Okay, it’s not an MCU movie debut but it’s not terrible. R-rated films do not gross that much to begin with. We also have to point out that this is August too. Films typically don’t perform as well in this month.
“David Leitch’s Bullet Train is, of course, the aforementioned film hoping to reach $100 million; it opened to $30.1 million this weekend. That’s the 14th best August first weekender but the fourth best for an original property that is not a sequel or connected to one of the comic book universes. It’s also the best R-rated original film opening on this weekend, which feels like a bit of good news, but it already may be fighting an uphill battle towards that $100 million milestone. Its $12.6 million Friday normally would have suggested a higher start than $30 million. In the past, numbers like that (between $12.5-$12.7 million starts) have averaged out to a $35.5 million start. The two R-rated films on that list – Blade Runner 2049 and Bad Grandpa – opened over $32 million. Bullet Train’s numbers are more closely on par with The Dukes of Hazzard’s $30.6 million start; that film also had the lowest total gross ($80.2 million) among the 11 films on that list. Bullet Train is going to want to maintain a second weekend above $18 million if the $90 million-budgeted film will maintain a shot for $100 million. It will definitely be relying on its overseas sales to turn a profit” – Erik Childress (RottenTomatoes)
