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.
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