OPENINGS: The calendar did Hollywood a favor by placing Valentine’s Day on Wednesday, affording films a 6-day window with Presidents Day on Monday. The chief beneficiary was BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE (Paramount), which surpassed expectations with $51.1M through Monday ($27.7M over the traditional 3-day weekend). With little new competition in the wings next week, One Love should hold well and eventually pass $100M in the US. (By comparison, Rocketman, which earned $34.3M in its first (non-holiday) 6 days, earned $96.4M in the US.) The overseas launch added $29M in 47 territories.
The extended holiday weekend didn’t help MADAME WEB (Columbia/Marvel/Sony), which did nothing to upset the narrative of the declining superhero genre with $25.8M over 6 days ($15.1M for the 3-day weekend). That was notably lower than the $39M opening for the studio’s flop Morbius. Madame Web may not reach $75M in the US, and looked DOA overseas as well, with $25.7M in 61 markets. Madame Web was reportedly a relative bargain for its ilk at around $150M in production and global marketing costs, but even so it’s likely to struggle to reach breakeven.
THE CHOSEN (Fathom) continued its theatrical rollout of TV episodes. It opened on Thursday, giving it $3.4M for the 3-day weekend (considerably below the $5.9M for the previous batch of episodes), $4.1M with Monday, and $4.8M for the full 5 days.
The action title LAND OF BAD (Avenue) snuck into 1120 theaters with $2.1M.
THE TASTE OF THINGS (IFC), which won’t have the chance for an Oscar boost, expanded to the bare minimum of wide release at 505 theaters and brought in $600K for the 3-day weekend, an OK $1200 per-theater average.
HOLDOVERS: The holiday generally provided a cushion for the older titles in the market. ARGYLLE (Apple/Universal) declined just 25% to $4.7M for the 3-day weekend ($5.6M with Monday), although it will still require a stretch to hit $50M in the US. Things aren’t much better overseas, with $40M to date.
Remarkably, in its 9th weekend of release, MIGRATION (Illumination/Universal, also on VOD) rose 28% to $3.8M for the 3-day weekend ($5M with Monday), and could pass $125M in the US. The overseas total is $140M.
The family audience also showed up for WONKA (Warners, also on VOD), which was up 11% to $3.4M in its 10th traditional weekend ($4.4M including Monday), with a chance of reaching $225M in the US before it’s done. It’s even more impressive overseas with $395.1M.
THE BEEKEEPER (MGM/Amazon, also on VOD) has become a phenom of 2024, down 4% to $3.3M in its 6th weekend ($3.9M with Monday) and headed toward $75M in the US, with an additional $83.3M overseas.
ANYONE BUT YOU (Columbia/Sony) continued to thrive, down 9% to $2.4M in its 9th weekend ($2.8M with Monday) and likely to get beyond $90M in the US. Overseas has delivered $104M thus far.
LISA FRANKENSTEIN (Focus/Universal) fell 45% to $2M ($2.4M with Monday), and probably won’t see $15M in the US, with a negligible international release at this point.
MEAN GIRLS (Paramount) dropped 43% to $1.1M in its 6th weekend ($1.3M with Monday), on its way to $75M in the US. Its Achilles heel is overseas, where it has only $30.5M.
LIMITED RELEASE: PERFECT DAYS (MUBI) expanded to 34 theaters with a $6900 per-theater average over the 3-day weekend. GOD & COUNTRY (Oscilloscope) averaged $500 at 85.
NEXT WEEKEND: One more slow turn before Dune Part Two is expected to ignite the box office. with the arrivals of DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS (Focus/Universal), ORDINARY ANGELS (Lionsgate) and the latest DEMON SLAYER (Crunchyroll/Sony). Limited releases include ABOUT DRY GRASSES (Janus) and IO CAPITANO (Cohen Media).
About the Author
