'Clayface' Counting $3.5M+ In U.S. Thursday Previews

Key Points:

• Peter Safran and James Gunn's DC film Clayface earned an estimated $3.5 million in previews, with weekend domestic forecasts between $20 million and $25 million, potentially marking the second consecutive No. 1 box office opener for the new Paramount-Warner Bros partnership.
• Directed by James Watkins and scripted by Mike Flanagan, Clayface is a standalone story about Matt Hagen, a baby-faced actor who loses his face, produced on a $44 million budget before marketing, and filmed in the UK.
• Clayface's preview earnings surpass those of Sony/Marvel's Kraven the Hunter ($2M) and are close to Birds of Prey ($4M), while also comparing favorably to recent horror films like Other Mommy and Smile.
• The film holds a 76% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, outperforming several recent DC movies including The Flash, Joker Folie a Deux, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and nearing the score of Birds of Prey.
• Additionally, Laika’s stop-motion animated film Wildwood previewed at around $1 million, with hopes to reach double-digit millions in its opening weekend, supported by a 100% certified fresh critical score and 98% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.