“The Exorcist”-inspired “Possession” horror debuts to $21.3 mln

PanARMENIAN.Net - A topsy turvy summer at the domestic box office ended on a high note as Lionsgate's The Possession - inspired by films including The Exorcist - debuted to $21.3 million, the second best Labor Day opening of all time, The Hollywood Reporter said.

Halloween is the top Labor Day opener of all time, bowing to $30.6 million in 2007; Transporter 2 is No. 2, grossing $20.1 million in 2005.

Possession, starring Kyra Sedgwick, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Natasha Calis, cost in the low- to mid-teen millions to produce and was directed by Ole Bornedal.

John Hillcoat's Prohibition-era drama Lawless, which opened Wednesday, came in No. 2 for the four-day holiday weekend, grossing $13 million for a solid six day total of $15.1 million.

Lawless, from The Weinstein Co., stars Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Guy Pearce and Mia Wasikowska.

Anti-Barack Obama documentary 2016: Obama's America came in No. 9 over the four-day Labor Day weekend, grossing $7.3 million for a cume of $20.4 mllion -- the fifth-best domestic cume for a political doc.

Kids entry The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure tanked in its debut, grossing $601.545 over the four day weekend for dismal screen average of $278 and a six-day cume of $827,134 (like Lawless, Oogieloves opened on Wednesday).

At the specialty box office, phone sex comedy For a Good Time Call opened in 23 theaters in top markets, grossing $186,077 for a per screen average of $8,090.

The film, starring Ari Graynor, Lauren Miller and Justin Long, will continue to expand throughout September. Jamie Travis directed.