![\"sully-a\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/227\/2016\/09\/sully-a.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nA tale of real-life heroism got the fall awards season off to a good start this week.<\/p>\n
Sully<\/b><\/i> \u2014 starring Tom Hanks as the airline pilot who saved all of his passengers and crew when he landed his birdstruck plane in the Hudson River seven years ago \u2014 earned an estimated $35.5 million between Thursday and Sunday nights<\/a>.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the fifth-best opening ever for September<\/a>, traditionally a fairly slow month, and it\u2019s the best opening ever for the weekend after Labour Day (previous champ: Scott Derrickson\u2019s The Exorcism of Emily Rose<\/i>, 2005, $30.1 million).<\/p>\n It\u2019s also the best opening ever for a Tom Hanks film<\/a> that wasn\u2019t a Toy Story<\/i> sequel or based on a Dan Brown novel. In one weekend, Sully<\/i> has also already outgrossed recent Tom Hanks films like A Hologram for the King<\/i>, Cloud Atlas<\/i> and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close<\/i>, and it may have outgrossed Larry Crowne<\/i>, as well.<\/p>\n Sully<\/i> also marks the second-best first weekend in wide release of any film directed by Clint Eastwood<\/a>, behind American Sniper<\/i> (which had a limited release in December 2014 before earning $89.3 million in its first wide weekend in January 2015).<\/p>\n There were two other new releases in the top ten this week.<\/p>\n When the Bough Breaks<\/b><\/i>, a thriller about a surrogate mom who threatens to come between the couple who hired her, landed in second place with $15 million.<\/p>\n And The Wild Life<\/b><\/i>, an animated film about some island-based animals who hang out with Robinson Crusoe, flopped in fifth place with only $3.4 million.<\/p>\n Finally, Ben-Hur<\/b><\/i> earned only $555,000 and landed in 20th place in its fourth week. The film has grossed $25.6 million in North America and another $40.2 million overseas, where it is still rolling out, for a worldwide total of $65.8 million.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, in other box-office news\u2026<\/p>\n Don\u2019t Breathe<\/b><\/i> earned $8.2 million and ranked third in its third week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $66.8 million. The film has earned another $20.3 million overseas for a global total of $87.1 million.<\/p>\n Suicide Squad<\/b><\/i> earned $5.7 million and ranked fourth in its sixth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $307.4 million. The film has earned another $392 million overseas for a global total of $699.4 million.<\/p>\n Kubo and the Two Strings<\/b><\/i> earned $3.2 million and ranked sixth in its fourth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $40.8 million. The film has earned another $8.4 million overseas for a global total of $49.2 million.<\/p>\n Pete\u2019s Dragon<\/b><\/i> earned $2.9 million and ranked seventh in its fifth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $70 million. The film has earned another $32.2 million overseas for a global total of $102.2 million.<\/p>\n Bad Moms<\/b><\/i> earned $2.8 million and ranked eighth in its seventh week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $107.5 million. The film has earned another $44.4 million overseas for a global total of $151.9 million.<\/p>\n Hell or High Water<\/b><\/i> earned $2.6 million and ranked ninth in its fifth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $19.8 million. The film has earned another $274,259 for a global total of $20.1 million.<\/p>\n And Sausage Party<\/b><\/i> earned $2.3 million and ranked tenth in its fifth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $93.2 million. The film has earned another $20.4 million overseas for a global total of $113.6 million.<\/p>\n