UK/US Box Office November 29th – December 1st week 48

 

 

1. Frozen 2 – £8,711,498   – £27,349,269

Had the 14^th biggest second weekend In the UK between Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them and Avengers Age of Ultron; Disney’s 7^th biggest second weekend between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers Age of Ultron.

37^th biggest inflation inflated second weekend between Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them (close to Alice In Wonderland, Toy Story, The Jungle Book and Mary Poppins Returns)

Had the biggest second weekend animated film in the UK ahead of Toy Story 4 (£8,284,437) and Toy Story 3 (£8,115,193) and 7^th biggest inflation inflated between Toy Story and Toy Story 4 (Shrek 2, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story 3 and Finding Nemo bigger)

After 10 days on release is the biggest animated film after Toy Story 3 and  Shrek 2 (but both had previews inflating their box office)

32^nd biggest animated film in the UK after 10 days between The Grinch and The LEGO Batman Movie (will overtake over the next week A Bug’s Life, Monsters University, Up and Finding Nemo) and 43^rd biggest inflation inflated between The Grinch and Kung Fu Panda,

Had the 5^th biggest second weekend of 2019 after Avengers: Endgame, The Lion King and Joker and the 5^th biggest 7-day box office of 2019 after Avengers: Endgame, The Lion King, Joker and Toy Story 4; (only Avengers: Endgame had an extended opening weekend showing again that films don’t need extended openings to have a big opening)

Dropping 42.4% was a similar second-weekend drop aa Dumbo, The Lego Movie 2, Toy Story 4 and The Lion King.

After 10 days Frozen 2 is already the 9^th biggest film of 2019 between Downtown Abbey and Dumbo and Disney’s 6^th biggest film in the UK in 2019.

Will shortly become the 124^th film to take over £30m at the UK BO since Jurassic Park in 1993 and Disney’s 35^th since Toy Story 2 in 2000 and their 27^th this decade with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker being Disney’s 28^th in a few weeks’ time; 5 are original animated films (Monsters, Inc, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Up and Inside Out) none are original live-action films which has been Disney’s weakness since this century. Disney won’t be able to rely on reimaginations, reboots, sequels to Star Wars films or Marvel they do need to add new content, while they have two original Pixar films next year, they need to add original films too, unless they all go to Disney+.

Frozen 2 might be an animated film but its has much more in common with Harry Potter films as the original film became a cultural phenomenon when it was released in 2013 which saw children watch it multiple timed in cinemas and then again multiple times at home and then listened to Let It Go non stop dressed as Elsa or Anna.

This was repeated again two years later with the two Frozen shorts Frozen Fever with 2015’s Cinderella and 2017’s Olaf’s Frozen Adventure Disney released the short with re-release of Frozen in November 2017 with tickets only £1 opening with £1,115,689.

2^nd weekend similar to

2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them dropped 42% taking £8,892,489 and £30,136,276 55.2% of £54,593,487

2011’s 2010’s Harry Potter and the  Deathly Hallows Part 1 dropped 54.4% taking £8,344,776 and £33,257,880 63.3% of £52,478,788

2010’s Harry Potter and the  Deathly Hallows Part 2 dropped 64.1% taking £8,523,417 and £44,271,997 60.5% of £73,090,591

2005’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire dropped 57.8% taking £9,275,599 and £29,624,592 60.9% of £48,621,898

2001’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone dropped 48.8% taking £8,362,749 and £29,143,532 45.5% of £63,957,673

But Disney animated films have longer-legged especially those that open in November (and July playing through till September) as they will play through till January.

Comparable to The Lion King dropping 36.1% taking £10,660,287 and £36,889,089 48.3% of £75,926,643 and Toy Story 4  dropped 37.7% taking £8,284,437 and £26,989,023 40.8% of £66,030,065

20217’s Beauty and the Beast dropped 37.3% taking £12,334,338 and £39,884,575 55.1%of £72,430,579

In 2013 after opening with £4,704,940 9 from 505 screens Frozen 2 opened in 571 cinemas but probably over 1,500 screens with many cinemas were showing it every 30 mins)

Dropped only 11% in its second weekend taking £4,212,920 (£10,298,514) with The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug opening #1 with £9,325,626;

Dropped down to #3 in its 3^rd weekend taking £3,919,280 down only 7% (£16,153,236); (week before Christmas and start of the school Christmas holidays)

Up #2 in 4^th weekend down 10% taking £3,518,099 and £23,583,531

Down #3 in 5^th weekend down 17% taking £2,922,721 and £30,807,697 (end of school holidays)

Took £1m+ for 8 weeks; top 5 for 9 weeks and top 10 for 10 weeks until the arrival of The Lego Movie in February 2014 (opened with £8,051,140).

