Top 5 Breakdown
- Logan -£9,443,363 – NE
After receiving widespread critical acclaim described by many as the best comic-book movie had the second biggest X-Men film opening in the UK behind last year’s Deadpool which opened with £13.73m including £3.76m from two days of previews in comparison Logan took £2.5m its previews started at 22.23 on Wednesday night compared to all day Wednesday screenings for Deadpool.
Logan opened ahead of 2009’s X-Men: Origins Wolverine £6.66m including £1.87m from previews and 2013’s The Wolverine £4.69m including £939,000 from previews.
Showing how previews have artificially inflated films opening weekend Logan had the second biggest opening of 2017 behind Sing £10.49m but Sing took £4.2m from weekend previews while Logan took £2.5m from 1.5 days; Comparing Fri-Sun Logan took £6.95m compared to £6.29m for Sing.
Removing previews 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past (£1.59m) had a bigger Fri-Sun opening than Logan 37.55m Vs £6.95m but can’t be compared as was a 12 compared to Logan’s 15.
But admissions tell a different story with Logan the fifth biggest X-Men film behind Deadpool, X2, X-Men Last Stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past and only 15,000 admissions ahead of X-Men: Origins Wolverine despite Logan taking £2.77m more showing the impact ticket prices have had on films released only 8 years ago, with ticket prices up over 40% in those years.
Logan should become the third biggest X-Men film in the UK behind Deadpool £37.9m and X-Men: Days of Future Past £27.01m taking about £26m depending on how it holds against Kong: Skull Island and Beauty and the Beast over the next couple of weeks.
To date the 10 20th Century Fox X-Men films have taken £191.54m at the UK box office Logan will cross the £200m total.
With comic-book movies often having extended weekends makes it hard to compare their box office Logan took £6.9m Fri-Sun while Deadpool took £9.9m last year while both films were 15’s the comedy of Deadpool made it far more accessible than Logan.
| OWE | 2nd w/e | Total | |||||
| X-Men | 18 Aug 2000 | £4.74m | 3.14x | 31.85% | £2.02m | -57% | £14.89m |
| X2 | 1 May 2003 | £7.03m | 2.91x | 34.29% | £3.07m | -56% | £20.50m |
| X- Men Last Stand | 25 May 2006 | £7.09m | 2.68x | 37.19% | £2.31m | -67% | £19.06m |
| X-Men: Origins Wolverine | 29 Apr 2009 | £6.66m | 2.43x | 41.15% | £2.22m | -66% | £16.16m |
| X-Men First Class | 1 June 2011 | £4.75m | 3.13x | 31.94% | £2.40m | -49% | £14.87m |
| The Wolverine | 25 July 2013 | £4.69m | 2.86x | 34.86% | £1.80m | -61% | £13.45m |
| X-Men: Days of Future Past | 22 May 2014 | £9.14m | 2.95x | 33.89% | £3.51m | -62% | £27.01m |
| Deadpool | 10 Feb 2016 | £13.73m | 2.76x | 36.22% | £5.69m | -59% | £37.9m |
| X-Men: Apocalypse | 18 May 2016 | £7.33m | 2.49x | 40.12% | £2.54m | -65% | £18.27m |
| Logan | 1 Mar 2017 | £9.43m | 2.76* | 38%* | £3.8m* | -60%* | £26.1m* |
X-Men films apart from X-Men First Class all suffered big second weekend drops while Logan has received far more positive reviews and stronger word of mouth than many of the films in Kong: Skull Island Logan faces very tough competition which has also received very positive reviews.
Last year Deadpool dropped 59% in its second weekend (43% not including previews) without any major competition opening against it. But Logan is in a similar position in its second weekend as X-Men: Days of Future Past was in May 2014 with Maleficent, Edge of Tomorrow and A Million Ways to Die in the West opening with Kong: Skull Island.
Comic-book movies have used their end credits to set up future films but when critics saw Logan at Berlin wasn’t any end scenes credits. Shortly after the running time grew by 3 minutes with rumours of an end credit scene which director James Mangold denied saying was no reason to do one as the film ends perfectly and anything after would have spoiled its ending.
Rumours of a scene before the film started appeared on screenings of Logan on Friday and came online on Saturday.
A video of the evolution of Wolverine through the last 35 years on screen since making his first appearance on Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends in 1982. Hugh Jackman has said it will be his final film as Wolverine during the promotional campaign Patrick Stewart said Logan could also be his final film but as the X-Men movies the next film to be set in 90’s there could still be a cameo to come?
