Colleen Hoover’s Verity is the biggest movie of the weekend, and it is doing something unusual for her work: it is drawing men into the theater.
The romance drama, starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett, opened globally to $62.1 million, making it Hoover’s second-best debut ever behind 2024’s It Ends With Us, which launched to $95.6 million. But Verity is outperforming her earlier adaptations in several key markets, and it is doing so without the usual demographic limits.
The Numbers Behind the Debut
Verity cost $40 million to produce. Amazon MGM Studios is positioning it as proof of its mark in the female-content space, alongside Prime series like Off Campus and Elle. The film’s global debut exceeded the reported $46 million opening of Practical Magic 2, which Warner Bros. released in 77 offshore territories.
The film also topped the global starts of Hoover’s other novels. Regretting You debuted with $23.6 million in 43 markets, and Reminders of Him started with $28.1 million in 57 markets. Verity outpaced both.
“Word flowed into Amazon international from foreign offices that Verity wasn’t just a female skewing movie (in the U.S with a $32.6M start, it drew 78% female), rather pulled in non-literary lovers and dudes as well.”
In several offshore markets, Verity was ahead of Reminders of Him and Regretting You. The comparison to Housemaid, another global crowdpleaser by author Freida McFadden, is not necessarily the comp here given its staggered rollout and year-end holiday boost.
But Verity still outperformed it in openings in the UK, Brazil, and Australia.
The Markets That Slayed Housemaid
The UK opened at No. 1 with $4.5 million across 950 screens. Brazil took $3.8 million at 715 screens for a No. 1 ranking. Australia brought in $3.1 million across 500 screens for a No. 1 spot.
Mexico delivered a $1.5 million No. 2 rank at 1,522 screens. That market is mostly known for excelling in genre and family pictures.
Norway opened at $400,000 across 200 screens at No. 1. Turkey and Ukraine each took $370,000 from 235 screens, No. 1 in their respective countries, where it became the biggest opening for a Hoover book adaptation.
Portugal grossed $575,000 at 60 screens, No. 1. Hungary took $318,000 at 70 screens, No. 1.
Germany opened at $3.8 million at 715 screens. The Netherlands grossed $590,000 at 115 screens. Austria took $380,000 from 68 screens. Sweden grossed $375,000 at 120 screens. Switzerland grossed $330,000 at 70 screens. Belgium grossed $320,000 at 65 screens. Argentina grossed $300,000 from 190 screens. Greece grossed $245,000 from 106 screens. Lithuania grossed $205,000 from 18 screens. Finland grossed $190,000 at 110 screens. Israel grossed $185,000 at 37 screens.
The UAE made Verity the best MPA title with $670,000 at 91 screens. India grossed $500,000 at 350 screens, just -12% behind It Ends With Us, which is remarkable. U.S. genre has been working in the market with Obsession rallying there.
The Countries Where It Was No. 1
France took $1.7 million at 384 screens for No. 2. Spain grossed $825,000 from 382 screens and ranked No. 4. Italy grossed $760,000 at 312 screens for No. 3. Saudi Arabia grossed $535,000 from 105 screens and ranked No. 4. New Zealand grossed $370,000 from 110 screens No. 2. Poland grossed $240,000 from 152 screens No. 3. Colombia grossed $238,000 at 140 screens No. 4. The Philippines grossed $233,000 from 168 screens and ranked No. 3.
Taiwan and the CIS region open next weekend. Slovakia and Vietnam open the weekend after. Korea opens on October 22. Japan opens on November 6.
Digger‘s Weekend Disappointment
Alejandro Inarritu’s Digger, starring Tom Cruise, was buried with a $20 million global debut. That is $12 million abroad and $8 million stateside, placing it in sixth position.
The film’s $160 million net cost means the debut is a fraction of what it spent to make. Digger is not even close to One Battle After Another, which began at $48.5 million in 74 territories a year ago. That film eventually became Paul Thomas Anderson’s highest-grossing movie ever at $213.2 million.
The Heart of the Beast‘s Hold
Paramount’s The Heart of the Beast held well in its second weekend. It grossed $10.8 million in North America and $32.3 million internationally for a second-place global finish. The foreign second frame was $21.5 million in 66 territories, with an overall running cume of $98.7 million.
China opened at $2.1 million across 7,300 theaters, including previews. Turkey pulled in $225,000 at 194 sites with previews.
France’s second weekend was $3 million, No. 1 in the market, down 17% for a cume of $7.6 million. Mexico had a second frame of $2 million, also No. 1, down 17% for a tally there of $5.1 million. The UK’s $1.6 million second weekend at 554 sites ranked third, down 22% for a cume of $5.5 million. Spain did $1.1 million second frame at 392 locations, No. 2, down 25% for a local cume of $3.6 million. Australia posted $1.1 million No. 2 in second frame at 290, down 17% for a total of $3.3 million. Germany grossed $955,000 in second weekend at 428 theaters, No. 3, up 2% for a cume of $2.3 million.
The film storms into Korea on October 29.
Traces of Justice‘s Big Weekend
China’s local champ, Traces of Justice, grossed $31.2 million for a cume since October 1 of $41.8 million. The film is directed by Detective Chinatown director Chen Sachet and stars Zhang Yi, Li Ma, Li Xuejian, Karry Wang, Fan Chengcheng, and Chen Feiyu.
The blurb: Criminal police officer Cui Xun has been working for over half a century, and together with his colleagues, he has repeatedly solved major cases. This detective, adhering to his original aspiration of “serving the people,” has witnessed not only the development of public security but also the rise of New China.
There were no U.S. theatrical releases in the top 5 in China, which kicked off the Golden Week holiday stretch.
The Chinese Chart
Beijing Joy Fun Pictures’ comedy Mr. & Mrs. Pardon ranked second in the Middle Kingdom but eighth in the overall global chart. It grossed $17.3 million over the weekend and a cume since October 1 of $24.5 million.
Directed by Shen Chunyang, the film centers around a middle-aged couple grappling with the “seven-year itch”—for the third time. Their mandatory thirty-day divorce cooling-off period is poised to play the final movement of their marriage.
Sony/Constantin’s Resident Evil took fourth with $29.2 million worldwide ($12.6 million domestic, $16.6 million overseas in 65 markets on 7,900+ screens). Its overseas cume is $120.5 million, and it has another $125 million to reach.
What This Means for Hoover
Verity is performing better than her previous adaptations in nearly every market. The film is also drawing a broader audience than her earlier work, at least in the U.S., where it drew 78% female.
The pattern holds across the specific markets listed in the report. The film’s success in macho markets like Norway, Turkey, and Ukraine suggests the appeal is not limited to literary fans.
The comparison to Housemaid is not necessarily the comp given its staggered rollout and year-end holiday boost. But Verity still outperformed it in openings in the UK, Brazil, and Australia.
The Weekend’s Winners
The top five films were:
- Verity — $62.1 million
- The Heart of the Beast — $32.3 million
- Traces of Justice — $31.2 million
- Resident Evil — $29.2 million
- Mr. & Mrs. Pardon — $17.3 million
Verity is the clear headline act. Its global debut is Hoover’s second-best, and it is doing so with a broader audience than her earlier adaptations.
The film’s success in macho markets like Norway, Turkey, and Ukraine suggests the appeal is not limited to literary fans.
The contrast between the two debuts is stark. Verity is her second-best debut ever, while Digger is buried in sixth place.
Source material: “‘Verity’ Lures 2nd Best Opening For Colleen Hoover Pic With $62M+ WW; ‘Digger’ DOA At $20M WW – Top 10 Global Box Office Update,” Deadline.
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