Top 5 Breakdown
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – £12,318,966 – NE
Had the fifth biggest opening of 2018 after Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Deadpool 2) and the biggest 3-day Fri-Sun opening 3 days of 2018 and the second biggest Fri- Sun opening (showing how previews have inflated weekend openings over recent years)
Having Warner Bros 12th biggest opening in the UK between The Dark Knight Rises and The Matrix Reloaded (8th biggest Fri-Sun between The Dark Knight Rises and Suicide Squad) and their 20th biggest opening inflation inflated between Man of Steel and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Opened with £3.8m from Friday (opening day) taking 66% of the box office in 1,823 screens) 11.6% less than the first film opened two years ago £4.3m; had Warner Bros biggest opening day of the year; took about £1m from IMAX screens
With 6.2% ticket inflation since 2016 is about 18% drop which is normal for second parts of film series. The Hobbit trilogy Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opened with £11,601,538 but the second film Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug opened with almost 20% less £9,325,626 and the third film Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opened similar £9,753,642. More recently Star Wars: The Force Awakens opened with £34,011,849 and Star Wars: The Last Jedi opened with £28,010,841 18% less two years later.
17 years ago this weekend the first Harry Potter film Philosopher’s Stone opened with £16,335,627. Had the biggest opening weekend ever in the UK opened included £6,735,259 from weekend previews. 17 years later it is 12th biggest opening but would be the 5th biggest inflation inflated £31,053,475 (below Spectre, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets).
Before the opening of Philosopher’s Stone previews were limited to Thursday night screenings, (taking about 10% of its opening weekend) as they still are in the US but
While The Crimes of Grindelwald opened with more than the first film worldwide it too less in the UK and US which has seen may speculate if the film series will go to five films as planned.
Part of the problem with the film is it might be part of the Harry Potter universe its always being compared to Harry Potter and while the films are leading up towards the events that featured before the first Harry Potter film, the audience is different. The Hobbit trilogy was made 10 years after Lord of the Rings trilogy, but The Hobbit films weren’t as successful as the Lord of the Rings films.
While the issue with The Crimes of Grindelwald is similar to many films that are planned to be extended universes as recent films King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and The Mummy, it spends much time settling up the story for future films it feels more like a holding card for the next part.
With Warner Bros having issues with their DC Extended Universe the Harry Potter Universe is their most Important franchise and with the upcoming acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney it will be a vital franchise for many years to come for the studio. As with most of the films
Disney has made in recent years Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them is not a film it’s a property and the theatrical release is just a small fraction of the value to the studio. Disney has made much more money on Star Wars merchandise than they have with the films as they are just the software to sell the hardware. Launching a new Star Wars film every year is more to launch a new range of merchandise their fans are eager to buy.
In 2011 when Warner Bros released Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II the studio had made over $21bn from Harry Potter but US box office accounted for only 9% with global box office 21% with merchandise and video games more than double. Six years later after Harry Potter and the Cursed Child show and the first Fantastic Beasts film opened was worth over $25bn.
Had the fourth biggest opening of the 2018 and the biggest Fri-Sun opening since Beauty and the Beast opening 15% less than 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them £15,333,146.
Last year studios blamed Rotten Tomatoes as the reason why many films failed at the box office after receiving low scores have been many films this year have been successful despite poor reviews.
At the start of the year most would have expected Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom to be in the top 5 biggest films of the year; Jurassic World 2 is currently sixth taking £41.5m (35% less than Jurassic World) and Fantastic Beasts 2 will probably also take about 25% less than Fantastic Beasts taking about £45m.
The nine Wizarding World Extended Universe films have taken over £500m at the UK box office over the last 17 years (£750m inflation inflated) are the third biggest film series in the UK but with half the films made by Pixar and Marvel that have taken more.
Pixar 20 films took £620m (£885m+ inflation inflated)
Marvel Cinematic Universe 20 films £595m (£662m inflation inflated)
James Bond 7 films (1995+) £390m (£650m inflation inflated)
Star Wars 13 films (missing BO for 2 films) £370m (£725m inflation inflated)
Jurassic Park 5 films almost £200m (£310m inflation inflated)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is Warner Bros 6th biggest film in the UK after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Dunkirk, The Dark Knight Rises and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone opened this weekend 17 years ago with £16,335,627 its opening was the biggest ever in the UK (now 19th) but included £6,735,259 from weekend previews.
- The Grinch – £3,906,597 – £10,044,223
Down 22.2% in its second weekend; Had the eighth biggest second weekend of the year
Holding similar to How the Grinch Stole Christmas second weekend taking £2,547,769 (£4,557,032 inflation inflated)
Had the 117th biggest second weekend between Finding Dory and The Amazing Spider-Man (close to Frozen, A Bug’s Life, The Simpsons, Despicable Me 2 and Paddington) and the 218th biggest inflation inflated second weekend between Spider-Man Homecoming and Guardians of the Galaxy (close to Sing, The Croods, Inside Out and The Boss Baby.
Has the 25th biggest animation second weekend between Finding Dory and Sing and Inside Out and the 39th biggest inflation inflated the second weekend between Sing and The Croods.
