'Clayface' opens at No. 1 with $24M as Elizabeth Holmes documentary adds $19.5M in wide release
Photo: Washington TimesDC Studios' "Clayface" opened at No. 1 at the North American box office with $24 million, according to studio estimates released Sunday, narrowly ahead of A24's Elizabeth Holmes documentary "You Can See Everything," which took in $19.5 million in its first weekend of wide release. Warner Bros.' "Clayface" played in 3,458 theaters and added $19 million internationally. It is the third theatrical release for DC under James Gunn and Peter Safran. The R-rated film stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, a rising movie star who undergoes an experimental facial surgery after a mob boss disfigures him. Its budget was $44 million, a fraction of the cost of most comic book films, so an opening that would have been a flop for many superhero movies counts as a solid start.
"You Can See Everything," directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, expanded from 855 locations to 2,655 and has earned $45.1 million in two weeks, placing it among the highest-grossing documentaries ever. It has drawn many Gen Z moviegoers, and its awards prospects are growing. A best picture nomination would make it the first documentary nominated for the Oscars' top prize.
The right-leaning Washington Times, the left-leaning NBC News and the independent AP all carry the same wire report under the same headline, so there is no real disagreement over facts, tone or sources. The Washington Times excerpt gives only the opening two sentences: the "modest, R-rated win" for "Clayface," the $24 million figure, and the documentary as the biggest success story. NBC News' version continues with the theater counts, the two-week total, Gen Z audiences, Oscar prospects, the plot, the $44 million budget and the international haul. Any difference comes from how much text each presents, not from framing, because neither side adds its own sources or quotes. AP's excerpt matches the Washington Times and needs no separate treatment.
How the sides differ Coverage is essentially identical: all sources run the same wire text, though only the left-leaning outlet's fuller version adds details on budget, audience and Oscar prospects.
Headline, comparison and summary written by AI from the articles below. AI can make mistakes, so check the original articles before relying on a detail.
NBC News runs the full wire story, covering box-office figures, theater counts, the documentary's Gen Z appeal and Oscar chances, and "Clayface's" plot and $44 million budget. It quotes no outside voices.
AP's excerpt carries the same opening as the other outlets: "Clayface" winning at $24 million and the Holmes documentary as the bigger success story at $19.5 million.
The Washington Times shows only the wire lede, leading with "Clayface's" $24 million opening and the Holmes documentary's $19.5 million wide-release weekend, with no further context in the excerpt.