Opening a movie on a Wednesday and on a holiday don’t sound like great money-making strategies, but that didn’t stop Universal from pushing out the latest installment of “The Purge” series out on the 4th of July. Entitled “The First Purge,” this prequel showcases the first time that the infamous 12-hour period of legalized crime was ever put into place.
So how did the box office go? Well, for the franchise as a whole, “The First Purge” had the lowest preview night of all other Purge films, only raking in $2.5 million on Tuesday night. On Independence Day, however, the film grossed around $9.3 million, making it a success for such an awkward movie release date. It’s estimated total domestic gross for the Wednesday-Saturday holiday release weekend is supposed to be between $25-$30 million.
Considering the film only cost $13 million to make, it’s on track to double production costs and be another successful installment. Meanwhile, “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” and “Incredibles 2” took first and second place respectively on the 4th, with “The First Purge” garnering the bronze spot.
