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This representation released by Sony Pictures shows Mckenna Grace and Logan Kim, left, successful a country from "Ghostbusters: Afterlife." (Sony Pictures via AP)

Busting ghosts is inactive a reasonably lucrative concern aft astir 40 years.

Heading into Thanksgiving weekend, the latest effort to revive “Ghostbusters” drew a sizable assemblage to theaters, portion the awards darling “King Richard,” similar astir dramas successful the pandemic era, is struggling.

With a reverence for nostalgia and a fewer high-profile cameos successful its arsenal, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” opened supra manufacture expectations with $44 cardinal successful summons income from 4,315 locations, according to workplace estimates Sunday. The Sony movie is playing exclusively successful theaters.

“Afterlife’s” archetypal play is really trailing that of Paul Feig’s “Ghostbusters” with Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig, which had a $46 cardinal opening successful June 2016. Aside from the somewhat unpredictable pandemic-era moviegoing habits, the important quality is that “Afterlife” outgo astir fractional arsenic overmuch to make.

The weekend’s different high-profile offering didn’t fare arsenic well. “King Richard,” the well-reviewed play starring Will Smith arsenic the begetter of tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams, earned $5.7 cardinal from 3,302 locations, missing its humble expectations by astir half. The Warner Bros. movie was released simultaneously connected HBO Max and successful theaters.

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Although accepted blockbusters person managed to gully decent audiences, dramas person disproportionately struggled during the pandemic. Most person debuted successful the $3 cardinal range. One of the much palmy launches was the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect,” which opened to $8.8 million.

Meanwhile, successful constricted merchandise from A24, Mike Mills’ “C’mon C’mon” had 1 of the champion constricted level debuts since February 2020 with $134,447 from 5 screens. The movie stars Joaquin Phoenix arsenic antheral looking aft his 9-year-old nephew.

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Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr connected Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr

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