OPENINGS: UNCHARTED (Columbia/Sony) had a strong start with $44.2M ($51M with the holiday Monday), once again largely due to the M18-34 demo, but also suggesting that Tom Holland may be emerging as an action star even without webs to spin. (Of course it didn’t hurt that Uncharted followed his mega-smash Spider-Man so closely that both are in theaters at the same time.) The movie, intended as the kick-off to a now inevitable franchise, has also reached $88M overseas after a $55.4M weekend in 62 markets, with China still to come. Uncharted has no significant competition next weekend, after which it will bow to The Batman.
On a smaller scale, DOG (UA/MGM) was also sturdy with a $15.1M launch ($18.1M with Monday), proving to be smart counterprogramming for Uncharted with an older and more female audience. As with Scream and Jackass Forever, Dog has a low budget that should ensure profitability. It hasn’t yet opened overseas.
THE CURSED (LD) was unable to attract the horror audience, and opened with $1.7M ($1.9M with the holiday), with little chance of reaching even $10M in the US.
HOLDOVERS: Sunday-to-Sunday comparisons are particularly strong this week because of last week’s Super Bowl, although that didn’t seem to help the films in their 2nd weekend. No such problem for SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (Marvel/Columbia/Sony), which actually gained 2% to $7.7M ($8.8M with Monday) in its 10th weekend, setting its aim for an $800M US total before it ends its run. No Way Home has reached $1.06B overseas after an $8.1M weekend in 63 territories.
Despite this week’s more favorable Sunday, DEATH ON THE NILE (20th/Disney) fell 52% to $6.3M ($7.2M with Monday), and may not hit $50M in the US. That would be less than 50% of the domestic result for Murder On the Orient Express. Death has $50M overseas after a $19.8M weekend in 50 markets that included $5.9M from China, and is also on course for an international decline of 50% or more from Murder.
JACKASS FOREVER (MTV/Paramount) dropped 35% to $5.2M ($6.2M with the holiday) in its 3rd weekend, and might get to $65M in the US. It also has $13.3M overseas.
MARRY ME (Universal) plunged 54% to $3.7M ($4.3M with Monday) compared to last week’s opening, and even though Monday is a holiday, it won’t come close to last week’s $3M Valentine’s Day bonanza for the rom-com, which is on its way to $30M in the US. The overseas total to date is $19.3M.
SING 2 (Illumination/Universal) dipped 8% to $2.8M ($3.8M with Monday) in its 9th weekend, on a path to $155M in the US. Overseas is at $184.7M after a $10.3M weekend.
SCREAM (Spyglass/Paramount) lost 34% to $2M ($2.2M with Monday) in its 6th weekend and might reach $85M in the US. To date, overseas is at $57.3M.
BLACKLIGHT (Open Road) fell 50% to $1.8M ($2.1M with the holiday) in its 2nd weekend, and may not see $15M in the US. So far it’s had a negligible international release.
LIMITED RELEASE: THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (Neon) expanded to 265 theaters with a $1900 per-theater average for the 3-day weekend. Best Picture nominee DRIVE MY CAR (Janus) widened to 213 and averaged $1000. COMPARTMENT NUMBER 6 (Sony Classics) averaged $1400 at 11. JOCKEY (Sony Classics) expanded to 64 theaters and averaged $150.
NEXT WEEKEND: The only wide opening is the horror comedy STUDIO 666 (Open Road). In addition, CYRANO (MGM), which had an Oscar-qualifying run in December, will begin its regular release.
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