Despite a projected 78% drop in its second weekend, "Five Nights at Freddy's" remains at the top of the domestic box office. Other films entering semi-wide release include "Priscilla," which draws strong reviews and hopes to stay in the awards conversation, "What Happens Later," which has received a lukewarm response, and "The Marsh King's Daughter," which has faced negative reviews and low anticipation. "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" is expected to take second place, while "Killers of the Flower Moon" and "The Exorcist: Believer" round out the top five.
In "The Marsh King's Daughter," Daisy Ridley plays Helena, a woman whose peaceful life is disrupted when her violent criminal father, Jacob (played by Ben Mendelsohn), escapes from prison and comes after her. Raised in the wilderness by her father, Helena's loyalty is torn between her mother and the man she idolized. The film, based on Karen Dionne's novel, is marketed as a psychological thriller but lacks depth in its exploration of the characters. While Ridley delivers a solid performance, the movie fails to capture the inner animal spirit and falls short in its climactic action sequence.
Lionsgate and STX have closed a deal in which Lionsgate will handle marketing and distribution for future STX theatrical releases in North America, as well as distribute STX's library of 75 titles across all platforms. The first film to be released under this partnership will be Neil Burger's thriller, The Marsh King's Daughter, on October 6. The two studios are also planning co-productions for 2024 and developing scripted television series based on popular STX titles like Bad Moms and Hustlers. The STX library includes films such as Hustlers, The Gentlemen, Greenland, Molly's Game, and I Feel Pretty.