While Frozen opened two weeks before Christmas holidays, Frozen 2 was 5 weeks ahead as its release was dated ahead of Thanksgiving in the US, so won’t hold as strongly but will hold #1 for three weeks before Jumanji: The Next Level and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens.

2013’s Frozen (£4,704,940) is 50^th biggest animated opening in the UK in 2013 Frozen had the 29th biggest animated opening between How to Train Your Dragon and Shrek.

2013’s Frozen was beloved by young girls who saw the film countless times in cinemas

Let It Go video has been seen on YouTube over 1bn times on YouTube and the singalong over 1.8bn times since December 2013

Frozen took £42,976,318 was the 10th biggest animated film; in 2013 Frozen was the 5th biggest animated film after Toy Story 3, Shrek 2, Despicable Me 2 and Toy Story 2.

Frozen became a cultural phenomenon when it was released in 2013 as The Greatest Showman become two years ago, the difference between the two was Frozen had the Disney brand attached and mostly positive reviews while The Greatest Showman was purely audience-driven. Six months after Frozen was released the name Elsa climbed into 88th place up 243 slots on the UK baby name list.

Frozen captured the heart of pre-teen girls in 2013 with many watching it countless times in cinema and then on video to known almost every word, if a film, TV show, musical connects with preteens they will watch it again and again as adults we will often get bored watching on repeat but they seem to enjoy them even more as they sing along to the songs.

One thing Disney miscalculated was the demand for merchandising for the film (probably the reason they have gone over the top with merchandising ever since) with a shortage of merchandising for the film until after its DVD release, Disney sold half a million Anna and Elsa dolls

Frozen took $1.2bn worldwide, at the time was 5th highest-grossing film of all time and the highest-grossing animation. Won two Oscars, a BATFA and a Golden Globe The soundtrack sold more than 10m worldwide in 2014 (1m+ in the UK), 7m Spotify streams and official YouTube videos of trailers and Let It Go in the hundreds of millions. Many of the music records were beaten by The Greatest Showman two years ago, after almost two years on the UK album chart it is still in the top 20 Despite its huge success Idina Menzel’s Let It Go only got to #11 in the UK singles chart.

After opening with 221% more than Frozen last weekend its unlikely that Frozen 2 will keep that pace and take 221% more than Frozen (£42,976,318) as that would be £95.9m; Frozen opened with 9.13x opening (opening weekend was only 10.95%) compared to 20.1% for Toy Story 4 and 21.9% for The Lion King, while Paddington was 13.5% and Paddington 19.3%.

Jumanji: The Next Level previews over the weekend could affect Frozen 2 box office which will replace it as #1 in two weeks’ time having an extended 7 day opening weekend.

2. Knives Out   – £2,937,305    – NE   

Took £700,000 from three days of previews (Monday/Wednesday/Thursday); it was #5 on Monday; #3 on Wednesday and #4 Thursday

Had 485^th biggest opening in the UK between Suffragette and Men in Black 3 (close to Now You See Me 2, Ocean’s Thirteen, Arrival and Sleepy Hollow) and 663^rd biggest inflation inflated opening between The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Good Dinosaur (close to The Imitation Game, Master and Commander, A Knight’s Tale and Fury).

Had Lionsgate’s 11^th biggest opening in the UK between The Divergent Series: Insurgent and Eddie the Eagle and their second-biggest 2019 opening after John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (£3,562,524) and the widest opening for Lionsgate film in the UK in 632 screens.

While Knives Out opened similar to 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express in the US opened 41.1% less despite having three days of previews and receiving better reviews with limited competition.

With Frozen 2 and Blue Story crowding cinemas over the weekend older audiences probably prefer to see Knives Out during the weekend and will perform well over weekdays as many grey=pound films do. With no competition for a few weeks until Little Women Knives Out should hold well over the coming weeks receiving strong word of mouth.

