‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald’ Stealing $7M+ In Thursday Night Previews – Early Read

EXCLUSIVE: After grossing $10.1M in ten offshore markets off 9K screens, Warner Bros.’ Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is eyeing an estimated Thursday night of $7M-$7.5M at approximately 3,300 locations that started showtimes at 5PM, per Deadline sources. These figures do not come from Warner Bros.

As we always footnote, this estimate could go higher or lower, and west coast shows just started an hour and 15 minutes ago. Two years ago at this time, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first chapter in the Harry Potter spinoff from author J.K. Rowling, made $8.75M, which repped close to 30% of its first day’s $29.66M. The pic wound up opening to $74.4M in the U.S./Canada, but it was all about the global play with the movie, which debuted to $219.9M and finaled at $814M. This time around, FB2 is global day and date in 79 out of 80 markets. WB thinks it’s going to debut to $250M WW; others think it’s higher, possibly even $275M.

20th Century Fox/New Regency’s Widows is also holding previews tonight at 7PM, as well as Paramount’s Instant Family at the same time.

We’ll have more as it comes.  Thanksgiving is just getting started.