Top 5 Breakdown
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 – £13,092,657 – NE
Had the second-biggest opening of the year behind Beauty and the Beast £19.7m;
Having the fifth biggest Marvel opening in the UK after Avengers Age of Ultron, Avengers Assemble, Captain America: Civil War and iron Man 3 but as all except Captain America: Civil War had previews Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 had Marvel’s second biggest 3 day opening after Captain America: Civil War.
Including Bank Holiday Monday Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 took £17.8m the same weekend last year Captain America: Civil War opened with £14.46m and £18.88m including the Bank Holiday but hard to compare the two as it was much more of an Avengers sequel than a straight sequel as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 had the biggest Fri-Sun opening for a straight Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel as Captain America: Civil War was more Avengers 2.1 than a straight sequel to previous Captain America films.
Iron Man 2 opened 40.6% more than Iron Man £7.68 Vs £5.48m and Iron Man 3 opened with 78.5% more £13.71m: Iron Man 3 opened 150% bigger than Iron Man 3 (taking £2.32m from previews)
Captain American: Winter Soldier opened 102% more than Captain America: The First Avenger £6.03m Vs £2.98m and Captain America: Civil War opened with 140% more £14.46m; Captain America: Civil War opened 385% bigger than Captain America: The First Avenger.
Thor: The Dark World opened with 59% more than Thor £5.44m Vs £8.65m (Thor: The Dark World took £3.09m from previews) Thor: Ragnarok opens in October.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 opened 108% bigger than Guardians of the Galaxy £13.2m Vs £6.35m (including £1.37m from previews)
The fifteen Marvel Cinematic Universe films have now taken over £360m at the UK box office over the last 9 years; with the last 10 of the films released by Disney taking 81% £293.97m. In the US MCU has taken $4.85bn and $11.02bn worldwide.
As average ticket prices have increased about 50% since the first Iron Man film was released in 2008 as the popularity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown as have the film’s opening weekends it’s hard to compare their openings.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 held its European premiere at the Hammersmith Apollo opening in several international countries on Wednesday but was surprising didn’t in the UK, could be possibly due to IMAX commitments for Fast & Furious 8.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 received good reviews but not as positive as the original with many saying it tries too hard to repeat what made the first fun so much fun but ends up feeling like a MacDonald’s enjoyable at the time but instantly forgettable.
While the original film opened with £6.35m it held strongly through the summer holidays the sequel will be much more front-loaded. Despite a lack of new films, this weekend will still likely drop 50%+ but not as heavily as many other comic-book movies due to it not having an extended opening weekend. Will, of course, face competition in two weeks’ time with Alien: Covenant which opens in the UK a week ahead of the US.
Will likely become the fifth biggest Marvel Cinematic Universe film in the UK behind Avengers Assemble, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War and iron Man 3 taking around £33m.
The Guardians of the Galaxy will next be seen in Avengers: Infinity War and then in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 expected to be released in 2020.
In the build, up to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 release were rumours of an LGBTQ characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after director James Gunn gave an interview to the Guardian saying, “there are gay characters in the Marvel Universe”.
But as like Beauty and the Beast and Power Rangers generated much media coverage after their filmmakers spoke of key gay scenes in both films were blink and you’ll miss them moments. James Gunn then said there could be gay characters but you wouldn’t know they were.
As China has become such a key market for these films studios risk the films not getting a Chinese release if they had a gay character. The bromance in Captain America: Civil War between Captain America and Bucky hinted of a possibly of more.
- Fast & Furious 8 – £1,743,216 – £26,195,070
Down 51.4% in its third weekend overtaking Fast & Furious 6 £24.3m to become the second biggest film of the franchise.
Fast & Furious 8 has overtaken Logan £23.8m top become the fourth biggest film in the UK and will shortly The Lego Batman Movie £27m Sing £28.4m and La La Land £30.4m to be the second biggest film of the year. Furious 8 will be #2 for a short time before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 replaces it.
Fast & Furious 8 is total is 18% down from Fast & Furious 7 with two extra days playing time. After 17 days, Fast & Furious 7 had taken £32.01m dropping 44% Vs 51% taking £3.03m Vs £1.75m (42% less).
- The Boss Baby – £1,293,372 – £23,930,280
Down 37.3% in its fourth weekend, The Boss Baby has overtaken last year Trolls and will shortly overtake both 2014’s How to Train Your Dragon 2 £24.25 and 2015’s Home £24.97m and could become 20th Century Fox’s biggest Dreamworks Animation film 2013’s The Croods £26.15m.
