Box Office: ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Starts Strong With $44 Million, ‘King Richard’ Whiffs

The box office ain’t afraid of no ghosts.“Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” a sequel to the 1980s sci-fi comedy classic, opened at No. 1 in North America, collecting a solid $44 million from 4,315 venues. The better-than-expected result is an encouraging sign that family audiences are willing to visit their local multiplex, provided there’s something broadly entertaining to be found there. During the pandemic, parents with young kids haven’t been the most active ticket buyers, but that could change now that Covid-19 vaccines have been deemed safe for children. However, adult-skewing dramas like “King Richard,” which fizzled in its box office debut, continue to struggle.Internationally, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” earned $16 million from 31 overseas markets, pushing its worldwide total to $60 million. Directed by Jason Reitman, the latest installment in the supernatural series is shaping up to be a win for the studio after it failed to revive the franchise years earlier. It should be...