New ‘Saw’ film to top box office as moviegoing picks up

 A new film in the "Saw” horror franchise is expected to top the weekend box office, likely bringing in twice as much money as the top movie last weekend amid a broader rise in moviegoing.

"Spiral: From the Book of Saw,” a film from Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. and Twisted Pictures, is estimated to generate $14.8 million in domestic ticket sales this weekend. That’s expected to lift the overall box office, pushing it to one of its strongest weekends in 2021, according to research from Boxoffice Pro. Movie studios have seen progress as slow but encouraging, and are again scheduling premieres for their biggest films. Thursday, Walt Disney Co.’s chief executive officer said the company will debut two films solely in cinemas later this year, after premiering practically all of its new movies simultaneously on streaming services since 2020. That may further revive visits to the theater, which are still about 85% below where they were before the pandemic.