The Universal and Working Title romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise, set in Bali, ranked second at the weekend’s conclusion and is expected to earn over $80.26 million overseas, bringing its worldwide total to $96.6 million. Following its $16.3 million domestic opening weekend, the picture is shaping up to be a major success for adult-skewing feature films and romantic comedies in general. It’s George Clooney’s best opening weekend at the American box office since 2015’s Tomorrowland, and Julia Roberts’ best since 2017’s Wonder.
The picture has an A- CinemaScore and an 87% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Universal is hoping that its positive reception will help it do well at the box office in the weeks to come. With its initial release on September 15 in Australia and a September 20 debut in the United Kingdom, it appears that Universal’s decision to pit the film against the superhero mega-hit Black Adam, which dominated the weekend box office, was a shrewd bit of counter-programming. Opened in 3,543 North American theatres, the film earned an average of $4,612. With a $60 million budget, the picture promises to be another hit for filmmaker Ol Parker, whose last film, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, likewise catered to an older audience (those over the age of 35), and grossed over $400 million worldwide.
Parker, who previously created the sleeper success The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and its sequel, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, seems to have vindicated his choice to direct the A-list-powered comedy. The film follows an estranged father and mother (Clooney and Roberts) who are compelled to work together over twenty years after their own tumultuous divorce in order to prevent their newly single daughter from making the same mistakes they made. Co-starring with Billie Lourd, Maxime Bouttier, and Lucas Bravo is Kaitlyn Dever, who plays their daughter.
After acting opposite each other in the Ocean’s Eleven films, Clooney and Roberts are reunited here. When asked about their performances, Emma Kiely commented, “Julia Roberts and George Clooney are enjoying the time of their life and there has to be something said about that.” The film is currently in cinemas and will be available to watch on Peacock 45 days following its U.S. theatrical release.