The eight Illumination Entertainment films have taken over £240m at the UK box office since 2010 their next is The Secret Life of Pets 2 opening in May 2019 which will see them going head to with Pixar for the first time with Toy Story 4 opening less than a month later.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas in December 2000 took £2,547,769 (£4,557,032 inflation inflated) and £6,484,708 taking £15,167,543 (£27,129,219 inflation inflated).
Other Dr. Seuss adaptations include
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax in July 2012 took £856,003 down 53.8% and £4,648,423 taking £7,017,256
Horton Hears a Who opened in March 2008 took £937,218 down 68.12% and £5,375,973 taking £8,350,015
The Cat in the Hat in April 2004 took £884,046 down 49.2% and £4,313,311 taking £7,500,297
Opening in early November gives The Grinch a seven-week run till Christmas but faces tough competition from Ralph Breaks the Internet opening next week. Last year Paddington 2 played strongly through till after Christmas taking £42,642,938, but The Grinch is likely to take close to half would be less than the inflation inflated total of the last adaption in 2000.
Universal Pictures created snarky adverts to get the attention of younger audiences in the US have been billboard posters including in New York “Good luck getting those Hamilton tickets,” “Keep honking. It will make everything go faster,” and subway sign “I’m sure you’ll catch the next one.” While in Los Angeles, “I love it when this light turns green and nobody moves.” “Oh, you’re trying to make it in Hollywood? Let me know how it goes.” And “Another remake? Hope you’re proud Hollywood”.
While in the UK was wraparound advert around BFI IMAX cinema with one side saying “Welcome to south London. This is your last chance to turn around.” And on the otherwise ‘You are now heading north of the river. Try to contain your excitement.’
- Bohemian Rhapsody – £3,021,648 – £34,854,038
Down 33.7% in its fourth weekend; had the second biggest fourth weekend of the year after Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (£3,568,169) and only the third film to take more than £3m in its fourth weekend this year Peter Rabbit (£3,152,269) but both films had an advantage over Bohemian Rhapsody as their fourth weekends were during school holidays.
Had the ninth biggest fourth weekend in the UK after Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Skyfall, Avatar, Titanic, Spectre, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Toy Story 3 and Peter Rabbit
Has become 20h Century Fox’s 13th biggest film in the UK between Ice Age III and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and the 23rd biggest inflation inflated between Life of Pi and Moulin Rouge
Has become the 88th biggest film in the UK between Ice Age III and Fifty Shades of Grey and the 108th biggest inflation inflated film between Suicide Squad and iT.
Is the fifth biggest musical between Les Miserables and La La Land and the 10th biggest inflation inflated between Chicago and Hairspray.
Ahead of release thought £25m+ after its strong holdover went up to £40m+ but now could top out at £60m+ (if it continues to hold as it is doing) would see it become 20th Century Fox’s third biggest film in the UK after Avatar and Titanic and the 18th biggest film in the UK.
If UK admissions do increase for the first time since 2002 this year will be due to The Greatest Showman, Peter Rabbit, Venom, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, A Star Is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody rather than Avengers Infinity War, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, Incredibles 2, Black Panther and Jurassic World 2 they might have taken more but they were always expected to do so while Black Panther probably took £10m more than expected due to the hype around it as non-comic-book fans came out to see it.
Has become 20th Century Fox’s third film to take over £30m this year (Bohemian Rhapsody, Deadpool 2 and The Greatest Showman) only Disney are the other studio to do so in 2018;
Disney have had at least three films taking over £30m at the UK box office since 2015 (Incredibles 2 , Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Thor: Ragnarok, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Beauty and the Beast, Star Wars: Rogue One, Finding Dory, Captain America: Civil Wa, The Jungle Book, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Inside Out and Avengers Age of Ultron)
20th Century Fox is the first another studio to do so since Warner Bros in 2016 with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Suicide Squad and Batman Vs Superman and Universal Pictures in 2015 had four films Minions, Jurassic World, Fast & Furious 7, Fifty Shades of Grey.
Over the last three years have been about a dozen films each year taking over £30m but only a decade ago there less than half. Many would say the growth of the £30m+ film shows growth of the industry, but it is really due to ticket price increases (Bohemian Rhapsody has taken £34,854,038 having admissions of 4,428,721 while The Da Vinci Code £30,367,791 had admissions of 6,447,514 2m more despite taking £4m less.
25 years ago Jurassic Park was the first film in the UK to take over £30m taking £47.8m with admissions of 14,887,955 it is the 39th biggest film in the UK but the 7th biggest admissions.
In the 80s’s and 90’s used to be a sign of a film’s success when it took £10m in the UK ($100m in the US) but for the last decade or more has become £20m+ ($200m+ in the US).
In the early 90’s films rarely took over £20m (Four Weddings and a Funeral and Toy Story) 1997 saw four films take over £25m The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Men in Black, Independence Day and The Full Monty, Titanic followed the year after but it wasn’t until 1999 with the release of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace when the £20m+ film became the norm for a box office hit in the UK.
