M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller Knock at the Cabin is poised to open above James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water on domestic charts this weekend. After eight weeks of release and entering the domestic box office’s all-time top 10 earlier this week, Cameron’s epic sci-fi sequel may be forced to abdicate its number-one spot at the box office. Starring Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, and Ben Aldridge, the apocalyptic thriller is on track to open with roughly $14.5 million, already pulling in $5.4 million on Friday despite mixed reviews from critics and early audience.
Knock at the Cabin currently has a 63% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences have granted the film a mediocre “C-“ on Cinema Score. Variety’s Peter Debruge described the movie as “long, slow and disappointing” but praised Shyamalan’s talent as a director, stating he “remains a master of tension.”
Paramount’s 80 for Brady, starring the now-retired quarterback, also looks to open above Avatar: The Way of Water. The film earned $4.7 million across its opening day and has been well-received by general audiences, receiving a favorable “A-“ in Cinema Score. However, it has only garnered 57% approval from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Universal’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has also done remarkably well, pulling in $7.9 million, and is likely to pass a $150 million domestic gross by the end of the weekend.
Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water is still holding steady, projecting only a 33% tumble to still gross roughly $10 million over the weekend.