Knives Out generated strong buzz since premiering at Toronto and London Film Festivals the film was inspired by Agatha Christie all-star adaptations like Murder on the Orient Express have a similar star ensemble cast

2017’s Murder on the Orient Express opened with £4,985,600 taking £24,140,635 but can’t be compared directly as Agatha Christie is one of the biggest selling novelists in the UK and while it might be inspired by her Knives Out is a new story and has been compared to Clue, Gosford Park (opened £833,119 taking £12.3m), Gone Girl, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Get Out and dare I saw it Netflix’s Murder Mystery with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston.

Away from James Bond Daniel Craig has had limited success at the box office apart from 2011’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Knives Out is his first film since 2017’s Lucky Logan opened with £705,087 taking £3,207,543; Daniel Craig announced last week that No Time to Die will be his final James Bond film but he also said that SPECTRE would be his final Bond film. The first teaser trailer is being released this week.

Knives Out is Rhian Johnson’s first film since the polarised Star Wars: The Last Jedi which saw him being dropped from further Star Wars films; previously directed 2012’s Looper opened with £2,427,994 taking £9,706,738; 2010’s The Brothers Bloom (opened: £38,861 taking £114,981), and 2006’s Brick (opened £142,878 taking £708,468).

3. Last Christmas – £1,654,646   – £9,952,174

Down 26.5% in its third weekend

 43rd biggest Universal Pictures second weekend between Bruno and The Addams Family (close to Mr Beans Holiday, Nanny McPhee & the Big Bang, Bridesmaids and Yesterday) and 49th biggest inflation inflated opening between Mrs. Brown’s Boys d’Movie and Pitch Perfect 3.

94th biggest Universal Pictures film in the UK between Hellboy 2: The Golden Army and Public Enemies (close to Get Him to the Greek, About Time, Bad Neighbours 2 and The Boat that Rocked) and 102nd biggest Universal Pictures film between The Danish Girl and Green Zone.

After 3 weeks taken 6%+ than Yesterday, 21%+ The Intern, 23%+ Crazy Rich Asians and almost 50%+ About Time.

While we might speak the same language in the UK as the US Last Christmas is another example that our taste in comedy is very different, while Last Christmas quickly dropped down the chart in the US it has held strong over the three weeks on release in the UK.

It is strange that while UK audiences are often more grownup than US with dramas and thrillers their taste in comedy is as it was over 20 years ago why shows like Mrs Browns Boys are still so popular as was the film a few years ago,  While audience keep failing for the twee Richard Curtis awkward predictable humour that hasn’t changed since Four Weddings and a Funeral 25 years ago.

As soon as the trailer was released comparisons were made with Love Actually and The Holiday and Last Christmas opened similar to The Holiday which similarly received poor reviews, but British audiences fell for it far more than US audiences.

3rd weekends

2003’s Love Actually dropped 31% £3,202,417 taking £21,079,416 58.5% of £36,026,147 (£58,583,059 inflation inflated)

2006’s The Holiday dropped 34% £1,054,447 taking £8,477,351 70.1% of £12,097,597

2008’s Four Christmases dropped 25% £1,130,188 taking £6,660,435 65.1% of £10,222,998

2001’s Serendipity dropped 56% £189,876 taking £1,805,094 90.8% of £1,986,773 (£3,464,855 inflation inflated)

2011’s Bridesmaid up 11% taking £2,227,589 and £12,440,066 55.7% of £22,318,130

 1989 is the 30th anniversary of the classic rom-com When Harry Met Sally and the 25th anniversary of Miracle on 34th Street remake.

Emilia Clarke was upset that spoilers were being revealed on social media about the film, but the title Last Christmas is the films biggest spoiler once you know the film features George Michael songs, as the next line is “I gave you my heat”… as the twist is Tom gave Kate her heart.

4. Blue Story – £850,427  – £2,905,192

Down 35.8% in its second weekend after being pulled from both Vue and Showcase cinemas last weekend Blue Story returned to Showcase Cinemas last Monday and into Vue Cinemas (with added security measures) on Friday, which seems to be having one evening performance in their cinemas.

While there was a concern ahead of the release of Joker that it might attract violence Blue Story was off the radar for exhibitors, this was seen by the fact it opened in smallest screens in multiplexes and opened in half the number of screens most other films in the top 10 were playing in,. Exhibitors eyes were fixated on Frozen 2 so it was a strange decision by Paramount Pictures to open the film against it, is a British film they weren’t tied to any specific date, so would be interesting to see why they choose November 22nd November?

Ahead of Blue Story’s release the film, had generated very little media coverage despite receiving positive reviews, the first most people had heard of it was after the violence at the cinema on Saturday and then it became global news.

