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‘First Man’ opens below expectations as ‘Venom’ maintains the top spot

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This weekend, Marvel’s film “Venom” and Oscar vehicle “A Star Is Born” maintained the top spots at the box office as the week’s three new wide releases fell by the wayside.

Sony’s “Venom” came in at No. 1 for the second week running, adding $35.7 million in ticket sales for a cumulative $142.8 million, according to figures from measurement firm ComScore.

Warner Bros.’ Oscar bait “A Star Is Born” maintained the No. 2 spot, adding $28 million for a cumulative $94.2 million.

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New this week, Universal’s “First Man” opened in third place with $16.5 million, slightly below analysts’ forecasts of $17 million to $20 million.

Starring Ryan Gosling and “The Crown” star Claire Foy, the film is a take on Neil Armstrong’s moon landing and marks the second collaboration between Gosling and “La La Land” director Damien Chazelle. The film earned positive reviews from audiences and critics with a B+ rating on CinemaScore and an 88% “fresh” rating on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes. It also marks Gosling’s fifth-best opening, behind 2013’s “Gangster Squad,” which opened to $17.1 million.

Sony’s “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” debuted at No. 4 with $16.2 million, above analyst predictions of $15.7 million.

Based on stories from R.L. Stine’s horror anthology series, the kid-friendly sequel earned so-so reviews, with a B rating on CinemaScore and a 43% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The original “Goosebumps” opened with $23 million in 2015 before going on to earn $150 million worldwide.

Rounding out the top five, Warner Bros.’ “Smallfoot,” now in its third weekend, added $9.3 million for a cumulative $57.6 million.

The final new wide release of the week, Fox’s “Bad Times at the El Royale,” opened at No. 7 with $7.2 million.

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The neo-noir thriller stars Chris Hemsworth, Jon Hamm, Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo and Dakota Johnson as mysterious strangers who meet at the titular hotel at Lake Tahoe which boasts a dark past of its own. It earned a B- rating on CinemaScore and a 70% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Fox’s “The Hate U Give” expanded into 212 additional theaters for a total of 248 and earned $1.8 million in its second weekend, a 245% increase, for a cumulative $2.5 million.

Fox Searchlight’s “The Old Man & the Gun” also expanded into an additional 179 locations in its third weekend for a total of 228. The film grossed $912,000 (a per-screen average of $4,000) for a cumulative $1.7 million.

National Geographic Entertainment’s “Free Solo,” now in its third weekend, added 88 locations and $859,051 (a 53% increase) for a cumulative $2.1 million.

Amazon Studios opened the drama “Beautiful Boy” in four locations in limited release to a solid $221,437 (a per-screen average of $55,359). Another awards season contender, the film stars Steve Carrell and Timothee Chalamet as a father and son whose relationship is tested after the son becomes addicted to meth. It earned a 64% “fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Roadside Attractions and Topic Studios opened the dark comedy “The Oath” in 10 theaters to $29,237, a per-screen average of $2,937. The film, directed and starring Ike Barinholtz, explores the way the holiday table has changed in the wake of President Trump. It earned a 67% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Next week, Universal reveals the horror sequel “Halloween.” Fox expands the crime drama “The Hate U Give” and Fox Searchlight expands the drama “The Old Man & The Gun.”

sonaiya.kelley@latimes.com

follow me on twitter @sonaiyak

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