Despite the success of Deadpool and Logan and a survey by Fandango said 71% want more R-rated comic book movies and 86% wanted to see Logan in cinemas the remaining comic-book movies this year will be the regular PG-13 with the next R-rated expected to be Deadpool 2 due for release March 2nd 2018. The problem is all these other comic-book movies feel so similar last year’s Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Captain America: Civil War and X-Men: Apocalypse were just exhausting to watch as it felt like Groundhog Day.
Logan might be the end of the Hugh Jackman Wolverine story but despite disappointing X-Men: Apocalypse last year the films and TV series (Legion) keep coming with the next X-Men movie which was codenamed Supernova set in the 90s due to start shooting later this year along with rumoured X-Men: New Mutants and long in development Gambit starring Channing Tatum as well as another X-Men TV series and of course Deadpool 2.
- The Lego Batman Movie – £1,526,823 – £24,954,821
Down 47.4% in its fourth weekend holding close to The Lego Movie in its fourth weekend which dropped 50% taking £1.63m 6.9% down and 13.7% down from its total £28.8m.
If The Lego Batman Movie holds similar to The Lego Movie over the next few weeks it could add up to £5m while not overtaking The Lego Movie box office many expected still performed strongly against Sing being the second family film released.
- Viceroy’s House – £921,309 – NE
After receiving mixed reviews, the trailer has been playing with the Oscar nominees which could help it attract the older audience who prefer to go mid-week to the cinema.
It’s opening was ahead of last year’s Amma Asante’s A United Kingdom which had a disappointing opening of £609,293 last November after generating huge media coverage opening the London Film Festival.
It is unlikely to last long in cinemas with its low screen average of £2,013 as with so many films these days they open on far too many screens Viceroy’s House should be playing on half its current number of screens.
Gurinder Chadha best known for her 2002 comedy Bend It Like Beckman which is still here biggest film in the UK opened with £2m taking £11.4m in April 2002 and 2004’s Bride & Prejudice opened with £1.66m taking £4.99m.
- Sing – £797,947 – £27,486,464
Down 45.9% in its sixth weekend will be the lowest grossing Illumination Animation film since the first Despicable Me film released in 2010.
By their sixth weekends The Secret Life of Pets, Minions and Despicable Me 2 benefited from summer holidays with the box office split over the week in comparison Sing last week took 86% of its box office over the weekend taking only £172k Mon-Thurs.
Depending on how it holds over the coming weekends and against Beauty and the Beast in two weeks’ time it could just squeeze past £30m barrier.
- Moonlight – £731,380 – £2,487,119
After winning Best Film at the Oscars last week added 168 screens now on 343 screens (still more than a hundred less screens than Viceroy’s House) increasing its box office from last weekend by 86% in its third weekend.
Moonlight had additional screenings last Monday which saw its box office increase by 121% from previous Monday and took £493,000 Mon-Thurs
Last year’s Best Film Oscar winner Spotlight increased its box office by 70% £232,306 Vs £332,556 after adding 118 screens but was in its sixth-weekend Moonlight is in a far stronger position in its third week and expansion but has a much more crowded marketplace.
Now Oscar season is over for another year many have looked to what could be potential award contenders next year but few would have predicted either Moonlight or La La Land a year ago. Some films are being mentioned now are Christopher Nolan’s World War II epic Dunkirk, Alexander Payne’s Downsizing, Hugh Jackman’s The Greatest Showman (featuring songs written by La La Land songwriters).
Kathryn Bigelow’s latest untitled drama about 1967’s Detroit riots, Paul Thomas Anderson untitled film starring Daniel Day Lewis. Aaron Sorkin directorial debut Molly’s Game starring Jessica Chastain and Kevin Costner (after Hidden Figures becoming his third biggest film in the US will his comeback continue?); Darkest Hour directed by Jow Wright is John Hurts final film. Darren Aronofsky’s mother starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem and a Julia Robert film Wonder recently been moved from spring to November.
But favourites probably for 2018 and 2019 will be two directed by Steven Spielberg The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara starring Mark Rylance and Oscar Issac and in 2019 the recently announced The Pentagon Papers starring and Tom Hanks (their fifth film together) and Meryl Streep. Tom Hanks starred in Bridge of Spies in 2015 and Sully in 2016 two understated real ‘heroes’. Tom Hanks was only the second actor to win consecutive Best Actor Oscar for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump.
Tom Hanks was only the second actor to win consecutive Best Actor Oscar for in 19 Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. In the years after starred in many classic roles from Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, Castaway, Road to Perdition, Captain Phillips and Saving Mr Banks many of which also deserved Oscars.