Hard to compare The Boss Baby box office with the other Dreamworks Animation releases given that some opened ahead of school holidays others before half terms and others over longer holidays.
But after 4 weeks The Boss Baby took 29% less than Trolls £1.29m Vs £1.82m which had taken 73% of its final box office while The Croods took £1.99m in its fourth weekend had taken £22,.73m only 67% of its final box office of £26.15m. If The Boss Baby has taken 80% of its final box office will be looking at £29m but has to deal with A Dog’s Purpose opening this weekend.
- Beauty and the Beast – £835,004 – £70,113,995
Dropping 36.3% in its seventh weekend holding slightly better than last The Jungle Book which took £779,205 in its seventh weekend taking 92.1% of its final box office of £46.19m.
If Beauty and the Beast were to hold close to The Jungle Book it will take £76.1m which will see it overtake both Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 £73.1m and Toy Story 3 £74m to become the sixth biggest film in the UK.
But if Beauty and the Beast were to hold close to Toy Story 3 which took £934,423 in its seventh weekend taking £69,878,376 94.4% of its final box office of £74m it would just fall short of its total taking £73.9m.
But while their box office will be close Beauty and the Beast admissions will be 22% less than Toy Story 3 9.71m Vs 12.44m due to average prices increasing by over 30% over the last seven years £5.94 Vs £7.61.
The eight Disney live-action reimaginations have taken over £232m at the UK box office. The next due for release 3rd August 2018 and 29th March 2019 are currently untitled with Mulan dated for 2nd November 2018 and The Lion King 19th July 2019; the two untitled reimaginations could be Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin (his first film since 2015’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword opens next week) or Tim Burton’s Dumbo currently undated that start production shortly.
- Their Finest – £630,544 – £2,298,543
Holding strong down only 25.8% in its second weekend thanks to strong word of mouth and being the only film targeting adults and older audiences in the top 10.
Taking £1.66m for its opening week doubling its opening weekend close to Viceroy’s House which took £1.77m in its opening week after opening with £0.92m with a second weekend £0.57m taking £1.77m.
Viceroy’s House dropped more than Their Finest in its second weekend 38.04 Vs 25.8% with Their Finest likely to end with a similar total of £3.94m but if it can keep hold of some of its screens over the coming weeks with little similar audience competition over the next few weeks could possibly do more.
But as Viceroy’s House Their Finest didn’t get universal acclaim from critics and audiences with some calling it a Sunday afternoon TV film both films were made by BBC Films so will find their home on the BBC in about 18 months’ time.
Their Finest has already become director Lone Scherfig second biggest film in the UK overtaking both 2009’s An Education £1.36m and 2014’s The Riot Club £1.55m but of course, won’t get close to 2011’s One Day £7.94m.
A good quality pirate of the film came online this week but it’s unlikely to hurt its box office as older audiences that will see Their Finest are unlikely to stream films from illegal sites. There is also an Asian pirate of Fox Searchlight’s Gifted directed by Marc Webb that’s not released in the UK until next month.
Was a survey by YouGov last week reported 4.9 million adults currently access illegal streaming apps on smartphones and tablets or with chipped Kodi boxes and Amazon Fire TV sticks. With 2.6m expected to use pirate services in the future with 830,000 of those users have canceled TV subscription services. Usage of pirated platforms is high with millennials accounting for 37% of users 1.8 million people.
Also, released
Lady Macbeth – Altitude – £174,989 from 104 screens
Mad Max: Fury Road – Black & Chrome – Warner – £39,399 from 138 screens
Lowriders – Universal -£6,543 from 100 screens
Other box office news
This weekend’s top 10 box office took £18,596,685 up 97.2% from last weekend £9,427,820; 10th biggest weekend in the last year
Weekend admissions up 2,484,839 up 98.2% from last week 1,253,559
14 films opened at the weekend taking £14,024,576 with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 taking 93.4% leaving the other 13 films sharing £931,919 (6.6%)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 took 70.4% of the top 10 box office compares to last year’s Captain America Civil War 61.1% with other films Star Wars The Force Awakens took 88.3%, Spectre 85.6%, Avengers: Age of Ultron 82.2% Jurassic World 81.1%, Fast and Furious 7 72.2%
The weekend was down 17.8% from last year (£22,632,665): Captain America: Civil War £14,466,681, Demolition £ £264,512, Rachet and Clark £ £147,848 and Son of Saul £157,070 opened.
