Articles

February 27, 2022
 

Behind the US/Worldwide Weekend Box Office – 2.27.2022

 

OPENINGS:  The major studios took the weekend off in anticipation of next week’s The Batman overwhelming the market.  STUDIO 666 (Open Road) didn’t find much of a crowd for its Foo Fighters horror with a $1.6M weekend, and it probably won’t reach $10M in the US.

CYRANO (UA/MGM) may have outsmarted itself, scheduled for late February in anticipation of big-ticket Oscar nominations that it didn’t receive.  The result was a $1.4M weekend, with uncertain prospects going forward and a not-so-small $30M production budget to recoup.  The film also opened in 9 international markets with $1M.

THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (Neon) expanded to the low end of wide release, more than doubling its theater count to 554, with a quiet $400K result that translated into a weekend per-theater average under $800, less than half the average for Cyrano.

HOLDOVERS:  As always, the lack of meaningful newcomers was good news for the films already in theaters.  That gave UNCHARTED (Columbia/Sony) a solid hold, down 47% to $23.3M from last week’s premiere.  It could hit $150M in the US, although that will depend on how much of a dent The Batman puts into its audience.  Uncharted is also strong overseas, with $143M after a $35M weekend in 64 markets, and China still to come.

DOG (UA/MGM) held even better, down just 32% to $10.1M from last week’s opening, and on track for $60M in the US.  Dog also has $1.5M overseas.

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (Marvel/Columbia/Sony) slipped only 23% to $5.8M in its 11th weekend, and the last bit of suspense remaining is whether it can make its way to $800M in the US.  Overseas, it has $1.07B after a $7M weekend, still with no scheduled release in China.

DEATH ON THE NILE (20th/Disney) dropped 31% to $4.5M in its 3rd weekend, and may not get to $50M in the US.  Things are brighter overseas, where it has $68.5M after a $10.6M weekend in 47 markets.  However, Death won’t come close to the domestic/international $102.8M/$250M of Murder On the Orient Express.

JACKASS FOREVER (MTV/Paramount) fell 39% to $3.2M in its 4th weekend, likely to pass $60M in the US on low costs.  It has $16M overseas.

SING 2 (Illumination/Universal) dipped 26% to $2.1M in its 10th weekend, still on its way to $155M in the US.  It’s reached $200.3M overseas after an $8.4M weekend in 66 markets.

MARRY ME (Universal, also on Peacock) fell 50% to $1.9M in its 3rd weekend, and even with moderate production costs, at $25M in the US it isn’t likely to get much past breakeven once marketing and other costs are figured in.  It’s earned $23.7M overseas.

SCREAM (Spyglass/Paramount) lost 31% to $1.3M in its 7th weekend, and may stretch to $85M in the US.  It also has $58.4M internationally.

LIMITED RELEASE:  A 50th anniversary re-release of THE GODFATHER (Paramount) brought in $900K from 156 theaters.  The yearly 3-program release of OSCAR NOMINATED SHORT FILMS (ShortsTV/Magnolia), none of which awards will be presented live on the Oscar telecast, averaged $1100 at 355.  BUTTER (Blue Fox) averaged $250 at 308.  THE AUTOMAT (Slice of Pie) averaged $4600 at 3.

NEXT WEEKEND:  All expectations are that THE BATMAN (DC/Warners) will be the first true blockbuster of 2022, and no one has any interest in competing with it.



About the Author

Mitch Salem
MITCH SALEM has worked on the business side of the entertainment industry for 20 years, as a senior business affairs executive and attorney for such companies as NBC, ABC, USA, Syfy, Bravo, and BermanBraun Productions, and before that, at the NY law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. During all that, he has more or less constantly been going to the movies and watching TV, and writing about both since the 1980s. His film reviews also currently appear on screened.com and the-burg.com. In addition, he is co-writer of an episode of the television series "Felicity."