Mark Wahlberg’s “Mile 22” grossed $1 million at the Thursday box office from 2,600 locations.
Thursday’s preview gross is comparable to that of Tom Cruise’s “American Made,” which earned $960,000 in previews before opening to $16.8 million. “Mile 22” is expected to have a $17-$18 million weekend, contending with “The Meg” for the No. 2 spot, after “Crazy Rich Asians.”
This is the fourth collaboration between director Peter Berg and star Mark Wahlberg, and tells the story of an elite CIA team tasked with protecting a valuable asset being hunted by terrorists. John Malkovich, Lauren Cohan, Iko Uwais and Ronda Rousey also star.
The film is written by Lea Carpenter based on a story by Graham Roland and Carpenter. Berg for Film 44, Wahlberg for Closest to the Hole and Stephen Levinson for Leverage produced. John Logan Pierson executive produced.
“Mile 22” holds a score of 24 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Sony Pictures and Studio 8’s “Alpha” earned $525,000 in previews from 2,303 locations on Thursday night, looking at a $10 million weekend.
Telling the story of the earliest days of man’s relationship with canines, “Alpha” stars Kodi Smit-McPhee as Keda, a Paleolithic hunter left behind by his tribe after he is injured during a hunt. Struggling to survive on his own, he encounters a wolf who has been similarly abandoned by his pack, leading to the two bonding together to survive. Albert Hughes directed the film.
Meanwhile, Jon M. Chu’s “Crazy Rich Asians” is in full swing, grossing another $3.8 million on Thursday, bringing its cumulative to $8.7 million. The film, starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan and Awkwafina, is expected to have an five-day opening weekend total of $26-$27 million.