Francis Lee’s neon period romance film Ammonite was released in theaters this past weekend. The film stars Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan. According to Deadline, Ammonite was presented on 280 screens, and made an estimated total of $85,000, which gives an average of $304 per-screen. The film was first screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and it was instantly popular and easily became an Oscar nominee favorite. 

Ammonite takes place in the 1840s. The film follows Winslet’s character, Mary Anning, a paleontologist who works alone on the Southern English coastline of Lyme Regis. Once being famous for her achievements as a paleontologist, she now doesn’t like to be around people. In order to support herself and her widowed mother (Gemma Jones), she digs up common fossils to sell to rich tourists. Geologist James McArdle (Roderick Murchison) arrives in Lyme with his wife Charlotte, who is portrayed by Ronan. James asks Mary to keep his wife company, and Charlotte and Mary quickly become close to one another. The two are very different, where Mary struggles and Charlotte comes from privilege. They soon enter a love affair.

The film earned its most this past Saturday, with an estimated $32,000. Due to Covid, it is plausible that many are still afraid to go to theaters during a pandemic. Because of this, the film will be available on PVOD on December 4th.