Has become the 114th biggest film in the UK and is currently 86th biggest between Twilight: Breaking Dawn: Part 2 and Inception; 108th inflation inflated the biggest film in the UK between The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and Suicide Squad
Has become the seventh biggest film of the year (8th including The Greatest Showman took over £43m in 2018) overtaking Deadpool 2; the 10th film this year to take over £30m at the box office.
Time Magazine named Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star Is Born in among their top 10 films of the year; the other top 10 films Roma, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, First Reformed, Eighth Grade, The Favourite, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, If Beale Street Could Talk and Paddington 2.
Comparisons are
Musicals fourth weekends
2008’s Mamma Mia! took £3,167,377 up 12% and £32,109,923 47.1% of £68,162,804
2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again took £3,568,169 down 14% £48,311,304 74.1% of £65,222,094
2017’s The Greatest Showman took £2,103,605 down 2% and £16,865,309 35.8% of £47,000,000
2013’s Les Miserables took £2,785,143 down 31% £30,137,493 73.8% of £40,818,299
La La Land took £1,807,593 down 42% and £24,517,773 82.2% of £29,816,588
The films soundtrack dropped down to #11 with Queen’s The Platinum Collection up to #5 Greatest Hits #25 and A Night At the Opera #59
- Widows – £882,243 – £4,317,425
Down 63.3% in its second weekend; after receiving critical acclaim and strong word of mouth was surprising Widows dropped so heavily in its second weekend, removing three days of previews its second weekend drop was still 46%.
Normally a film with strong word of mouth and a film targetting older audiences would have dropped closer to 30%. Fantastic Beasts 2 was the only new release and was targetting a different demographic.
After opening similar to both Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Shape of Water would have expected it to hold similar to Three Billboards rather than The Shape of Water. But similar to Fantastic Beasts 2 opening less than expected due to the strong holdover of The Grinch, Widows probably suffered from the continued hold of both Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star Is Born.
20th Century Fox has released fewer films this year, so it was always surprised when they dated four films (Bad Times At the El Royale, The Hate You Give, Bohemian Rhapsody and Widows) over four weeks.
Bohemian Rhapsody has performed very strongly but the other three films gave underwhelmed despite receiving positive reviews. Always surprises me with all the data available studios still open similar films close together, while it might work in the summer with the tentpoles but that’s because younger audiences rush out to see films on opening weekend so are very front-loaded.
Older audiences are much more discerning with the films they see and will see them over weeks, but as exhibitors will pull films within weeks often these films don’t have a chance to find their audiences anymore.
After 20th Century Fox had so much success with Three Billboards earlier this year was surprising its release wasn’t held over to January as Steve McQueen’s previous film 12 Years A Slave was. 20th Century Fox does also release The Favourite on January 1st but could have still opened Widows a few weeks later as they did with Three Billboards and The Shape of Water. As opening mid-January puts central position for Oscar/BAFTA awards and away from A Star Is Born, opening in November could see it get forgotten as First Man and the many other potential Oscar contender that opened over that time.
Had the 880th biggest second weekend between 28 Weeks Later and Eyes Wide Shut close to Quartet. The Shape of Water, BlacKkKlansman, Good Will Hunting, Sicario, Munich and In Her Shoes; 975th biggest inflation inflated the second weekend between Alexander and Hacksaw Ridge close to Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Birdman, Far From The Madding Crowd and Isle of Dogs.
Maybe the curse of the London Film Festival hit for the third year running after A United Kingdom in 2016 and Breathe in 2017 both opened a few weeks after premiering and neither found an audience despite receiving positive reviews.
Previously the opening London Film Festival film had much more success than the closing Suffragette, The Imitation Game and Captain Phillips over the last five years performing far better than the closing films;
Widows always felt like it was too small a film to open London Film Festival, saying that it’s not the film festival it thinks it is anymore as the film’s premieres don’t receive as much media coverage as Venice and Toronto, but organisers still believe they are on the same level.
The film opened the London Film Festival last month as did Suffragette three years ago (also was a British film with strong female leads) also opened mid-week as Widows is opening with £2,938,446 (including £1,394,771 previews) taking £10,600,616. The film received similarly positive reviews as Widows has received but opened immediately after it its premiere Widows opens three weeks later; closing film Stan & Ollie opens in January.
In 2015 Suffragette dropped 54.27% in its second weekend taking £1,343,819 and £5,806,295 and went on to take £10,600,616
Steve McQueen’s previous film 12 Years A Slave increased box office by 21.6% in its second weekend £3,055,020 and £7,125,073 and went on to take £20,001,093; received 12 Oscar nominations and 10 BAFTA nominations winning 3 Oscars and 2 BAFTAs
- A Star Is Born – £746,986 – £27,107,688
Down 40.1% in its seventh weekend; has become the 9th biggest film of the year and has become Warner Bros 26th biggest film in the UK between Man of Steel and The LEGO Batman Movie and the 45th biggest inflation inflated between The LEGO Batman Movie and Batman Returns
The seventh biggest musical (or film with music) in the UK (behind Mamma Mia! Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, The Greatest Showman, Les Miserables, La La Land and Bohemian Rhapsody).
