Audiences like what “Tony” is cooking up.
The look at Anthony Bourdain’s early years (much of it liberally interpreted) expanded nicely after doing robust business in limited release. “Tony” earned $5 million from 1,652 screens, which was enough to capture seventh place on the weekend box office charts. A24 hasn’t given out an official budget for the film, but a source with knowledge of the production pegs it at less than $15 million.
“Tony” opened on August 7 in just six theaters before expanding to 37 venues last weekend. It has earned an impressive $6.6 million since it debuted, fueled by strong reviews and (presumably) affection for Bourdain, whose food and travel shows, as well as his book “Kitchen Confidential,” made the irascible, insatiably curious chef an icon. Bourdain died in 2018.
“Tony” centers on Bourdain’s experiences working in Provincetown, where he discovered his love of cooking. Dominic Sessa, who impressed critics in “The Holdovers,” stars as Bourdain, alongside Emilia Jones, Dagmara Domińczyk, Leo Woodall, and Antonio Banderas.
A24 has had a sizzling summer at the box office, releasing hits like the sex comedy “The Invite” ($25.5 million) and the YouTube-influenced “Backrooms” ($396.6 million globally). Only “The Death of Robin Hood,” a moody fable about the titular outlaw’s final days that featured Hugh Jackman at his most grizzled, failed to connect. It topped out at $8.7 million.
Other indie releases weren’t as lucky as “Tony.” Black Bear saw “The Rivals of Amziah King” fall flat in its second weekend, earning $285,000 from 465 theaters domestically. The film, which stars Matthew McConaughey, has grossed $1.8 million. Black Bear fared better with “Spa Weekend,” a girls trip comedy with Leslie Mann, Anna Faris, and Isla Fisher that debuted to just over $3 million from 2,009 domestic locations. The hope there is that the film’s older audience will continue to show up in subsequent weekends — it’s a crowd that gets to movies … eventually.
Elsewhere Vertical’s “The Magic Faraway Tree,” a family film with Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy that’s adapted from a book series, debuted to $1.4 million from 1,611 theaters, while Neon rolled out the horror film “It Ends” in five screens where it earned $60,000.