OPENINGS: Note that the entire market in the US will be hit by Super Bowl Sunday, which will be down from Saturday by roughly double the percentage of the usual Saturday-Sunday drop. (However, Hollywood will hope for a Valentine’s Day bump the following day.) Even with that included in the calculations, though, the weekend’s arrivals were sluggish at best. The long-postponed DEATH ON THE NILE (20th/Disney) opened at $12.8M, down 55% from the $28.7M start for 2017’s Murder On the Orient Express. Unfortunately for the financiers, it also reportedly cost $35M more to produce than the first film. That’s not a recipe for success, although Nile might still climb to a House of Gucci-level $50M+ in the US. Orient Express was stronger overseas than domestically, and that’s the case here too, as Nile launched with $20.7M in 47 territories.
MARRY ME (Universal, also on Peacock) was shaky with $8M, and it’s the film most pinning its hopes on a big Valentine’s Day. It also earned $8.5M overseas, and with a relatively low production cost (and much of the marketing on Comcast/NBCU-owned platforms), it will hope to find a path to breakeven.
One actor who hasn’t been slowed at all by the Covid era is Liam Neeson. BLACKLIGHT (Open Road) is his 4th action movie to open in 16 months (and that’s not counting his more indie-oriented Made In Italy) This one’s $3.6M start is roughly similar to the $3.1M opening for last January’s The Marksman, and it might reach $20M in the US. It hasn’t yet opened overseas.
UNCHARTED (Columbia/Sony), the first 2022 all-quadrant action movie, doesn’t reach the US until next week, but it opened at $21.5M in 15 international markets, a solid start.
HOLDOVERS: JACKASS FOREVER (MTV/Paramount) took a 65% hit to $8.1M, not unusual for movies centered on the 18-34 demo, especially with the Super Bowl Sunday effect included. It should still be quite profitable at $60M+ in the US, and it has $10M overseas.
SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (Marvel/Columbia/Sony) chugged toward the #3 slot at the all-time US box office, due to pass Avatar‘s $760.5M sometime next week after a 25% drop to $7.2M in its 9th weekend. It also has $1.05B overseas following an $11M weekend in 63 territories.
SING 2 (Illumination/Universal) lost 30% to $3M in its 8th weekend, and is likely to pass $150M in the US (still far from the first Sing‘s $270.4M). Overseas, it has $167M (compared to the first Sing‘s $363.8M) after an $11M weekend in 65 markets.
MOONFALL (Lionsgate) plunged 71% from last week’s opening to $2.9M, and may not reach $25M in the US. It only has $4.8M in overseas release thus far.
SCREAM (Spyglass/Paramount) dropped 40% to $2.8M in its 5th weekend, on its way to a robust $85M in the US. It also has $55M overseas.
A number of Best Picture Oscar nominees widened to take advantage of the announcements, but none managed even $1M for the weekend. The highest-grossing was LICORICE PIZZA (UA/MGM), which increased its theater count by 150% and had a $900K weekend, giving it a per-theater average under $500. It would probably need a big win to reach $20M in the US. (It also has $9.7M overseas.)
LIMITED RELEASE: THE BEATLES: GET BACK – THE ROOFTOP CONCERT (Disney), which is basically the final hour of the Disney+ Get Back documentary series, opened theatrically at 181 IMAX-only theaters with a $2300 per-theater weekend average. THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (Neon) expanded well to 49 with a $5200 average. COMPARTMENT NO. 6 (Sony Classics) added 2 theaters for a total of 8 with a $1300 average.
NEXT WEEKEND: As noted, Uncharted will hope to own the 2 weekends that remain before the arrival of The Batman.
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