But of course are some films that he and many others would want to forget including
While Steven Spielberg was nominated many times before finally winning for Schlinder’s List in 1993 and Saving Private Ryan in 1999.
But being 11 months away it could be none of these while many currently say Logan should be nominated now the problem is academy members have very short memories why studios pack their award hopefuls in the final weeks of the year.
Also, released
La La Land – Lionsgate – £290,000 from its eighth weekend taking £29.81m will cross £30m barrier by next weekend; dropped out of the top 10 after seven weeks.
After taking almost $400m worldwide and winning six Oscars Lionsgate have plans to adapt the film for the theatre but before that happens La La Land In Concert: A Live-to-Film Celebration starts global tour in May; show will include 100-piece symphony orchestra, choir and jazz ensemble, along with original vocal recordings from Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and John Legend coming to the UK in September with tickets on sale Friday.
Lion – Entertainment – £527,572 in its seventh weekend taking £10.22m has been the surprise sleeper success of award season while La La Land received the hype Lion has held strongly over the seven weeks on release.
Also, opened
Trespass Against Us – Lionsgate – £32,569 from 67 screens
15 films opened at the weekend taking £10,887,997 Logan took 87% (£9,443,363) Viceroy’s House taking 8.5% (£921,309) Fist Fight 3.7% (£400,112) leaving the other 12 films sharing 1% of the box office £123,213
Other box office news
This weekend’s top 10 box office took £16,157,614 up 42.8% from last weekend £11,310,197;
Logan took 58.4% of the top 10 weekend box office
Weekend admissions 2,180,515 up 42.8% from last week 1,526,342
Weekend was up 77.7% from last year (£9,088,613) London Has Fallen £3,197,88, Hail Caesar! £1,504,629, The Other Side of the Door £250,345, Truth £26,000 opened
2015: Home £6,017,210. Divergent: Insurgent £2,931,204, The Gunman £405,432, Wild Card £152,034 and The Voices £118,170 opened
Next weekend in 2016: (£11,981,704) Kung Fu Panda 3 £4.76m, Divergent: Allegiant £1.83m, The Witch £446,151, Anomalisa £222,282, 50 Shades of Black £82,614 opened
Cinema Exhibitors Association average ticket price of £7.41 for 2016 up only 2.77% from 2015 despite a 7.3% increase from 2014. If same % was used 2016 average ticket price would be £7.74.
Adding a couple of extra columns for the chart using screens a film is playing on have screen average in pounds and people if that figure is then divided between performances would mean there were on average 66 people per showing if the screens were 200 seaters would mean only a 33% capacity.
UK Box Office Top 10
US Box office
Hugh Jackman’s last film as Wolverine opening far bigger than many expected; going into the weekend Logan was looking at a $65m+ opening but after taking $9.5m from Thursday midnights and $33m on Friday only $1.3m less than 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine was looking at an opening of $85m+.
Logan took on Saturday $31.3m 6.8% more than X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Fox were estimating Logan add $21.3m on Sunday close to X-Men Origins: Wolverine took but had mixed reviews and word of mouth. Sunday estimates came in with $85.3m but actual box office was $88.4m the fourth biggest R-rated opening ever in the US behind Deadpool, The Matrix Reloaded and American Sniper.
Reviews were very positive being described as the best X-Men and one of the best comic-book films ever and being much more like a western than a comic-book movie; received A- CinemaScore. Last year 20th Century Fox had mixed success with their X-Men movies the R-rated Deadpool was a massive hit but then X-Men: Apocalypse disappointed likely hurt being the third comic-book movie with a similar plot released in less than 100 days.
Logan was 20th Century Fox’s third biggest international opening of all time taking $159m from 81 countries ($247.3m worldwide) behind X-Men: Days of Future Past $172 million and Avatar $164 million.
In China Logan was the first film was affected by a new law; article 20 says for films that “might attract minors or other audiences that are physically or psychologically inappropriate, a warning should be given.” Chinese censors cut 14 minutes from its running time but this didn’t stop the film opening with $48m.
Big question for Logan is how will he hold in its second weekend against Kong: Skull Island has also received very positive reviews. Will the positive reviews and strong buzz stop Logan having similar drop to previous X-Men films of 53-65% would see Logan have a second weekend of $31-40m?
Holding strongly in second down only 21.8% Get Out took $26.1m and total of $75.9m; after receiving positive reviews being labeled as the horror film we need now also received very positive word of mouth.
Get Out is the second low budget horror success for Universal this year Split has taken $134.1m from a $9m budget while Get Out was only $4.5m both tiny fractions of the budgets of Fifty Shades Darker and The Great Wall.