Down 17.6% from 2015: (£21,883,832): Far from the Madding Crowd £1,430,000, Unfriended £1340,000, Two by Two £564,000 opened.
Next weekend in 2016 (£10,487,731): Bad Neighbours 2: Sorority Rising £1,687,970, Florence Foster Jenkins £710,099, Robinson Crusoe £575,099, I Saw the Light £17,000 and Knight of Cups £10,323 opened.
UK Box Office Top 10
US Box Office Top 10
US Box office
The Fate of the Furious dropped 49.5% in its third weekend taking $19.38m and $1921.72m total having a similar drop to Furious 7 (59.5%) but holding close to Fast Five and Fast & Furious 6.
The Fate of the Furious is still holding close to Furious 7 and will likely end with about $237m 33% less than Furious 7.
While the box office of The Fate of the Furious is 61% more than the first film The Fast and the Furious in 2001; but admissions tell a different story with admissions up 5% between 2001 and 2017 from 25.53m to 26.80m with average ticket prices up 56.2% (from $5.66-$8.84) but average prices today is closer to $12 with many PLF formats screens; comparing admissions The Fate of the Furious is likely to be close to Fast Five.
The Fate of the Furious box office is much lower in the US and UK than Furious 7 has overtaken the Chinese box office of Furious 7 $319.4m. Thanks to Chinese box office Furious 8 has taken over $1 billion in 17 days becoming Universal’s fifth billion dollar film behind Jurassic World $1.67 billion, Furious 7 $1.52 billion, Minions $1.16 billion and Jurassic Park $1.04 billion (24 years ago when average ticket prices were over 100% less and didn’t studies didn’t have China to artificially inflate films box office).
China will also have a big impact on Transformers: The Last Knight worldwide box office as the last film Transformers: Age of Extinction was the lowest grossing of the series in the US taking $245m but thanks to taking $320m in China it took $1.1bn globally.
But even with bigger Chinese box office it’s still unlikely to match the global box office of Furious 7 $1.51bn
Pantelion’s How to be a Latin Lover opened with a very strong $12m from only 1,118 screens. While studios avoided opening films in the weeks between Furious 8 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 if allowed smaller distributors to open films and received media coverage they wouldn’t otherwise receive. Similar to the Tyler Perry comedies How to Be A Latin Lover targeted a strong US demographic having limited international appeal; received A CinemaScore.
Great India Films Baahubali 2: The Conclusion opened in third with $10.1m from only 425 screens opening three times bigger than the 2015 original. It had the largest opening ever for an Indian film in the US.
STX’s The Circle opened below expectations with $9.3m but after receiving negative reviews after having its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and taking $400,000 tracking had it opening with $12-15m.
After test scores were low there were reshoots changing the ending making it more positive with Emma Watson’s character but test scores were even worse; received D+ CinemaScore.
As with Beauty and the Beast Emma Watson helped build much awareness for the film on social media to her 93m followers. The Circle was also John Boyega’s first film since Star Wars: The Force Awakens. But the audience for The Circle wasn’t either’s fanbase.
Tom Hanks has had mixed success last year while Sully was a big success Inferno and A Hologram for the King also based on Dave Eggers book flopped.
The Circle is Tom Hanks lowest opening for a wide release since 1990’s Joe Vs the Volcano which opened with $9.25m (but in 1990 $9.25m was a regular sized opening for films with Pretty Woman opening two weeks after Joe Vs the Volcano with $11.28m).
The Circle is Emma Watson’s lowest wide release My Week with Marilyn, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Bling Ring and Regression opened lower having far smaller openings.
The Circle also lowers John Boyega’s average box office from about $500m to $315m from three films.
Next up for John Boyega are Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Pacific Rim 2, Tom Hank reteams next with Steven Spielberg in The Post and vocally in Toy Story 4 while Emma Watson has yet to confirm her next film role.
With flops like The Circle which will be out of theaters with a couple of weeks but will still be tied to the 16-week theatrical window. Films like these should be given early VOD release within a month of opening as it does the studio no good as the few that might want to see it will seek out illegal options.
