Level 1 - Absolute Beginner
A new movie called Verity came out last weekend. It is a thriller. A thriller is a scary and exciting story.
The movie stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett. It is based on a book by Colleen Hoover.
Verity made about 32 million dollars in its first weekend. It was number one at the movies.
The movie cost about 40 million dollars to make. Many people went to see it.
- thriller
- A story that is exciting and a little scary.
- movie
- A story shown on a big screen.
- star
- To have the main part in a film.
- book
- Pages with a story or facts, bound together.
- weekend
- Saturday and Sunday.
- number one
- The best or first place.
- million
- A very big number: 1,000,000.
- cost
- The money needed to make or buy something.
Level 2 - Elementary
The film Verity opened at number one at the North American box office last weekend. It earned about 32 million dollars. Some reports gave a figure of 32.6 million.
It is a psychological thriller. The movie stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett. Michael Showalter directed it. The story comes from a best-selling book by Colleen Hoover.
Amazon MGM Studios made the film for about 40 million dollars. Before the weekend, experts guessed a lower number. Strong ticket sales on Friday and many last-minute buyers helped it do better.
The movie opened in more than 3,500 theaters. It is a big success for a film of this size. Many people did not expect a book movie to do so well.
- box office
- The total money a film earns from ticket sales.
- psychological
- Related to the mind and feelings.
- director
- The person who guides how a film is made.
- best-selling
- Sold in very large numbers.
- studio
- A company that makes films.
- theater
- A place where people watch films.
- success
- When something goes well or reaches a goal.
- last-minute
- Done just before the deadline.
Level 3 - Intermediate
Verity, a psychological thriller adapted from Colleen Hoover's best-selling novel, opened at number one at the North American box office with about 32 million dollars, according to reports of the weekend's results. Some tallies put the debut at 32.6 million.
The film, directed by Michael Showalter, stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett. Produced by Amazon MGM Studios for roughly 40 million dollars, it opened in about 3,510 theaters.
Tracking had suggested a more modest start. Early forecasts pointed to 19 to 25 million dollars, but robust Friday ticket sales and a surge of walk-up buyers pushed projections toward the top of a 25 to 32 million range, and then past it.
The result matters beyond one weekend. Adaptations of Hoover's novels have a devoted readership, and this opening suggests that the audience will show up for a darker, more adult entry. For Ms. Hathaway, it is another strong opening in a busy year.
- adapted
- Changed to suit a new form, such as a book turned into a film.
- tallies
- Counts or totals.
- debut
- A first public appearance or release.
- tracking
- Surveys that predict how a film will perform.
- forecast
- A prediction about the future.
- robust
- Strong and healthy.
- walk-up
- Describing buyers who purchase tickets on the day.
- readership
- The group of people who read a certain author or title.
Level 4 - Advanced
Verity, the psychological thriller adapted from Colleen Hoover's best-selling novel, has seized the top spot at the North American box office with a debut of about 32 million dollars, with some tallies putting it at 32.6 million. It is a notable result for a film that Amazon MGM Studios made for roughly 40 million.
Directed by Michael Showalter and starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, the film opened in about 3,510 theaters. Pre-release tracking had been cautious, with early estimates in the 19 to 25 million dollar range, but exceptional Friday business and a wave of walk-up customers lifted the weekend beyond even the revised ceiling of 32 million.
The performance carries strategic weight. Hoover's novels command a fiercely loyal readership, and earlier adaptations have been uneven. A strong opening for a darker, more adult thriller suggests the brand can travel beyond romance, and it positions the film as a sleeper hit of the fall season, since word of mouth often decides how far such titles run.
For Ms. Hathaway, whose 2026 has already included another high-profile number one opening, the result adds momentum. For the studio, an opening that nearly matches the production budget in one weekend materially reduces the financial risk of the release.
- seized
- Took firmly and quickly.
- notable
- Worthy of attention.
- exceptional
- Much better than usual.
- ceiling
- An upper limit.
- strategic
- Relating to long-term planning.
- fiercely
- In a very intense way.
- sleeper hit
- A film that becomes a big success unexpectedly.
- materially
- To a significant degree.
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