The film saw a bigger drop off than it has done in recent weeks possibly due to pirate copies now widely available online from Asian.
Having watched Bohemian Rhapsody last week finally caught up with A Star Is born this week and unlike many films’ critics har overhyped over recent years including La La Land and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, A Star Is Born is the real deal with fantastic performances from both Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. It’s not really A Star Is Born its more A Star is Discovered while on a drinking bender.
Has been much talk of Black Panther is a potential Best Picture contender but away from being the ‘first black comic-book movie’ which it wasn’t as Blade did that 20 years ago it was a Marvel Cinematic Universe film it could have been made 10 years ago when it was originally announced as part of the first 10 films that were planned. 10 years ago The Dark Knight failed to get a Best Picture nomination which is still a far superior film.
Musicals perform much stronger in the UK than the US and have long legs than other genres; Venom and Johnny English Strikes Back opened against A Star Is Born seven weeks ago. Venom was out of the top 10 in its fifth weekend and this weekend will be Johnny English Strikes Back last weekend in the top 10.
Musicals seventh weekends
x2008’s Mamma Mia! took £1,837,577 down 17% and £50,261,947 73.7% of £68,162,804
x2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again took £726,771 down 26% and £63,232,313 96.5% of £65,480,203
x2017’s The Greatest Showman took £1,927,367 down 0% and £30,414,668 64.7% of £47,000,000
x2013’s Les Miserables took £765,367 down 32% and £37,804,139 92.6% of £40,818,299
2001’s Moulin Rouge took £864,326 down 19% and £14,024,943 78.2% of £17,934,410
2003’s Chicago took £618,675 down 22% (sixth week wide/9th week on release) and £12,361,643 77.6% of £15,927,431
The films soundtrack dropped to #11 (The Greatest Showman up #4 in its 47th week on release with Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again #19 in its 16th week on release). The single Shallow held #2; I’ll Never Love Again down to #35 and Always Remember Us This Way #34.
Shallow has now been viewed over 112.3m times viewed over 11m times over the last seven days.
UK box office in detail
This weekend’s top 10 box office took £22,674,299 up 36.7% from last weekend £16,577,488
The weekend admissions 2,842,190 up 35.7% from last weekend 2,093,646; average ticket up 3.87% from last year’s £7.49 to £7.87 for 2018;
15 films opened at weekend taking £13,309,259 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 92.55% (£12,318,966): remaining 14 films shared 7.4% (£990,293): Top three took 84.9% (£19,247,211) of the top 10; Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 54.3%; The Grinch 17.2%: Bohemian Rhapsody 13.3%
The weekend was up 20.9% from 2017 (£18,740,071); Justice League £7,264,784; Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool £236,317; The Exterminating Angel – Met Opera 2017 £98,593; Ingrid Goes West £65,750; Good Time £34,046; #1 Justice League (1 week)
Up 4.3% from 2016: (£21,738,305): Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them £15,333,146; Andre Rieu: Christmas With Andre 2016 £1,180,208; Les Contes D’Hoffmann Royal Opera £25,576; #1 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (1 week)
Up 53.2% from 2015; (£14,812,116); The Lady in the Van £2,256,121; Steve Jobs £903,214; The Hallow £51,742; Fathers and Daughters £25,199; #1 Spectre (3rd week)
Up 93.7% from 2014: (£11,703,689); The Imitation Game £2,742,725; Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey? £1,800,419; The Drop £637,867; Third Person £2,294; #1 Interstellar (2nd week)
Up 91.,8% from 2013: (£11,818,983); The Counsellor £815,051; The Butler £794,044; Don Jon £343,535; Dom Hemingway £98,232; In Fear £41,335; Battle of the Year £34,821; #1 Gravity (2 week)
Down 9.9% from 2012 (£25,176,278); The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2 £15,850,825; Amour £115,700; Mental £12,849; #1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2 (1 week)
Up 13.4% from 2011 (£19,978,237): The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1 £13,910,877; Justice £276,483; Snowtown £52,323; #1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (1 week)
Up 3.2% from 2010: (£21,967,470): Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 1 £18,319,721; #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 1 (1st week)
Up 61.8% from 2009 (£14,013,567); 2012 £6,489,809; Harry Brown £1,271,814; The White Ribbon £72,226; Amelia £49,224; Taking Woodstock £41,348; #1 2012 (1 week)
Up 131.4% from 2008 (£9,795,141); Max Payne £1,004,995; Zack and Miri Make a Porno £798,205; The Baader-Meinhof Complex £108,791; #1 Quantum of Solace (3rd week)
Up 154.7% from 2007 (£8,899,926); American Gangster £2,564,853; Beowulf £2,199,848; Brick Lane £194,745; The Jane Austen Book Club £50,052; Earth £24,286; #1 American Gangster (1 week)
Up 24.3% from 2006; (£18,237,708); Casino Royale £13,370,969; #1 Casino Royale (1st week)
Up 20.6% from 2005 (£18,792,982); Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire £14,933,901; The Libertine £278,482; Factotum £37,100; Separate Lies £14,568; #1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (1 week)
Up 48.1% from 2004 (£15,300,361): Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason £10,435,193; Ladies in Lavender £423,313; Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid £194,597; #1 Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (1 week)
Up 241.7% from 2003 (£6,633,990); The Medallion £106,797; The Mother £59,077; Octane £9,910; #1 The Matrix Revolutions (2nd week)
Up 1.7% from 2002 (£22,279,336): Harry Potter Chamber Of Secrets £18,871,829; Super Troopers £269,696; Bowling For Columbine £157,898; #1 Harry Potter Chamber Of Secrets (1st week)
Up 15.4% from 2001 (£19,644,298); Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone £16,335,627; Ghost World £133,188; #1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1st week)
Next weekend in 2017: (£17,120,343): Daddy’s Home 2 £4,919,051; Frozen (RE) £1,115,689; Battle of the Sexes £552,521; Suburbicon £231,412; The Star £204,497; #1 Daddy’s Home 2 (1st week)
Also opened
- Burn The Stage: The Movie – Trafalgar Releasing
Opened with £644,308; included £337,201 from previews on Thursday
- Coldplay A Head Full of Dreams – Trafalgar Releasing
Took £509,500 from 319 cinemas was #2 at the box office on Wednesday; it was released in 70 countries taking $3.5m generating over 300,000 admissions.