With most films now taking 90% of their box office in the first 6 weeks (even massive box office earners like Beauty and the Beast and The Fate of the Furious) flexible windows are needed so these films can go on VOD as within about 8 weeks of opening as by which time most films will be played out. There are very few films nowadays that will play in theaters for their full 16 weeks and for films that don’t they must be available legally by other means or people will just seek them out illegally.
The Boss Baby down 28.8% in its fifth weekend taking $9.05m and a total of $148.46m; The Boss Baby is now ahead of last year’s Trolls took $4.68m (48% less) in its fifth weekend taking $141.45m going on to take $153m.
The Boss Baby is currently 20th Century Fox’s #11 biggest animated film, their third biggest Dreamworks Animation film and is the #64 biggest animated film in the US and has overtaken Kung Fu Panda 3, Rio, Hotel Transylvania and Megamind will shortly overtake Puss in Boots, Trolls, Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! And Over the Hedge making it 20th Century Fox’s ninth biggest animation film in the US.
Beauty and the Beast drops 33.8% in its seventh weekend taking $6.4m and $480.1m total; will shortly overtake last year’s Finding Dory $486m to become the eighth biggest film in the US. But despite opening with $174m it’s unlikely to match the box office of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
After seven weeks of release, The Jungle Book took $7.08m had taken $338.59m 93% of its final box office of $364m. If Beauty and the Beast holds close to The Jungle Book it will add about $36m to its box office which will see it have a final box office of about $520m will see it end just behind Rogue One: A Star Wars Story $532m total.
Beauty and the Beast now taken $1.14bn #13 worldwide overtaken Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: Dark of the Moon will shortly overtake Captain America: Civil War, Minions, Iron Man 3 and Frozen to be the #9 biggest films globally.
On limited release
Neon’s Colossal added 102 screens down 13.3% taking $502,130 and $2.07m total; Colossal is probably the strangest and most original film of the year and a film to see without seeing the trailers especially the last trailer which features a big spoiler.
The director described the film as Godzilla meets Being John Malkovich but Jason Reitman’s Young Adult is much more similar in the plot which I hated about a horrible character that is so self-absorbed she is unlikeable while Anna Hathaway’s Gloria in Colossal is a much more likable character who tries to escape her drinking demons.
STX’s Their Finest added 154 screens down 6.2% taking $500,00 and $1,81m total.
Opened May 5th
Opening UK
- A Dog’s Purpose – eOne
Comedy-drama starring Britt Robertson, Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Peggy Lipton, and Juliet Rylance based on the 2010 novel of the same name by W. Bruce Cameron and directed by Lasse Hallström.
Ahead of the film’s premiere in the US in January a video surfaced on TMZ showing footage taken from the set from 2015 with German Shepherd Hercules being dragged into rushing water while visibly resisting. The video generated huge media coverage and Universal Pictures canceled the film’s premiere and press junket. While PETA urged moviegoers to boycott the film.
But an independent investigation concluded no animals were harmed during the making of the film and that the leaked video had been falsified. American Humane Association also questioned the motives of the people who released the video 15 months after allegedly happened days before the film was due to open. Thanks a lot surely to the media coverage received opened with $18.22m and has taken $64.1m to date. The TV spot for A Dog’s Purpose voiceover said she the blockbuster US hit $64m is far from what can be described as a blockbuster.
Family films about pets including cats and dogs have been successful over the years Beethoven and its sequel Beethoven’s 2nd, My Dog Skip, Marley & Me, Homeward Bound The Incredible Journey,
- Mindhorn – Studiocanal
Comedy produced by Steve Coogan, starring the Mighty Boosh’s Julian Barratt had its world premiere at the London Film Festival in October receiving very positive reviews.
Julian Barratt plays actor Richard Thorncroft (80s David Hasselhoff meets Tom Selleck’s moustache) who starred in TV cop called Mindhorn (The Equalizer meets Six Million Dollar Man meets Bergerac) in the 80s but when the show gets cancelled he goes to LA to find fame but it ever worked out only to find that a minor character from the show (Steve Coogan) became a huge success in a spinoff. The film sounds Alan Partridge meets David Brent.
Also starring are Andrea Riseborough, Essie Davis, Russell Tovey, Richard McCabe, David Schofield, Nicholas Farrell, Jessica Barden, Robin Morrissey, Harriet Walter, Simon Callow, Steve Coogan and Kenneth Branagh.
Over the last two weeks, Julian Barratt & Simon Farnaby have had a Q&A tour across the UK to promote the film ending on Friday at the LOCO Comedy Festival at BFI Southbank.
