After delivering a terrible opening weekend haul last week, the gangster filmThe Alto Knightssealed its fate with a humongous drop in its sophomore frame. Themovie fell by 65% this weekend, essentially ensuring that it will not pass the $10 million mark at the domestic box office. It isn’t making much noise internationally either, and after 10 days of release, the movie stillhasn’t recovered even a fifth of its reported budget.The Alto KnightsstarsRobert De Niroin a dual role as two mobsters, and is directed by the veteranBarry Levinson. It’s the second Warner Bros. flop of the year already, afterBong Joon Ho’sMickey 17.
With $5.5 million domestically and another $3.4 million from overseas markets,The Alto Knightshasgrossed a combined total of just under $9 million at the worldwide box officeso far. The movie wasproduced on a reported budget of $50 million, and was given a proper theatrical roll-out in over 2,600 domestic locations. It’s playing in more theaters right now thanCaptain America: Brave New World, and even this week’s new releaseThe Chosen: Last Supper - Part 1, which exceeded expectations with an $11 million opening weekend haul.
W.B. has attracted negative press for its attitude towards theatrical exhibitions. After the tragic pandemic period, during which the management made the controversial decision to release every film on the studio 2021 slate directly on the streaming service formerly known as HBO Max, further controversy erupted over the treatment ofClint Eastwood’sJuror No. 2. The courtroom drama was given a token theatrical release by W.B. last year, despite excellent reviews and enthusiastic audience response. Despite these self-imposed restrictions,Juror No. 2ended up grossing $25 million worldwide. Some months before that, W.B. also distributedKevin Costner’sHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1, which tanked theatrically and stymied plans for sequels.
Can W.B. Bounce Back After a Poor Start to 2025?
The Alto Knightsopened to mediocre reviews. The movie currently holds a “rotten” 39% approval rating on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, with Collider’sAidan Kelleyremarkingin his review, “So many ofAlto Knights' dialogue sequences feel entirely aimless, with the characters going round and round in tedious circles before the plot takes a mere half-step forward.” W.B. would hope to bounce back this week with the hotly anticipatedA Minecraft Movie, which is eying an opening weekend haul in the $60 million range. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
The Alto Knights