Suspiria – MUBI
Took £166,257 from 77 screens
UK Box Office Top 10
US Box office
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – Warner Bros
Opened with $62.16m; received 40% Rotten Tomatoes score (much lower than the first film 74% score) and B+ CinemaScore
Took $9.1m from Thursday previews slightly more than $8.75m Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them took in 2016
After receiving mixed reviews and low CinemaScore will likely drop bigger than the first film did in 2016 dropping 39.4% over Thanksgiving weekend with Ralph Breaks the Internet opening bigger than Moana did.
Opened with to $253m from 79 territories including $37m from China) up 2% from Fantastic Beasts Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them opened with $218m from 43 territories; #555 biggest film worldwide between Wild Hogs and High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Globally opening was 16% bigger than the first film but that was due to the sequel opening in China the same weekend as the first film opened in China the week after opened in the US taking $40.5m and it to Fantastic Beasts global open the two films would have opened $218m Vs $216m.
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them took 73rd biggest film worldwide taking $814m
- Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch – Universal Pictures
Down 42.9% in its second weekend taking $38.58m and $126.96m
Holding similar to Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax in March 2012 dropped 44.7% with $38.84m and $121.72m taking $214.03m and $358.8m worldwide
The Grinch is Universal’s second film based on the Dr. Seuss book
How the Grinch Stole Christmas in November 2000 dropped only 5.4% in its second weekend with $52.11m and $137.09m taking $260.04m and $345.1m worldwide
Other Dr. Seuss adaptions – second weekends
Horton Hears a Who in March 2008 dropped 45.4% with $24.59m and $86.01m taking $154.5m and $297.1m worldwide
The Cat in the Hat In November 2003 dropped 36.2% with $24.45m and $75.83m taking $101.1m and $133.9m worldwide
Previous Illumination Entertainment (not Despicable Me films)
The Secret Life of Pets in July 2016 dropped 51.3% with $50.83m and $203.42m and $368.3m and $875.4m worldwide
Sing in December 2016 increased 21.7% with $42.89m and $166.49m taking $270.3m and $634.1m worldwide
While the first Despicable Me in July 2010 dropped 41.8% with $32.8m taking $118.43m and $251,.5m and $543.1m worldwide
Took $9.4m from 23 territories and $25.2m total and $151.7m worldwide; still has many more international territories to open over the next few weeks.
Dr. Seuss’ films don’t perform as strongly international 2000’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas took 75% of its total box office from the US $260.1m Vs $85.1m and $345.1m worldwide.
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax took 61% of its total box office from the US $214.1m Vs $134.8m and $348.8m worldwide
- Instant Family – Paramount Pictures
Opened with $14.5m; received 79% Rotten Tomatoes and A CinemaScore
Was originally set for February release being brought forward to November in August to try to replicate the success of the Daddy’s Home films being an alternative to Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald as the first Daddy’s Home was to Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
In December 2015 Daddy’s Home opened $38.74m taking $150.35m and $243m worldwide
In November 2017 Daddy’s Home 2 opened $29.65m taking $104.02m and $181m worldwide
After receiving positive reviews it was being compared with 1989’s Parenthood opened with $10.5m taking $100.04m
Along with films like 2005’s Yours, Mine and Ours opened with $17.46m taking $53.31m; 2003’s Cheaper By the Dozen opened $27.55m taking $138.61m and 2005’s Cheaper by the Dozen 2 opened with $9.3m taking $82.57m
Was surprising the family comedy opened so close to several other family films The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, The Grinch, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and only five days before Ralph Breaks the Internet, as it was likely to suffer against so much competition.
Instant Family opens internationally in January/February facing similar tough competition from family films How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, The LEGO Movie 2 and Isn’t It Romantic.
