New Horror Film Leads British and Irish Cinemas
Ghosts: The Possession of Button House has debuted at the top of the box office in the United Kingdom and Ireland, earning over two million pounds. It outperformed several other new releases, including Clayface and Ali G: Who Iz I?. While established films like Street Fighter and Verity continue to draw audiences, new arrivals such as Fatherland have also shown strong initial results. The industry is now preparing for a busy week ahead, with multiple new documentaries and comedies scheduled to launch across hundreds of locations nationwide.
The latest horror-comedy production, titled Ghosts: The Possession of Button House, has successfully claimed the top position at the box office across the United Kingdom and Ireland. During its debut weekend, the movie attracted significant audiences, earning a total of £2.4 million. This strong performance allowed it to surpass other major releases currently showing in theaters.
Following closely behind in second place was the DC thriller Clayface, which brought in $2.6 million. Meanwhile, the comedy Ali G: Who Iz I? secured the third spot, generating $1.7 million during its first few days of release. The fourth position was taken by the animated fantasy project Wildwood, which earned $1.36 million. Additionally, the film Street Fighter dropped to fifth place, adding $1.35 million to its total earnings after two weeks of screening.
Several other films continued to perform steadily in the rankings. The animated feature Forgotten Island remained in the top ten, while the psychological thriller Verity maintained its presence in the charts during its fourth week. Furthermore, the supernatural horror movie Other Mommy held its ground in eighth place. A notable new entry was the drama Fatherland, which debuted at ninth position. Despite being shown in only 86 locations, it achieved a high average revenue per screen, marking a significant milestone for director Paweł Pawlikowski.
Looking forward, the industry expects a busy period with various new arrivals. Upcoming releases include several documentaries and comedies that will expand across many locations. These include the mountain survival documentary Everest: The Other Side and the dark comedy Primetime, which features well-known actors. As cinemas prepare for these diverse offerings, the market remains highly competitive, with studios hoping to maintain audience interest through a variety of genres and specialized screenings.
Take a position. Out loud, if you can.
Four ways to start. Pick one and try saying it before you scroll on.
Tip · Record yourself, use in a notebook, or practice with a language partner.
Which film earned the most money during its opening weekend?
Passive Voice
The passive voice is used when the focus is on the action or the receiver of the action rather than the performer.
“The fourth position was taken by the animated fantasy project Wildwood, which earned $1.36 million.”
What to know · B2
Try saying this aloud
Scenario: Discussing a new movie with friends
- 01“It just debuted in cinemas.”
- 02“It claimed the top spot.”
- 03“I expect it to perform well.”
Register tip · informal
🔑Key Phrases
Used to describe someone or something that has achieved first place.
The athlete claimed the top position after a very difficult race.
Describes exceeding the performance of competitors.
We hope our sales will surpass other major releases this quarter.
An idiomatic way to say something maintained its position despite pressure.
The small company held its ground against the much larger corporation.
Specific phrasing for when a product first enters a ranking.
The new song debuted at ninth position on the national charts.
Describes something that is still among the ten best performers.
Her book has remained in the top ten for three months.
💬Discussion Questions
Open-ended questions to talk or write about — alone, with a partner, or in class.
- 1
Do you prefer watching horror-comedies or serious dramas in the cinema? Why?
Personal
News sourced from: Variety →. LectoPress rewrites the facts as original graded-reader text for language learners.
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