Priscilla” into 1,344 venues after launching on four screens last weekend. The Meg Ryan-directed romantic comedy “What Happens Later” is arriving from Bleecker Street in 1,492 locations.
And Roadside Attractions is putting the latest Neil Burger joint “The Marsh King’s Daughter” into 1,055 theaters. Only “Priscilla” is really contending for a spot in the top five. “Priscilla,” which draws from Priscilla Presley’s memoir and her account of her marriage with Elvis Presley, has drawn strong reviews since its splashy premiere at Venice, where star Cailee Spaeny won the film festival’s best actress prize.
With a production budget of $20 million, the independent feature faces an uphill battle to theatrical success, hoping to stick around the awards conversation through the fall.
Ryan directs herself in “What Happens Later,” which co-stars David Duchovny. It has drawn a lukewarm response from critics, while audiences aren’t showing much urgency to roll out for the romantic comedy — a genre that has infamously struggled at the box office in recent years.
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