- Bohemian Rhapsody – 20th Century Fox
Dropped 48.6% in its third weekend taking $16.04m and $128.22m
Took $45.5m from 78 territories $256.4m total and $384.3m worldwide; #291th biggest film worldwide between Happy Feet and Cars 3
- Widows – 20th Century Fox
Opened with $12.36m; received 91% Rotten Tomatoes score and B CinemaScore
Was surprising 20th Century Fox/Fox Searchlight released six films within six weeks The Old Man & the Gun, The Hate U Give, Bad Times At The El Royale, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Bohemian Rhapsody and Widows.
Widows is Steve McQueen’s first film since the Oscar-nominated 12 Years A Slave opened in October 2013 on platform release with $923,715 taking $56.67m and $187.73m worldwide; was nominated for nine Oscars winning three.
His other two films Shame in 2011 and Hunger in 2008 only received limited release.
Took $2.8m from 19 territories and $$7.3m total
- The Girl in the Spider’s Web: A New Dragon Tattoo Story – Sony Pictures
Dropped 68% in its second weekend taking $2.5m and $13.29m
After Sony Pictures acquired remake rights to the Millennium trilogy in December 2009, the first part The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was opened December 2011 with $12.76m taking $102.5m in the US and $232.61m worldwide.
Took $2.8m from 52 territories and $13.3m total;
- The Nutcracker and the Four Realms – Disney
Dropped 52.7% in its third weekend taking $4.77m and $43.96m; dropping 1,131 screens
With Ralph Breaks the Internet opening on Wednesday will likely drop another 1,000 screens and could drop out of the top 10.
A Wrinkle in Time dropped 49.5% in its third weekend taking $8.25m and $74.05m; Disney managed to squeeze $100.4m out of it but unlikely The Nutcracker and the Four Realms will get close to $75m
Performing closer to 2016’s Alice Through the Looking Glass taking $5.64m in its third weekend and $62.53m taking $77.04m and $299.4m worldwide. Or 2008’s The Spiderwick Chronicles taking $8.7m in its third weekend and $55.02m taking $71.1m and $162.8m worldwide.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is holding much better internationally than in the US taking $6.7m from 72 territories and $72.4m total $116.3m worldwide but with a $120m budget, its even international won’t save it.
With Disney releasing Ralph Breaks the Internet and Mary Poppins returns was surprising they felt they needed to release the third film for the holiday season. As they normally just release two films one before Thanksgiving an animated film and then as in the last three years a Star Wars film as they will do again next year with Frozen 2 and Star Wars IX.
- A Star is Born – Warner Bros
Dropped 47% in its seventh weekend taking $4.29m and $185.78m
Has overtaken final BO of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again $120.63m; La La Land $151,101,803; Les Miserables $148,809,770; The Great Gatsby $144,840,419; Mamma Mia! $144,130,063 and The Greatest Showman $174,340,174
Seventh weekend
2017’s The Greatest Showman $7.69m down 19.4% and $37.37m of $174.34m
2003’s Chicago $7.1m (12th week) up 3.8% and $124.84m of $170.68m
2015’s The Martian $6.71m down 26% and $207.39m of $228,433,663
2013’s Gravity $6,1m down 28.5% and $240.37m of $274.09m
And similar to 2017’s Dunkirk taking $4.37mup 10.8% and $179m of $188,045,546
A Star is Born has overtaken Crazy Rich Asians becoming Warner Bros biggest film in the US in 2018 (will take over $200m); Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald was expected to be their biggest film of the year but A Star Is Born could beat it now.
After a disappointing first five months of the year with only one $100m+ film Ready Player One, five of their last six films have taken over $100m
Took $9m from 68 territories and $144.8m total and $340.7m worldwide; #373 biggest film worldwide between Wanted and A Quiet Place
Despite critical acclaim, A Star Is Born hasn’t performed as strongly internationally as Bohemian Rhapsody, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and The Greatest Showman taking 54% of its box office in the US compared to 33% for Bohemian Rhapsody; 31% Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and 40% The Greatest Showman.
- The Front Runner – Sony Pictures
Up 46.2% in its second weekend adding 18 screens taking $75,364 and $166,533
The Front Runner received positive reviews with Hugh Jackman receiving acclaim for his performance and was seen as an award contender but as with The Old Man & the Gun, Collette, Beautiful Boy and First Man have underwhelmed at the box office.
Expands into 500 screens this weekend
- The Boy Erased – Focus Features
Up 76.6% in its third weekend adding 332 screens taking $1.32m and $2.67m
- Beautiful Boy – Amazon Studios
Down 59.9% in its sixth weekend taking 5582,263 and $6.4m
- Can You Ever Forgive Me? – Fox Searchlight
Adds 164 screens down 38.1% in its fifth weekend taking $893,180 and $5.07m
- Green Book – Universal Pictures
Opened with $320,429 from 25 screens
As with the Front Runner had a disappointing platform opening despite receiving positive reviews (90% Rotten Tomatoes)
Expands into over 1,000 screens this weekend taking about $6m for the weekend.
