THR is reporting that “Gravity” sets October Record With $55.8 Million Debut.

Once again proving the power of older moviegoers, Alfonso Cuaron’s 3D space epic Gravity debuted to a record-breaking $55.8 million in North America, the top October opening of all-time and the best three-day showing for stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.

Overseas, Gravity also won the weekend with a solid $28.4 million from 27 markets for a worldwide total of $84.2 million.

Gravity’s launch caps a substantial production and marketing effort by Warner Bros. and years of work on Cuaron’s part. The $100 million movie — doing huge business in 3D cinemas ($44 million) — appears destined to be a player in this year’s awards race, based on critical reaction and box-office returns.

Running only 90 minutes, Gravity received an A- CinemaScore and skewed male (54 percent). Adults over the age of 25 made up more than 82 percent of the audience, while nearly 60 percent was over the age of 35. This was evidenced by a sizeable 31 percent jump Saturday, when more adults become available.
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The Toronto International Film Festival released their long list of films for its 2013 edition, and Gravity is one of the movies to be presented this year.

Gravity Alfonso Cuarón, USA/United Kingdom North American Premiere
Gravity is a heart-pounding thriller that pulls its audience into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. Sandra Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer accompanied on her first shuttle mission by veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney). On a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone — tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth… and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But their only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

The festival runs September 5-15, 2013.

It was announced today that “Gravity” will open the acclaimed Venice Film Festival in August (out of competition). Let’s hope Sandra will attend the opening ceremony!

Gravity, the new, much-awaited film directed by Alfonso Cuarón (Y tu mamá también, Children of Men), starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, is the opening film (Out of Competition) of the 70th Venice International Film Festival (August 28 – September 7, 2013). The Festival is directed by Alberto Barbera and organized by the Biennale di Venezia, chaired by Paolo Baratta.

The world premiere of Gravity will be screened in 3D on August 28th in the Sala Grande of the Palazzo del Cinema at the Lido, following the opening ceremony.

Gravity, from Warner Bros. Pictures, is a heart-pounding thriller that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. In the film, Sandra Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney). But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone – tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth… and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space. The last time Venice opened with a science fiction movie was in 2000 with Space Cowboys by Clint Eastwood, at the 57th Film Festival, directed by Alberto Barbera.
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