OPENINGS: The male 18-34 demo was again at the center of the box office, largely fueling the $23.5M start for JACKASS FOREVER (Paramount), not quite at the level of the last product of the franchise, 2013’s Bad Grandpa, and its $32.1M start, but more than enough to ensure profitability at its low cost point. International is thus far at $5.2M from 9 territories, more than half of that from the UK.
With its awful reviews and a cast that wasn’t stacked with all-stars, MOONFALL (Huayi/Lionsgate) was probably doomed whether there was a pandemic or not. It’s currently claiming a weekend at almost exactly $10M, and we’ll see if that number holds up in finals. Moonfall is mostly aimed at the international market (it’s presumably assured of a China opening, since a local company put up a chunk of the financing), and has $9.4M overseas thus far. Total production/marketing costs will top $200M, and Lionsgate is reportedly on the hook for $40-50M of that to cover its share of the budget and US distribution costs.
The family movie THE WOLF AND THE LION (Blue Fox) launched at 800 theaters at a low $675K, and it has $13.2M from prior international release.
HOLDOVERS: SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (Marvel/Columbia/Sony) inched closer to Avatar‘s $760.5M US total and the #3 all-time domestic box office slot. The Weekend 8 drop was just 13% to $9.6M, putting it at $749M. In addition, international (without China) is at $1.02B after a $15.6M weekend in 63 markets.
SCREAM (Spyglass/Paramount) lost 35% to $4.7M in its 4th weekend, on its way past $80M in the US. The overseas total is $51.4M. To no one’s surprise, a sequel has been greenlit.
SING 2 (Illumination/Universal) slipped 11% to $4.2M in its 7th weekend, and it should reach $150M in the US, a big number these days, although still far below the first Sing‘s $270.4M. Sing 2 has $152M overseas after a $14M weekend in 63 territories, similarly below its predecessor’s $363.8M.
THE KING’S MAN (20th/Disney) dropped 29% to $1.2M in its 7th weekend, and will hope to stretch to $40M in the US. Overseas, it’s at a stronger $84.9M.
REDEEMING LOVE (Universal) fell 43% to $1M in its 3rd weekend, and won’t get much higher than $10M in the US. It hasn’t had a significant international release to date.
LIMITED RELEASE; THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (Neon) gave the indie box office the best news it’s had in a while, launching at 4 theaters with an impressive $34K weekend per-theater average, with the hope that this week’s Oscar nominations will propel its expansion to wider release. The documentary WHO WE ARE (SPE/Sony) widened from 4 theaters to 357 but averaged under $150. COMPARTMENT NUMBER 6 (Sony Classics) doubled its theater count to 6 and averaged $1900.
NEXT WEEKEND: A relatively robust calendar for Super Bowl weekend, with the long-postponed DEATH ON THE NILE (20th/Disney), rom-com MARRY ME (Universal, also on Peacock), and the latest Liam Neeson entry BLACKLIGHT (Open Road).
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