UK Box Office Predictions
Top three are likely to stay as this week Crimes of Grindelwald will drop more than Fantastic Beasts (42%) over 50% taking £6m+
The Grinch holding in second and Bohemian Rhapsody in third (by next weekend could be 20th Century Fox’s 8th biggest film getting close to £40m)
Robin Hood thanks to its two days of previews might squeeze part Bohemian Rhapsody despite poor reviews as King Arthur: Legend of the Sword still managed to open May 2017 with £2,501,993 over a 4-day weekend
Nativity Rocks! The fourth film in the series of British Christmas comedy films slated by critics but incredibly have taken almost £22m at the UK box office open with £1m+
The Girl In The Spider’s Web after flopping in the US and received poor reviews is likely to open with about £600k despite two days of previews. Was surprising Sony Pictures decided to hold back its release a month after opening in Sweden, as the film had been generating a lot of negative buzz and then the poor reviews always surprising when distributors don’t open these films day and date.
Opening in the UK
- The Girl in the Spider’s Web: A New Dragon Tattoo Story – Sony Pictures
Thriller starring Claire Foy, Sverrir Gudnason, LaKeith Stanfield, Sylvia Hoeks, and Stephen Merchant and directed by Fede Álvarez. Is a sequel to David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the second instalment in the American-produced Millennium film series and reboot featuring a new cast; premiered at the Rome Film Festival receiving mixed reviews (65% Rotten Tomatoes) opened in Sweden on October 26, 2018 and in the US November 9th.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opened in December 2011 with £4,325,594 (including £2,758,364 previews) taking £11,640,666 and $232.61m worldwide.
Sony Pictures acquired remake rights to the Millennium trilogy in December David Fincher wanted to direct the two sequels (The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest (back to back with the first film set to be released in 2013 but was delayed due to script difficulties.
In 2015 Sony Pictures announced plans to adapt The Girl in the Spider’s Web the 2015 novel David Lagercrantz continued the Millennium trilogy written by Stieg Larsson after he died would be a soft-reboot of the franchise skipping past the two books they had so much trouble trying to adapt.
UK release date was delayed two weeks to avoid opening against Widows but after received mixed reviews and underwhelming in the US is unlikely to do much better in the UK despite having a 5-day opening weekend.
- Robin Hood – Lionsgate
Action-adventure starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx, Ben Mendelsohn, Eve Hewson, Tim Minchin and Jamie Dornan and directed by Otto Bathurst.
Was originally announced in 2015 when there were two other Robin Hood films in development; one at Disney called Nottingham & Hood and another at Sony called Hood; Lionsgate acquired the film then called Robin Hood: Origins.
Taron Egerton in September 2015 signed for the film but due to scheduling issues with Kingsman: The Golden Circle shooting was delayed until after the Kingsman sequel had finished filming.
In the early 90s were two Robin Hood films in development based at 20th Century Fox and Morgan Creek Productions; 20th Century Fox film had John McTiernan attached to direct, but the script wasn’t ready while Morgan Creek signed Kevin Reynolds to direct and Kevin Costner soon signed up to star in what became Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
John McTiernan left the 20th Century Fox Robin Hood replaced by John Irvin with Patrick Bergin in the lead the film had a limited cinema release in the UK going straight to TV in the US.
More recently Russell Crowe starred as Robin Hood in Ridley Scott’s film opened in May 2010 with £5,750,332 taking £15,381,416 and $321.66m worldwide.
Was originally set for March 23rd release but in November 2016 was delayed to November 2018
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword opened May 2017 with £2,501,993 (including £577,954 previews) taking £4,879,366
King Arthur opened July 2004 with £1,908,084 taking £6,804,952
Has received poor reviews 14% Rotten Tomatoes much worse than King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (31%)
Comparisons have been made with 2017’s Assassin’s Creed opened with £5,285,064 over a 6-day opening weekend (£3,371,311 previews) weekend box office of £1,913,753
Trailers reminded me of the 1999 film Plunkett & Macleane opened in April 1999 with £760,281; screened a working cut of the film in 1998 was very different to the final version.
- Assassination Nation – Universal; Pictures
Comedy thriller starring Odessa Young, Suki Waterhouse, Hari Nef, Abra, Anika Noni Rose, Colman Domingo, Maude Apatow, Bill Skarsgård, Joel McHale and Bella Thorne and written and directed by Sam Levinson; had the world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival was released in the US in September receiving mixed reviews.
- Nativity Rocks! – eOne
The fourth part of the British family Christmas comedy Nativity film series which gave incredibly taken almost £22m at the UK box office despite being panned by critics.
Starring Simon Lipkin, Daniel Boys, Craig Revel Horwood, Bradley Walsh, Meera Syal, Helen George, Ruth Jones, Celia Imrie, Hugh Dennis and Anna Chancellor and Debbie Isitt
Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey? Opened November 2014 #4 with £1,800,419 taking £7,493,403
Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger! Opened November 2012 with £1,614,675 taking £9,119,219
Nativity opened November 2009 with £794,314 taking £5,176,563
- Nobody’s Fool – Paramount Pictures
Comedy starring Tiffany Haddish, Tika Sumpter, Omari Hardwick, Mehcad Brooks, Amber Riley and Whoopi Goldberg and written and directed by Tyler Perry (his first studio film)
The film continues the rise of Tiffany Haddish career after Night School followed her hit last year Girls Trip; Night School opening in September with £1,596,377 taking £4,195,857 and Girls Trip opened July 2017 with £1,557,981 taking £8,869,229
$27.25m taking $69.12m; next year stars in Limited Partners and The Kitchen and vocally in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part and The Secret Life of Pets 2.
