Renaissance defied the trend of slow post-Thanksgiving, early December box office. It’s the only film to open over $20 million on this weekend in 20 years (since “The Last Samurai”), not including inflation.

Beyoncé wrote, filmed, and produced “Renaissance,” about her Grammy-winning album tour. It launched in 2,539 U.S. and Canadian theaters and 94 overseas markets, earning $6.4 million from 2,621 venues.

“On behalf of AMC Theatres Distribution and the entire theatrical industry, we thank Beyoncé for bringing this incredible film directly to her fans,” said Elizabeth Frank, AMC Theatres senior vice president of worldwide programming. “To see it resonate with fans and film critics on a weekend that many in the industry ignore is a testament to her immense talent as a performer, producer, and director.”

Even though “Godzilla Minus One,” “Animal,” “The Shift,” and Lionsgate’s John Woo-directed revenge film “Silent Night” were released, the weekend was slow. Only $85 million is predicted from top-10 films.

AMC Theatres discovered a fantastic chance for “Renaissance” during this usual “lull”.

“They chose a great weekend,” said Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “There was competition, but from different movies.”

“Renaissance” started well for a concert film, but it didn’t approach “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”’s $92.8 million premiere in October. “Renaissance” was not expected to match “The Eras Tour,” which is closing its theatrical run with $250 million worldwide. Before Swift, Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber’s 2008 and 2011 concert film debuts had not topped $32 million.

Over 2.7 million concertgoers attended the 39-city, 56-show “Renaissance” tour, which began in Stockholm, Sweden in May and ended in Kansas City, Missouri in the fall. It grossed over $500 million. Swift’s 151-date “Eras Tour” is estimated to earn $1.4 billion.

Instead of a studio, Beyoncé and Swift distributed their films through AMC Theatres. Both celebs have attended each other’s premieres in support. Both had Netflix films (“Miss Americana” and “Homecoming”). At least 50% of ticket sales go to both.

EntTelligence found that show movie tickets cost $23.32, compared to Swift’s $20.78

“Renaissance” has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and an A+ CinemaScore from opening weekend viewers. EntTelligence says the 900,000 audience was older than Swift’s.

Dergarabedian said it’s rare to have two concert films top the charts in a year

But comparing them too closely is wrong

“Taylor Swift was a total outlier and the result of very specific circumstances,” he said. “These two films share genre only.”

Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” earned $14.5 million in its third weekend, placing second. Domestic sales of the prequel exceed $121 million.

Godzilla Minus One opened third in North America with $11 million from 2,308 sites, the greatest opening for a foreign film this year. Toho International’s well-received Japanese movie cost $15 million to make and has grossed $23 million in Japan. The Takashi Yamazaki-directed 33rd Godzilla film stars Ryunosuke Kamiki and is set after World War II.

“This year, we made a concentrated effort to answer the marketplace demand and make Godzilla globally accessible across many different platforms,” stated Toho Global President Koji Ueda.

“Trolls Band Together” finished fourth in its third weekend with $7.6 million, totaling $74.8 million domestically.

Fifth place belongs to Disney’s “Wish,” which dropped 62% from its disappointing debut weekend with $7.4 million from 3,900 locations. It earned $81.6 million globally. “The Marvels” is also closing in its fourth weekend with a disappointing global total of $197 million compared to the $300 million it took to develop and market the superhero feature.

Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” made $7.1 million from 3,500 theaters in its second weekend. The $200 million picture starring Joaquin Phoenix, produced by Apple Original Films and released by Sony Pictures, has grossed $45.7 million domestically.

In the closing weeks of 2023, “Wonka” and “The Color Purple” should boost things. The industry is expecting a $9 billion year, down from $11 billion pre-pandemic but up from recent years. As awards season begins, moviegoers have several good alternatives.

“We had a slow Thanksgiving and we’re having a slow weekend this weekend, but it’s a great weekend to be a moviegoer because of the breadth and depth of the movies,” Dergarabedian said.

Comscore estimates Friday-Sunday theater ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada. Final domestic figures are due Monday.

1. Beyoncé’s Renaissance, $21M.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes $14.5m.

3. $11 million “Godzilla Minus One.”

4. In “Trolls Band Together,” $7.6m.

5. $7.4 million “Wish.

6. “Napoleon,” $7.1m.

7. “Animal,” $6.1M.

8. $4.4 million, “The Shift.”

9. $3 million “Silent Night.”

10. “Thanksgiving,” $2.6m.