M. Night Shyamalan is back in a big way, with his Split taking over the top spot in the box office for a second straight week. Sure, A Dog’s Purpose is shrouded in badly-timed controversy, and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is the end of a tired franchise, but this is a huge win for the genre. Not only is the film #1 again, but it only dropped 34%, which is crazy. Last weekend I estimated a $100 million domestic life for the James McAvoy-starrer, but now I have it pegged even higher as it already sits at $78 million. Including the reported international take, the film is already over $100 million worldwide on a meek $9 million reported budget. Including marketing, Split is looking to already be in $25 million profit range, which makes this one of the most successful horror movies in years. I’m actually excited to see where this lands by the time it exits theaters…
If you’re a Split junkie, we’ve been talking about it quite a bit here on Bloody Disgusting; Jon Squires says the film has a “twist” problem, and also talks about the mental illness debate, while Chris Webster says the film has a protagonist problem.
In addition to McAvoy, The Witch‘s Anya Taylor-Joy, Betty Buckley, Jessica Sula and Haley Lu Richardson also star in Split, which Trace Thurman reviewed after its secret screening at this past September’s Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. He explains that, “Like many of [Shyamalan’s) films, it will no doubt split (sorry) audiences, but McAvoy’s performance alone earns the film a full recommendation. He is a marvel to behold.”
“While the mental divisions of those with dissociative identity disorder have long fascinated and eluded science, it is believed that some can also manifest unique physical attributes for each personality, a cognitive and physiological prism within a single being.
“Though Kevin (James McAvoy) has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley), there remains one still submerged who is set to materialize and dominate all the others. Compelled to abduct three teenage girls led by the willful, observant Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Witch), Kevin reaches a war for survival among all of those contained within him—as well as everyone around him—as the walls between his compartments shatter apart.”
