David O. Russell's star-studded 1930s mystery “Amsterdam" flopped and the children's book adaptation “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” debuted softly, allowing the horror thriller “Smile” to repeat atop the box office in U.S. and Canada theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Neither new release caught fire with moviegoers but the disappointment was most acute for “Amsterdam,” a poorly reviewed $80 million screwball romp starring Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington. The 20th Century Studios production, co-funded by New Regency and released by the Walt Disney Co., opened with just $6.5 million — a stinging rebuke for the decorated filmmaker of “Silver Linings Playbook” whose splashy ensemble also includes Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy and Taylor Swift.