In March Netflix acquired rights for Mindhorn outside of the UK and will release it on May 12th.
- Sleepless – eOne
Crime drama starring Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan, Dermot Mulroney, David Harbour, Gabrielle Union and Scoot McNairy and directed by Baran bo Odar.
Sleepless opened in the US in January receiving negative reviews opening with $8.5m taking $20.5m. Will unlikely find an audience in the UK and is one of a number of films that are unnecessarily being released in cinemas in the UK these films are being released theatrically only because of their Pay TV deals.
- Unlocked – Lionsgate
Spy thriller starring Noomi Rapace, Orlando Bloom, Michael Douglas, John Malkovich and Toni Collette and directed by Michael Apted; receiving negative reviews both Unlocked and Sleepless won’t generate much interest over a quiet weekend for new releases before arrival of Alien: Covenant next week with Guardians of thr Galaxy Vol 2 dominating the chart again this weekend despite dropping 50%+/
Originally developed by Warner Bros the script was on 2008’s The Black List also on the list were Our Brand is Crisis, Inglorious Basterds, The Descendants, Foxcatcher, Up in the Air, Bad Teacher, Child 44, Easy A, The Debt and 47 Ronin.
Opening in the US
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 – Disney
In 2014, many saw Guardians of the Galaxy as a risk for Marvel but as it was the tenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the audience for all the films is similar it wasn’t as big a risk as many said it was. But it was different from the formula of other Marvel Cinematic Universe films brilliant, arrogant and egotistical man finds redemption as seen in Iron Man, The Hulk and Doctor Strange.
Guardians of the Galaxy took $773m worldwide with $333.2m in the US becoming the third biggest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, behind The Avengers and Iron Man 3 and was the third biggest film of 2014 after Transformers: Age of Extinction and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 is expected to open about 40% bigger than the first film ($94.5m) with $140-160m which will be the fifth biggest Marvel Cinematic Universe opening behind The Avengers, Avengers Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War and Iron Man 3. Guardians 2 is beating advance bookings of Avengers: Age of Ultron. A key part of the original film’s marketing was its soundtrack which sold 1.75m copies the fifth biggest selling album of 2014. The soundtrack again features heavily in the sequels marketing including a promotion with Doritos with Walkman’s embedded into bags 1,000 were made but have been impossible to find.
With a final box office of $400m+ which will probably beat both Captain America: Civil War and Iron Man 3.
While the sequel will likely take more globally than first film $773m will likely be the fifth biggest film of 2017 behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Fate of the Furious, Beauty and the Beast and Despicable Me 3 and probably Transformers: The Last Knight (thanks to China)
Peter Quill’s Walkman was a key part of the original film as is with the sequel and as part of the film’s marketing campaign, Doritos sold limited edition bags with a built-in tape player with the soundtrack. The bags went on sale on Amazon on Friday but few got hold of the bags.
The original film received very positive reviews but for the sequel critics enjoyed but it lost the originality which made the first film so much fun and it does what so many sequels do tries too hard to be bigger and better. While the sequel is enjoyable it feels like a MacDonald’s take away fun while you watch much quickly forgettable
In December Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 teaser trailer received 81m views in the first 24 hours which was then Marvel’s biggest teaser ever (recently beaten by Thor: Ragnarok which received 136m views in the first 24 hours beating Beauty and the Beast 127.6m views and Star Wars: The Force Awakens viewed 112m times Captain America: Civil War held the previous Marvel record 94m). While Avengers: Age of Ultron received 35m views in first 24 hours and the first Guardians trailer 21m views.
The most watched trailer was It released in March which received 197m views; despite massive hype surrounding the launch of Star Wars: The Force Awakens first teaser in November 2014 received only 55m views while Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer received only 43m views in its first 24 hours.
The Lovers – A24
The romance starring Debra Winger, Tracy Letts, Aidan Gillen, Melora Walters, Tyler Ross and Jessica Sula and directed by Azazel Jacobs; had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 22, 2017. (Sony Pictures recently acquired international rights).
Debra Winger’s first role was 40 years ago in the Wonder Woman TV series as Wonder Girl Wonder Woman’s sister. In the 80s she starred in An Officer and a Gentleman, Terms of Endearment, Legal Eagles and Black Widow had a reputation for being outspoken and difficult to work with starring in very few films over the last 20 years.