Next up for Universal are their big budget sequels and reboots The Fate of the Furious, The Mummy and Despicable Me 3 along with their low budget comedy Girls Trip.
Faith based drama The Shack opened with $16.1m ahead of last year’s Risen $11.8m and Miracles from Heaven $14.8m but less than 2014’s Heaven is for Real $22.5m; starred Octavia Spencer who hosted Saturday Night Live over the weekend; received A CinemaScore.
Open Road Before I Fall had an unexpected disappointing opening with $4.9m close to last years The Edge of Seventeen $4.7m; teen dramas in recent years have disappointed at the box office despite the social media coverage they generate. Before I Fall was based on a bestselling young adult novel and screenplay was on 2011 Black List; received B CinemaScore.
After winning Best Film Oscar last weekend Moonlight added 979 screens increasing its box office by 227.2% taking $3.3m and $25.15m total.
Fox Searchlight’s Table 19 opened on limited wide 868 screen release taking $1.58m; the Anna Kendrick wedding comedy received mixed reviews
US Box Office Top 10
Opened March 10th
Opening UK
- Kong: Skull Island – Warner Bros
Reboot of King Kong and the second film in Legendary’s MonsterVerse prequel to 2014’s Godzilla and set up for Godzilla 2 set for release 22nd March 2019 and Godzilla Vs Kong 29th May 2020. Featuring strong ensemble cast of Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Brie Larson, Jing Tian, Toby Kebbell, John Ortiz, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Shea Whigham, Thomas Mann, Terry Notary and John C. Reilly and directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts.
Legendary Pictures first announced at Comic Con in July 2014 plans for an original King Kong film titled Skull Island set for November 4th 2016 with Universal Pictures (part their 5-year distribution deal started in 2014). In December 2014. Legendary Pictures announced it was retitled as Kong: Skull Island and a year later was announced Warner Bros would distribute so they could make King Kong and Godzilla crossover films.
Brie Larson was on the One Show on Wednesday with Samuel L Jackson and Tom Hiddleston and social media lost the plot with the shocking news a female actress Brie Larson has boobs.
Reviews have been very positive with many comparing it to 2015 Jurassic World but its marketing has been muted in comparison to Logan and Beauty and the Beast which its sandwiched between;
Godzilla had a disappointing opening in May 2014 with £6,374,339 suffering from the hottest temperatures of the year Sat/Sun lower than expected after taking a strong £1.2m on Thursday and £1.6m on Friday going on to take a similar total box office of Roland Emmerich’s 1998 Godzilla taking £16m after opening with £4.2m.
In 2014 the positions were reversed with Godzilla opening the weekend before X-Men: Days of Future Past which saw Godzilla dropping 57% In its second weekend taking £2.73m against £9.14m opening.
Peter Jackson’s King Kong opened December 2005 with £6.94m (included £947,957 from previews) would be £10.92m today. (dropped 72% in its second weekend but was only a 1.5-day weekend December 23rd-25th) taking £29.66m (£46.6m in 2017).
Opening in US
- Kong: Skull Island – Warner Bros
Marvel actors Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston and soon to be Captain Marvel Brie Larson headline ensemble cast in an original King Kong story set in the same universe of 2014’s Godzilla which opened with $93.18m taking $200.67m.
Peter Jackson’s 2005 King Kong opened with $50.1m in December 2005 taking $218.1m and Roland Emmerich’s 1998 Godzilla opened with $44.1m taking $136.3m.
Kong: Skull Island has received very positive reviews with many comparing it to Jurassic World but a far better and more enjoyable action-filled adventure but of course opens a week after Logan which has also received very positive reviews the big question is will Logan affect Kong: Skull Island’s box office potential.
2017 sees a repeat of May 2014 with similar films opening over three weeks Godzilla with $93.18m, X-Men: Days of Future Past $90.82m and Maleficent had the lowest opening $69.43m but took the most of the three films taking $241.4m Vs $233.92m and $200.67m; but this year Beauty and the Beast will have the biggest opener and be also highest grossing of the three films.
- The Sense of Ending – CBS Films
Drama starring Jim Broadbent, Charlotte Rampling, Harriet Walter, Emily Mortimer and Michelle Dockery and directed by Ritesh Batra; received its world premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January.
- Personal Shopper -IFC
Psychological thriller starring Kristen Stewart and directed by Olivier Assayas; received its world premiere at last year’s Cannes Film Festival receiving a 4.5-minute standing ovation and director Olivier Assayas shared the Best Director Award.
