Denzel Washington’s ‘Fences’ Posts Sturdy Debut at Indie Box Office

Praised drama earns weekend’s second-highest per screen average, behind “Rogue One”

Fences
Paramount

On the heels of awards wins, nominations and critical acclaim, Paramount Pictures’ period drama “Fences” made an estimated $128,000 from four locations in New York and Los Angeles.

The Denzel Washington-directed film posted a per screen average of $32,000, second to Disney and Lucasfilm’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” — which topped the overall box office with $155 million and had an estimated per screen average of $37,287.

“Fences” also stars Washington as Troy Maxson, a 1950s sanitation worker in Pittsburgh who struggles to be a good father and husband after his lost dream of joining the major leagues eats away at him.

The film is based on August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play (he also wrote the script) and also stars Viola Davis, Jovan Adepo, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, and Saniyya Sidney.

Washington and Davis won Tony Awards for playing the same roles in the 2010 Broadway revival.

“Fences” was made for just more than $20 million, not counting marketing costs. It has a 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and opens wide in theaters on Christmas Day.

It was also produced by Washington, along with Scott Rudin and Todd Black.

Chinese language movie “The Wasted Times” opened in 20 locations for an estimated per theater average of $4,500 — amounting to $90,000 total.

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