Whalefall opens to $17M worldwide against a reported $60M budget

Whalefall is off to a sluggish start. The 20th Century Studios survival thriller is estimated to have grossed $17 million worldwide over its opening weekend, per TheWrap's Sunday (Oct. 18) report, as relayed by Just Jared.

That figure includes an estimated $7.3 million domestic debut after the film hit U.S. theaters on Friday (Oct. 16). By Just Jared's math, that leaves about $9.7 million from international markets.

The cost side is the problem. TheWrap reports Whalefall carries a net production budget of $60 million, which Just Jared calls a "challenging start" for the film's opening.

These are Sunday estimates, so final weekend numbers could shift.

Reviews are decent

The film isn't getting a critical beating. It sits at 71% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 81% audience score, per Just Jared. Whether good word of mouth can turn into a longer run at the box office is the open question.

What it's about

Austin Abrams plays Jay Gardiner, a young diver searching for his late father's remains off California's central coast. A sperm whale swallows him, and he has to survive on a limited oxygen supply, leaning on lessons from his dad. Josh Brolin plays the father, Mitt.

Brian Duffield directs the adaptation of Daniel Kraus' novel and shares screenplay credit with the author.