Tyler Perry has had small roles in films including Gone Girl and Star Trek but is more famous in the US for his Madea films since 2002 which don’t perform outside of the US.
After Nobody’s Fool underwhelmed in the US earlier in the month opening with $13.74m taking $25.21m its unlikely to find an audience internationally. Surprising they are still releasing it internationally while holding back Instant Family to February half term.
Opening in the US
- Ralph Breaks the Internet – Disney
Sequel to 2012 Wreck-It Ralph and Walt Disney’s 57th animated feature-length film featuring voices of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, Alfred Molina, Alan Tudyk, Ed O’Neill and directed by Rich Moore and Phil Johnston; had its world premiere in Los Angeles on November 6, 2018.
After the first film featured many cameos and references to computer games the sequel brings together many Disney properties from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel and The Muppets from Mickey Mouse to Rocket Raccoon (features 434 individual characters)
Many critics have highlighted what happens when seemingly strong men feel weak and threatened to turn them into their worse selves. Animated films are for children, but Pixar films play on multiple levels as is the case with Ralph Breaks the Internet with a lot of the humour is aimed at older audiences.
Reviews have also compared it to The Lego Movie and Who Framed Roger Rabbit that brought characters from different universes.
In June 2016 was given March 9th, 2018 release date but was moved to November 21st when A Wrinkle in Time took over its date
The teaser trailer was released in February; the second trailer released in June with the Daft Punk song Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger and final trailer was released in September with the song Never Gonna Give You Up”.
The film is expected to open with $65m over its five-day Thanksgiving opening weekend; will likely see it see it open with $70m+ which will be the biggest November opening for an animated film overtaking The Incredibles $70.4m, The Grinch $67.57m and Frozen $67.39m.
Wreck-It Ralph opened in November 2012 with $49.1m taking $189.42m and $471.22m worldwide.
- Creed 2 – MGM
Sports drama sequel and the eighth part of the Rocky film series starring Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby, Andre Ward, and Phylicia Rashad and directed by Steven Caple Jr., and written by Sylvester Stallone.
Expected to open with $45m over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend
Creed opened November 2016 with $29.6m taking $109.76m and $173.56m; was directed by Ryan Coogler who this year directed Black Panther who was originally attached to direct the sequel but due to scheduling conflicts with Black Panther only returns as executive producer.
Received mixed reviews 73% Rotten Tomatoes compared with 95% for Creed as with many sequels it’s missing what made the first film special and plays more like a Rocky sequel.
- Robin Hood – Lionsgate
Taron Egerton starred in the first two Kingsman films (rumours he won’t appear in the third film released next November as its expected to be a prequel) and Eddie the Eagle.
When the first trailer was released in May the conversation was more about the clothes Robin Hood wearing a hoodie than the film itself, you know there are problems ahead.
Expected to open with $15m+ over its five-day Thanksgiving weekend
When this current Robin Hood film was announced there were two rival films also in development while the films don’t perform well in the US they have performed better internationally.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves opened in June 1991 with $25.62m taking $165.49m and 4390.43m worldwide
First Knight opened July 1995 with $10.85m taking $37.6m and $127.6m worldwide
Robin Hood opened May 2010 with $36.06m taking $105.26m and $321.66m worldwide
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword opened May 2017 with $15.37m taking $39.17m and $148.67m worldwide
King Arthur opened in July 2004 with $15.19m taking $51.88m and $203.45m worldwide
- The Favourite – Fox Searchlight
Historical period drama starring Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult, Joe Alwyn, James Smith, and Mark Gatiss and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos; had the world premiere at the Venice Film Festival winning two awards: the Grand Jury Prize and the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for Olivia Colman.
The film has received critical acclaim and has been the Oscar frontrunner since it had its world premiere. Yorgos Lanthimos previous films 2017’s The Killing of a Sacred Deer and 2015’s The Lobster also received critical acclaim but were too quirky to find a mainstream audience; The Killing of a Sacred Deer opened on platform release with $115,120 and took $2,291,901 expanding to only 238 screens; The Lobster opened also on platform with $190,252 and took $9,077,245 expanding to only 560 screens;
Since launched 24 years ago Fox Searchlight has had 19 films nominated for Best Picture Slumdog Millionaire, 12 Years a Slave, Birdman, and The Shape of Water, The Full Monty, Sideways, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Black Swan, 127 Hours, The Tree of Life, The Descendants, Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Brooklyn and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
They have released 181 films taking almost $2.6bn at the US box office
The Favourite is Fox Searchlight’s key Oscar contender this year also have Can You Ever Forgive Me? (starting its expansion) and The Old Man & the Gun (perform well on a platform but expanded far too quickly)
