OPENINGS: The 18-34 audience that now defines theatrical distribution in the US showed up for SCREAM (Skyglass/Paramount), propelling the reboot to $30.6M for the 3-day weekend and $35M for the 4-day holiday. Reportedly, that demo was responsible for 2/3 of all tickets sold for Scream, a fact that won’t be ignored as studios plan their development and production slates going forward. Horror movies tend to burn out quickly, but Scream has the advantage of no new real competition until Jackass Forever and Moonfall on February 4, which could help get it past $75M in the US. Overseas, Scream launched with $18M in 50 territories.
BELLE (GKids), which is splitting its screenings between subtitled and dubbed versions in some engagements, opened with $1.6M ($2M including Monday), although that number assumes a strong Sunday despite a heavy Saturday drop, so it may not hold up in finals. Belle comes to the US after a lengthy run in Japan, where it earned almost all of its $58.3M international total.
HOLDOVERS: Despite losing its first-place crown, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (Marvel/Columbia/Sony) remained robust, down 36% to $20.8M in its 5th weekend ($26M with Monday). Tomorrow it will pass $700M and take over the #4 slot at the all-time US box office, supplanting Black Panther (also making it the MCU’s #2 title), and the only remaining question is whether it has the stamina to pass Avatar‘s $760.5M. Overseas, it has $926.3M after a $33.4M weekend in 63 territories. It’s now opened in all but a few small markets, unless China changes its mind about allowing a release.
SING 2 (Illumination/Universal, also on PVOD) is giving the lie to the notion that early home availability is severely damaging to theatrical box office, down just 29% to $8.3M in its 4th weekend ($11M with Monday). It continues to push toward 50% of the original Sing‘s $270.4M US total. Internationally, it has $96.3M after an $8.4M weekend in 54 territories, with several large markets still to open.
THE 355 (Universal) fell 49% to $2.5M ($2.8M with Monday) from last week’s premiere, and won’t get much past $15M in the US. It has $2.6M in early overseas release.
THE KING’S MAN (20th/Disney) dropped 28% to $2.3M ($2.9M with Monday) in its 4th weekend, on its way to $35M in the US. Things are a bit brighter overseas, where it has $63.8M after a $10.2M weekend in 44 markets.
AMERICAN UNDERDOG (Lionsgate) dropped 31% to $1.6M ($1.9M with Monday) in its 4th weekend, heading toward $25M in the US, and with no international release to date.
LICORICE PIZZA (UA/MGM), still at just 772 theaters, had the best hold on the board, down just 10% to $900K ($1.1M with Monday) in its 4th weekend of wide release. The studio currently plans an expansion keyed to the Oscar nominations in early February. The film also has $4.3M overseas.
The much-anticipated China opening for THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS (Warners) fizzled at $7.5M, the lion’s share of its $11.1M international weekend in 78 markets. It currently has $104.2M overseas, dwarfing the US theatrical run, where the film fell 56% to $800K ($1M with Monday), unlikely to see $40M.
LIMITED RELEASE: WHO WE ARE (Sony) opened at 4 theaters with a light $6100 weekend per-theater average. PARALLEL MOTHERS (Sony Classics) almost tripled its theater count to 50 and gained 76%, with a $2600 average. DRIVE MY CAR (Janus) almost doubled its count to 65 theaters and rose 85% with a $1200 average.
NEXT WEEKEND: The only major studio offering is the low-profile REDEEMING LOVE (Universal).
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