Published Sep 8, 2022
Synopsis
Distributed by: Warner Bros. | Release Date: 9/23/22 | Runtime: 122 Minutes
Thriller. A 1950s housewife discovers her idyllic life in a manufactured company town is far from perfect. Then all hell breaks loose. Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Oliva Wilde, Chris Pine
Screening Notes
Okay, let’s focus and set aside the personal drama and snappy banter between the actors swirling around social media…Styles did not “spit” in Pine’s lap during the film’s Venice premiere, I’m sure Pugh had a “perfectly good reason” for totally blowing off the NYC premiere, did Styles break up Wilde’s marriage…hmm, maybe all the behind-the-scenes drama is kinda fun after all and adds to the buzz! DWD very cleverly tosses M Night Shyamalan- and Jordan Peele-like tense, psychological, twisty storytelling, into the blender with The Stepford Wives, with the result being a creepy thriller featuring smart character-drama and scorching-sexy on-screen chemistry between Pugh and Styles (Pugh is particularly intense and will likely receive several year-end award nominations). The film will definitely hit the mark in major markets but have to note that R-rated films and thrillers can tend to be hit or miss in smaller markets.
Boxoffice Estimate
Tracking "awareness” for the film looks to be solid, with very “positive interest” high, not surprisingly, among the 21 to 34 age demos, for BOTH male and female…any film starring Styles and Pugh will do that! Exhibitors AND moviegoers need new content like air, and the air is pretty thin in Sep. Since Harry Styles is the biggest name on the planet right now in pop music and, since her scene stealing from Scarlett Johannsen in Black Widow last summer, Florence Pugh has soared in global popularity, DWD should perform well. Now, we need to be mindful that “performing well” is a relative term in the month of Sep, where the average film generally opens between $15M and $20M.
My math projects an opening weekend totaling $18.9M, with a range between $17M and $21M. Looking to similar comps and the time of the year, the film should yield a 2.9x multiple for a respectable total gross between $49M and $60M.
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