Few modern filmmakers have developed a reputation for quality and weirdness quite like Tim Burton. The man behind Batman, Edward Scissorhands, and Ed Wood has always resonated with audiences for his somewhat off kilter brand of filmmaking. It's been several years since he last got behind the camera for a major studio film, but it looks like he hasn't lost a step. His latest film, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, opens today, and it's already making waves at the box office.
Based upon a brand new report from THR, it appears that Tim Burton's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is off to a very strong start this weekend. The film opened to a commendable $1.2 million at Thursday night screenings, and it's currently expected to rake in a minimum of $25 million during its opening weekend. It's a classic Burton story -- following the tale of a young boy who stumbles upon a mysterious and magical home for children with mystical abilities -- and it very clearly plays to the strengths of Burton's own visual style.
It seems increasingly likely that the financial performance of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will be bolstered even further by its relatively strong critical performance. As Tim Burton's first major studio film in several years, expectations have generally been high for Miss Peregrine, but it now seems that the film has more or less lived up to its hype. CinemaBlend's own Sean O'Connell gave the film a respectable 3/5 star review, and we've also heaped ample praised upon the movie's expert use of its 3D format.
This is made all the more impressive when we consider Tim Burton's last studio film: Dark Shadows. Although the 2012 vampire comedy is generally considered one of his worst films to date, Miss Peregrine shows a notable return to form for the legendary filmmaker.
However, it's worth noting that Tim Burton has experienced a bit of negative publicity during the promotional campaign for Miss Peregrine. When asked about consistently casting predominately white actors in his films, the director's response was somewhat less than diplomatic. You can check out his specific comments below:
There's been a fairly strong backlash against Tim Burton for his comments regarding whitewashing in film, and it's unclear whether or not this will actually affect the release of Miss Peregrine. The film is obviously off to a good start, but no filmmaker wants to receive that sort of bad publicity going into an opening weekend. We will just have to wait and see how this whole situation pans out.
CinemaBlend will bring you all of the latest and greatest news pertaining to the release of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children as more information becomes available to us. The film is currently in theaters, so make sure to check it out!
