digits behind whites. Mind you, only 5% of K-12 schools are free today.

The third week of Warner Bros. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is not far behind with a third weekend of $24.75 million-52%, at 4,172 locations after a Friday of $6.75 million. Its Sunday total is $225.6 million, which will make it the second highest-grossing September theatrical release ever at the domestic box office, behind the 2017 release It is at $328.8M and Up Ahead of Disney/Marvel Studios 2021 Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings for $224.5 million. It is likely the highest-grossing film for Jenna Ortega in a story role at the domestic BO, not counting her supporting role as the Vice President’s daughter in Iron Man 3 ($409 million).

Third place goes to Blumhouse/Universal’s second weekend Speak no evil of $5.7 million-50%, after a second Friday of $1.7 million and a ten-day total $21.2 million by sunday.

The fourth could be Lionsgate’s $20 million Halle Berry horror film Never let go in 2,667 theaters with $1.45 million today and between $3 million Unpleasant $4.25 million for the weekend. The added advantage this film has over Mubi’s Demi Moore-Margaret Qualley body swap genre pic The substance is that they’ve run TV spots versus the latter’s largely digital campaign, meaning it’s reaching the middle of the country. But at this opening, that doesn’t say much.

Fifth is the ninth frame of Disney/Marvel Studios Deadpool and Wolverine at 2,450 with $1 million Today, $4 million (-23%) for the weekend, and a running total of $627.4M. By Sunday, the film will be 1% behind Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 at the same time, that picture had a domestic total of $652.6 million.

The substance is eyeing $1.75 million today, including previews, for a $3.3 million-$3.5 million opening in 1,949 locations. The picture, I hear, had a P&A expense of less than $10 million, mostly digital.

FRIDAY MORNING: The first animated Transformers film in almost four decades, Transformers Onefrom Paramount and Hasbro Entertainment brought in $3.36 million of the fan shows on Wednesday (7pm) and previews on Thursday (5pm).

That figure tops a whole host of family film previews, including Paramount’s. ALS ($1.75 million), The Garfield Movie ($2.3 million)Trolls join forces and even the live-action spin-off Transformers film Bumblebee, which grossed $2.15 million in 2018.

Transformers One opens today on 3,978 domestic screens, including Imax and PLF, with an expected opening budget of around $34 million. Don’t be shocked if it opens to $40 million or more. Screen Engine/PostTrak exit polls are strong, with 5 out of 5 stars and a 75% definite recommendation. Thursday night’s audience was 72% general audience, 13% parents (mostly dads at 56%), and 15% children under 12 (mostly boys at 73%). Transformers One Cost $75 million before P&A.

The industry needs a new theatrical distributor, and Mubi is making waves with its acquisition of Universal/Working Title’s The substance, which coin $512K in previews on Wednesday night at 7pm at 785 theaters and another $327,000 in previews at 1,455 theaters on Thursday night starting at 4pm. The substance is booked into 1,949 theaters and was projected to open at $3 million. It could do better, especially with a 88% certified fresh review rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 83% audience score, PostTrak rating of 80% and 4 stars, for the 2-hour, 21-minute body-swap genre film starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. The substance cost $17.5 million when it was at Universal. Mubi bought the film worldwide for what I know is $12.5 million. Thursday night’s audience was 62% male, with 64% between 18-34.

Remember how Lionsgate had a failure last week in The murderer’s game, what ended up being the lowest opening of Dave Bautista’s solo box office career? That film had $300K previews last Thursday before posting a $2.68M 3-day (and $3.8M for the week). It looks like the Halle Berry horror film Never let go also goes towards the doldrums with $360K previews. The studio thinks it has a $4M-$7M opening in 2,667 theaters. Not when you compare it to The killer’s game. Note that before the weekend begins, Berry has the power to guarantee a certain opening size: the now-defunct small distributor Aviron saved her film kidnap and opened in August 2017 to $10 million, which the industry praised at the time. The film ended its run with nearly $31 million in the United States. Never let go, by The Creep filmmaker Alexandra Aja, was made for $20M I understand. The reviews are 56% Rotten. PostTrak on Thursday night was 3 stars and 67%. Ouch. Mostly male attendance at 58%, with an 18-34 audience at 42%.

Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has crossed the two century mark with $200.8 million after a $2.48 million Thursday (-14% compared to Wednesday) for a second week of $64.4 million-53%, in 4,575 theaters.

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Blumhouse/Universal’s Speak no evil close week 1 with $15.6 million after a $791K Thursday, -12%, in 3,375 theaters.

Disney/Marvel Studios Deadpool and Wolverine ends week 8 with $7.1 million at 3,075 after a $420K Thursday, -6% compared to Wednesday and a running cumulation of $622.8 million.

Am I a racist?The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh documentary concludes week 1 with $6.3 million in 1,517 theaters after a $405K Thursday, +8% compared to Wednesday.

Showbiz Direct’s Reagan rages on with a $24.8 million domestic cume and a thursday of $315Kand third week of $4.5 million in 2,450 theaters.