OPENINGS: A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL (Lionsgate) launched at $27.1M, and with the exception of the outliers Madea Goes To Jail ($41M) and A Madea Christmas ($16M), that puts it in the standard $21-30M range of the franchise. It should be headed for $65M in the US, and that’s the only number that counts, since none of the Madea movies has earned more than $1.6M overseas.
GRETA (Focus/Universal) tried to find a spot between Blumhouse horror and arthouse thriller, but it wasn’t grabby enough for the former or praised enough for the latter, so it expired with a quiet $4.6M weekend, unlikely to reach $15M in the US. Although Focus didn’t pay much for the US rights, the large-scale marketing campaign probably rules out any profit.
HOLDOVERS: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD (DreamWorks Animation/Universal) dropped 45% in its 2nd weekend to $30M, a better hold than the 50% drop for Dragon 2, although the first Dragon slipped just 33%. However, Dragon 2 had the advantage of a summer run with strong midweek box office, so Hidden World may end up with a US total similar to its $177M. Overseas, Hidden World is at $277.7M after a $52M weekend in 58 territories that was sparked by a $33.4M opening in China. With all major markets now in play except Japan, Hidden World may not be able to match Dragon 2‘s $444.5M international total.
ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL (20th) continued its fizzle in the US, down 43% in its 3rd weekend to $7M and on its way to a $85M US total. Overseas, it’s at $278.2M after a $40.4M weekend in all major territories, with $112.1M of that total from China. $450M worldwide might bring Alita to breakeven, but likely not to profit.
THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (Warners Animation) slid 32% in its 4th weekend to $6.6M, on track for $105M in the US (down about 60% from the first Lego Movie). It’s even dimmer overseas, where the total is $61.1M after a $6.1M weekend in 74 territories, and even though China and Japan are still ahead, they’re not likely to save it.
GREEN BOOK (DreamWorks/Reliance/Participant/Universal) naturally led the parade of post-Oscar expansions, more than doubling both its theatre count and weekend box office to $4.7M. Depending on how much longer it stays in theatres, it may reach $85M in the US, and it’s at $112.1M overseas after a $31.9M weekend in 63 territories, spearheaded by a $17.1M China opening. (Other post-Oscar spurts: SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (Sony Animation/Columbia/Sony) up 138% for a $2.1M weekend, A STAR IS BORN (MGM/Warners) riding extra footage for a 209% rise to $1.9M, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (Regency/20th) up 56% to $980K, and THE FAVOURITE (Fox Searchlight) up 48% to $830K.)
FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY (Annapurna/MGM) had an OK hold, down 40% in its 2nd weekend to $4.7M, on track for $25M in the US. It also opened in the UK with $2.6M.
ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (BRON/New Line/Warners) lost 35% in its 3rd weekend to $4.7M, still on its way to $50M in the US and awaiting international release.
WHAT MEN WANT (Paramount) fell 49% in its 4th weekend to $2.7M, on its way to $55M in the US, and at $6.3M overseas after a $1.1M weekend in 11 territories.
HAPPY DEATH DAY 2 U (Blumhouse/Universal) dropped 49% in its 3rd weekend to $2.5M, due for a $30M total that will be down about 45% from the first Death Day. Overseas, it’s at $29.2M after a $6.2M weekend in 56 markets, with Japan still to come, and won’t come close to the first film’s $69.8M international total.
LIMITED RELEASE: A pair of debuts opened solidly (although their numbers may come down in finals since they assume unusually strong Sundays). APOLLO 11 (Neon) kept IMAX screens warm for the week before Captain Marvel‘s arrival, and averaged $14K at 120. CLIMAX (A24) reported a $24K average at 5. Oscar-loser NEVER LOOK BACK (Sony Classics) expanded to 122 and averaged $1100. THE IRON ORCHARD (Santa Rita) widened to 42 with a $1600 average. BIRDS OF PASSAGE (Orchard) averaged $2100 at 31. THE WEDDING GUEST (IFC) opened at 4 with a slow $5K average.
NEXT WEEKEND: Hollywood is rooting for CAPTAIN MARVEL (Marvel/Disney) to bust open the 2019 box office as the year’s first blockbuster. Tinges of counterprogramming will come from the western THE KID (Lionsgate) and GLORIA BELL (A24).
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