Verity Opens to $32.6 Million: How the Colleen Hoover Thriller Won the Weekend Despite a C+ CinemaScore
Verity, the adaptation of Colleen Hoover's thriller starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, led the US box office with $32.6 million from 3,510 cinemas and $62.5 million worldwide. Why it did well with critics against it, what the book's fans were searching for and when it reaches India.
Colleen Hoover's readers turned out. Verity, the film of her 2018 psychological thriller, opened at number one in the United States with $32.6 million, and the search interest in India has been driven by two questions: when does it release here, and does the ending match the book.
The numbers
- Domestic opening: $32.6 million from 3,510 cinemas, an average of about $9,300 per screen.
- International: about $30 million.
- Worldwide: $62.5 million.
That is the biggest opening for any Hoover adaptation, ahead of It Ends With Us in 2024, and a win for Amazon MGM Studios in a weekend that otherwise disappointed.
Who is in it
Anne Hathaway plays Verity Crawford, the bestselling author incapacitated after an accident. Dakota Johnson is Lowen Ashleigh, the struggling writer hired to finish Verity's series who finds a manuscript that reads like a confession. Josh Hartnett plays Jeremy, Verity's husband.
The reviews versus the audience
Critics were cool: 34 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Opening-night audiences gave it a C+ CinemaScore, which usually predicts a steep second-weekend drop. Yet the opening was strong, because the book's fan base decided to see it regardless, and because the film's twist is the kind people want to discuss immediately. "Verity ending explained" was one of the top related searches within hours of the first shows.
The weekend around it
Tom Cruise's Digger, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, opened to $8 million, Cruise's lowest start since Lions for Lambs in 2007. Our separate report covers that. Resident Evil, Heart of the Beast, Primetime and Forgotten Island filled out the top five.
India release
Amazon MGM has not announced an Indian cinema date. Hoover's books sell well in India, so a limited release or a direct Prime Video premiere are both possible. We will update this page when a date appears.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Verity make on opening weekend?
$32.6 million in the US and $62.5 million worldwide.
Who plays Verity?
Anne Hathaway. Dakota Johnson plays Lowen and Josh Hartnett plays Jeremy.
Is Verity faithful to the book?
The film keeps the novel's central twist. Whether it follows the book's ending is the question fans are debating; we are keeping spoilers out of this page.
What rating did Verity get?
34% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a C+ CinemaScore from audiences.
When does Verity release in India?
Not announced yet.
