‘Daddy’s Home 2’ and ‘Orient Express’ Turn Out Older Crowds<br />A pair of new wide-release movies, “Daddy’s Home 2”<br />and “Murder on the Orient Express,” both of which rely on starry ensembles, arrived to stronger-than-expected ticket sales in North American theaters over the weekend.<br />“Daddy’s Home 2,” starring Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson, Will Ferrell and John Lithgow, received poor reviews<br />but clicked with audiences, who gave it an A-minus grade in CinemaScore exit polls.<br />“Murder on the Orient Express,” starring and directed by Kenneth Branagh, who was joined on screen by Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Daisy Ridley<br />and others, received mixed reviews and a B grade in CinemaScore exit polls.<br />Second place went to “Daddy’s Home 2,” which took in about $30 million, or roughly 20 percent more than analysts had expected before release.
