OPENINGS: The Gerard Butler vehicle PLANE (Lionsgate) launched with $10M over the 3-day weekend ($11.6M with the Monday holiday), a sturdy number although not up to the $21.4M for Butler’s pre-pandemic Angel Has Fallen. It hasn’t yet opened overseas.
HOUSE PARTY (Warners), originally set for HBO Max, had a mild start with $3.8M ($4.5M with Monday), and is expected to have an accelerated streaming window.
The avant-garde horror film SKINAMARINK (IFC) received some rapturous reviews, but started with a quiet $750K ($800K with Monday) at 692 theaters.
The more conventional genre item THE DEVIL CONSPIRACY (Goldwyn) was barely noticed with $400K ($500K with Monday) at 925 theaters.
HOLDOVERS: AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (20th/Disney) has yet to face serious competition, and continued its reign with a Weekend 5 dip of 32% to $31.1M ($38.5M with Monday). It still has two more essentially unopposed weekends ahead, and could climb to $650M in the US before it’s done, putting it in the all-time Top 10. It continued to be even more of a monster overseas, with $1.3B after an $88.6M weekend. It should top $2B worldwide in the next 2 weeks, the 6th film to ever accomplish that achievement.
M3GAN (Blumhouse/Universal) held very well for its genre, down 41% to $17.9M ($21.2M with the holiday), which was a better Weekend 2 hold than last summer’s The Black Phone, and suggests that M3GAN should easily pass $100M in the US. It’s also solid overseas with $34.2M after a $15.4M weekend in 64 markets.
Despite its availability on VOD, PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH (DreamWorks Animation/Universal) inched down just 1% to $13.4M in its 4th weekend ($17.3M with Monday), and should get past $150M in the US. It also has $141M overseas after a $19.8M weekend in 77 territories.
A MAN CALLED OTTO (Columbia/Sony) expanded very well to 3802 theaters with a $12.6M weekend ($15M with Monday) sparked by older female audiences in middle America, a demo that’s been hard to attract over the last few years. Overseas, it has $14,5M after a $4.4M weekend in 30 markets.
BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (Marvel/Disney) continued tapering off, down 38% to $2.2M in its 10th weekend ($2.6M with Monday), and poised to pass $450M in the US. Its overseas total is $385.7M.
THE WHALE (A24) widened its run by about 80% to 1500 theaters but dropped 4% to $1.5M ($1.8M with Monday), and will hope for the best from the upcoming Oscar nominations. It has yet to open overseas.
WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (Black Label/TriStar/Sony) fell 55% to $1.1M in its 4th weekend ($1.4M with Monday), on its way to $25M in the US. Things are better overseas, where it has $27.1M after a $3.4M weekend in 46 territories.
LIMITED RELEASE: The Indian-language WALTAIR VEERAYYA (indie) brought in $1.1M at 350 theaters. The critically acclaimed SAINT OMER (Neon) had a slow start with a $250 3-day weekend per-theater average at 245. BROKER (Neon) expanded to 271 with an $1100 average. WOMEN TALKING (UA/MGM/Amazon) widened to 61 and averaged $3100. LIVING (Sony Classics) averaged $2800 at 32.
NEXT WEEKEND: The wide opening is the thriller MISSING (Screen Gems/Sony). After a brief Oscar-qualifying run late last year, THE SON (Sony Classics) begins its regular release.
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