Who would have guessed? Reagan, the new biopic starring Dennis Quaid as the 40th U.S. President, made a surprising leap at the North American box office during the quiet Labor Day weekend.
Despite a slow start, Reagan rose to become the fourth highest-grossing film of the period.
It was the standout among several new releases, which failed to impress audiences.
Weekend Box Office Numbers
Released on August 30, 2024, the film didn’t seem poised for success at first.
It earned just $525,000 from its Thursday preview screenings and $2.6 million on opening day.
Not exactly the kind of numbers that make headlines. But things took a turn over the weekend.
Despite its slow start, Reagan managed to gain momentum, raking in $7.4 million over the three-day weekend, with projections reaching $9.2 million by the end of the four-day Labor Day holiday.
That unexpected boost pushed the film into the fourth spot on the domestic box office charts, ahead of some pretty stiff competition.
New Releases Can’t Keep Up
While Reagan found its footing, the same couldn’t be said for the other new films that opened the same weekend.
The Blumhouse horror flick Afraid, which explored the dark side of artificial intelligence, didn’t seem to scare up much interest.
Casey Affleck’s sci-fi adventure Slingshot, which sent audiences on a tense journey through space, also struggled to get off the ground.
The drama 1992, based on the L.A. riots, and the human trafficking story City of Dreams both failed to draw in crowds, barely making a blip on the box office radar.
All of these films ended up trailing behind Reagan, which managed to stand out in a weekend crowded with new releases.
Top Performers Keep Their Crowns
While new releases scrambled for attention, several familiar titles continued to dominate the box office.
At the top of the charts, Deadpool & Wolverine remained the clear favorite, pulling in a hefty $15.2 million over the three-day weekend and aiming for $19.5 million by Monday.
The film, a superhero team-up featuring the wise-cracking Deadpool and the ever-gritty Wolverine, has been a crowd-pleaser for weeks and shows no signs of slowing down.
Right behind it, Alien: Romulus held steady in the number two spot.
The sci-fi thriller, which dives deeper into the Alien franchise’s universe, managed a solid $9.3 million over the weekend and is expected to reach $11.5 million by the end of the four-day stretch.
Meanwhile, Blake Lively’s romantic drama It Ends with Us continued to attract viewers, earning $7.4 million over three days and is projected to hit $9.5 million by Monday, securing its place at number three.
Why Did Reagan Succeed?
So, what’s behind Reagan’s unexpected success? A few factors likely played a role.
For one, the film had a unique appeal as a political biopic, drawing in audiences interested in American history and political drama.
Dennis Quaid’s portrayal of Ronald Reagan has also been a talking point, with many praising his performance.
Plus, the film had relatively little competition from other new releases, as none of the other films managed to capture much interest.
Reagan also benefited from a lack of big blockbuster releases during the Labor Day weekend.
With fewer high-profile movies in theaters, Reagan had a better chance to shine and attract a more diverse audience.
It appears the film managed to carve out its own niche, appealing to both older audiences familiar with Reagan’s legacy and younger viewers curious about the former president’s life and times.
What’s Next for Moviegoers?
Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see if Reagan can maintain its momentum in the coming weeks.
While it’s unlikely to top the charts again with powerhouse films like Deadpool & Wolverine and Alien: Romulus still going strong, it has proven that it can hold its own against other new releases.
And with positive word-of-mouth spreading, it might just stick around longer than expected.
This Labor Day weekend showed us that the box office can be full of surprises.
Sometimes, the films that start slow end up making the biggest impact, and it’s always exciting to see which movies rise to the occasion.
So, if you’re planning a trip to the movies, keep an eye on the underdogs—you never know when one might just steal the show!
Overview of the Film “Reagan” (2024)
Reagan is a 2024 American drama movie that tells the life story of Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States.
Directed by Sean McNamara and written by Howard Klausner, the film is based on the book The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism by Paul Kengor.
Dennis Quaid plays Reagan, while other stars like Penelope Ann Miller, Robert Davi, Lesley-Anne Down, and Jon Voight play supporting roles.
The movie covers Reagan’s early life, his time as a Hollywood actor, his political career, and his presidency, including key moments like his battle with the Soviet Union and the Iran-Contra scandal.
Released in U.S. theaters on August 30, 2024, Reagan has received mostly negative reviews from critics but still managed to make $10 million over the Labor Day weekend.
Movies Released on Labor Day Weekend
| Title | Production Companies | Director | Screenwriters | Cast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afraid | Columbia Pictures / Blumhouse Productions | Chris Weitz | Chris Weitz | John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Havana Rose Liu, Lukita Maxwell, David Dastmalchian, Keith Carradine |
| 1992 | Lionsgate / Death Row Pictures | Ariel Vromen | Ariel Vromen, Sascha Penn | Tyrese Gibson, Scott Eastwood, Ray Liotta |
| Slingshot | Bleecker Street | Mikael Håfström | R. Scott Adams, Nathan Parker | Casey Affleck, Laurence Fishburne, Emily Beecham, Tomer Kapon, David Morrissey |
| Reagan | ShowBiz Direct / MJM Entertainment | Sean McNamara | Howard Klausner, Jonas McCord | Dennis Quaid, Penelope Ann Miller, Robert Davi, Lesley-Anne Down, Jon Voight |
| First Shift | Quiver Distribution | Uwe Boll | Uwe Boll | Gino Anthony Pesi, Kristen Renton, James McMenamin, Daniel Sauli, Tamara Della Anderson, Brandi Bravo, Garry Pastore |
| You Gotta Believe | Well Go USA Entertainment | Ty Roberts | Ty Roberts, Lane Garrison | Luke Wilson, Greg Kinnear, Sarah Gadon, Lew Temple, Michael Cash, Etienne Kellici, Molly Parker |
| City of Dreams | Roadside Attractions | Mohit Ramchandani | Mohit Ramchandani | Ari Lopez, Renata Vaca, Alfredo Castro, Paulina Gaitán, Jason Patric, Diego Calva |
| Tokyo Cowboy | Purdie Distribution | Marc Marriott | Dave Boyle, Ayako Fujitani | Arata Iura, Robin Weigert, Goya Robles, Ayako Fujitani, Jun Kunimura |
Conclusion
- Reagan turned out to be a surprise success during a slow Labor Day weekend at the North American box office.
- Even with a modest start, the film climbed to the fourth spot, becoming the highest-grossing new release of the weekend.
- It managed to outperform all other new movies, which struggled to find an audience.
- The biopic found a way to stand out, despite competing against several other films.
- The film’s unique focus on a well-known historical figure, Ronald Reagan, seemed to draw in viewers looking for something different.
- Meanwhile, box office leaders like Deadpool & Wolverine and Alien: Romulus continued to do well.
- They kept their top spots, proving that audiences still love their superheroes and sci-fi adventures.
- However, Reagan showed that there is room for other types of stories, even during a weekend with fewer blockbuster releases.
- As the film continues its run, it remains to be seen whether it can keep up the momentum and continue to capture the interest of moviegoers in the coming weeks.