Behind the US/Worldwide Weekend Box Office – 2.23.2020

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OPENINGS:  THE CALL OF THE WILD (20th/Disney) did a bit better than expected at $24.8M, but in the long run that’s not likely to make much difference.  Similarly to Dolittle (although much more quietly), Call of the Wild was extremely expensive, with $200M+ in production/marketing costs, so a $75M US total won’t get it very far.  Even worse, its international launch has been miserable, with $15.4M in 40 markets.  There are still some significant territories to come including Japan (and perhaps China in the future), but it’s hard to see how this ends with anything other than a loss.

BRAHMS: THE BOY 2 (STX) only scared its investors with a $5.9M opening, down 45% from the $10.8M start for 2016’s The Boy.  It probably won’t even reach $20M in the US, and although costs were low, there won’t be any profit here.  It also has $2.2M in overseas release.

HOLDOVERS:  SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (Paramount) fell 55% to $26.3M in its 2nd weekend, and while its likely $160M US total will certainly be strong enough to justify a sequel, it’s not the stuff of franchise dreams.  Overseas, it’s at $96.5M after a $38.3M weekend in 56 markets, with Japan (and eventually China) to come.

BIRDS OF PREY (DC/Warners) dropped a heavy 59% to $7M in its 3rd weekend, on its way to a dim $85M in the US.  Overseas, it’s at $101.2M after a $10M weekend in 78 territories.

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (Columbia/Sony) shed 49% to $5.9M in its 6th weekend, on target to pass $200M in the US.  Overseas, it’s at $200M.

1917 (DreamWorks/Reliance/Universal) was down 46% to $4.4M (aided by a 23% increase in theatres) as it heads past $160M in the US.  It also has $195.3M overseas.

FANTASY ISLAND (Blumhouse/Columbia/Sony) dropped 66% to $4.2M from last week’s opening, with a likely $30M US total that won’t satisfy anyone’s fantasy.  It isn’t making a splash overseas, either, with $13.6M to date.

PARASITE (Neon) had the best hold in the Top 10, down 45% to $3.1M, and should pass $50M in the US next week.  That’s a big number, but still far below its $155.6M international total.

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (Columbia/Sony) isn’t ready to head into the shed just yet, down 46% to $3M in its 11th weekend, and possibly reaching $320M in the US.  It has $477M overseas.

THE PHOTOGRAPH (Universal) took the hit from its big Valentines Day debut last week, down a sharp 77% to $2.8M, and unlikely to get past $25M in the US.  It’s barely opened overseas.

DOWNHILL (Searchlight/Disney) lived down to its title, plunging 69% to $1.4M, and heading towards a US total that won’t be much above $10M.  It has no overseas presence to speak of at this point.

LIMITED RELEASE:  EMMA (Focus/Universal) started well with a $46K weekend per-theatre average at 5 NY/LA arthouses (supported by in-theatre Q&As all weekend).  SEBERG (Amazon) averaged $20K at 3.  The documentary ONCE WERE BROTHERS (Magnolia) averaged $10.4K at 4.  On the wider end of “limited,” the TV spin-off IMPRACTICAL JOKERS: THE MOVIE (Tru) had a moderately surprising $7300 average at 357 theatres.  The Spanish-language LA PILDORAS DE ME NOVIO (Pantelion/Lionsgate) averaged a less impressive $4100 at 350.  PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (Neon) expanded to 130 with a $5500 average.  THE LODGE (Neon) widened to 322 and averaged $1900.  THE ASSISTANT (Bleecker Street) had a $1300 average at 167.  THE TRAITOR (Sony Classics), now at 45, averaged $1200.  ORDINARY LOVE (Bleecker Street) expanded to 21 and averaged $2100.  THE TIMES OF BILL CUNNINGHAM (Greenwich) had a $3600 average at 8.  AND THEN WE DANCED (Music Box) expanded to 18 with a $1500 average.

NEXT WEEKEND:  THE INVISIBLE MAN (Blumhouse/Universal) is the wide arrival.  Limited releases include GREED (Sony Classics), BURDEN (101) and WENDY (Searchlight/Disney).