Opening Blue Story against Frozen 2 meant cinema staff were overstretched which saw many underage children pay to see Frozen 2 and then sneak into Blue Story,. The film was always likely to play to a younger audience than its certificate but a 15 is the hardest for cinemas to control as many 12+ looks 15+, so my question is why BBFC rated the film 15, while content-wise it might be a 15 they should be culturally sensitive that the film would attract a younger audience so an older certificate was required. Had it been 18 cinemas could control audience better, while cinemas themselves could have implemented their own security measures as they often do with late-night screenings make them 18+ even with films like Frozen 2 screenings after 10pm are 18+.

Paramount Pictures surprisingly won Screen’s Distributor of the year award last week, while the studio has improved a lot over the last year they are still the fifth biggest studio currently in the UK after Disney, Universal, Warner and Sony, while Rocket Man did strongly at the box office it took less than half of Bohemian Rhapsody despite being a better-made film.

2020 will be a massive year for Paramount Pictures as after joining the studio in 2017 it will be the first complete slate of films made under Jim Gianopulos and is their strongest slate for almost a decade. Films including Sonic the Hedgehog, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, A Quiet Place 2, Top Gun: Maverick, Without Remorse, G.I Joe 3, The Tomorrow War and at the moment Coming to America 2 (but having recently dated The Tomorrow War for Christmas 2020 and Paramount selling Beverly Hills Cop 4 to Netflix its unlikely to be released in 2020,

It was surprising Paramount Pictures even announced a sequel to Coming to America as the first released in 1988 despite taking over $288m worldwide didn’t make a net profit according to accounts in the Buchwald v. Paramount lawsuit. Art Buchwald alleged that Eddie Murphy and Paramount Pictures stole his idea for Coming to America, he won the lawsuit and was awarded damages. Coming to America must have then made a profit if the studio is making a sequel?

While cinemas prepared for the arrival of Joker they were probably too busy thinking about Frozen 2 to possibly think Blue Story might find an audience, but as some compared the film to Boyz n the Hood and Menace II Society when both were released in US violence broke out in cinemas, there should have been similar concerns that Blue Story could do too.

Comparisons were also made to the trilogy of films made by Noel Clarke; 2008’s Adulthood taking £3.35m; 2016’s Brotherhood taking £3.70m.

5. Charlie’s Angels – £547,004   – NE

Had one of the lowest openings of a major distributor wide release in 2019 close to The Curse of La Llorona, The Aftermath, Tolkien and Little but none of them where films anywhere nearly as big. Despite underperforming in the US Sony Pictures still had a UK premiere and brought over Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska and Elizabeth Banks to promote the film.

Global day and date opening over the last decade has become the norm for most films, so it was surprising Sony Pictures choose to open Charlie’s Angels three weeks after US opening. Charlie’s Angels are the third sequel that has suffered from not having a global launch. Charlie’s Angels also suffered the same issues Sony Pictures had with Men In Black International earlier this year and 20^th Century Fox had with Independence Day: Resurgence in 2016 trying to launch a franchise without the stars that made the previous films successful.

In 2000 Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu were already successful starring in their own films (Cameron Diaz, The Mask, There’s Something About Mary and My Best Friend’s Wedding) Drew Barrymore (The Wedding Singer, Never Been Kissed and of course E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial) and Lucy Liu (starring in the hit TV comedy Ally McBeal)

2000’s Charlie’s Angels opened with £3.2m taking £12.9m and 2003’s Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle opened with £3.3m taking £12.4m.

The cast of 2019’s Charlie’s Angels has starred in successful films, but they weren’t successful because of them alone;

Actor/director Elizabeth Banks starred in The Hunger Games franchise and starred in Pitch perfect trilogy directing 2015’s Pitch Perfect 2 (opened with £5m taking £17.4m total).

Kristen Stewart starred in the very successful Twilight series but its seven years since the final part The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 taking £35.9m. The films she starred in since haven’t been anywhere nearly successful. While Naomi Scott starred as Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin earlier this year (opened £7.1m taking £36.2m) but as with the recent performance of Will Smith’s Gemini Man audiences came to see Aladdin because of the story rather than its cast.

In June Men In Black International was also poorly received but still managed to open with £2.82m taking £6.7m; had Charlie’s Angels opened day and date it would have opened stronger.

It used to be a film would open in the US and then months later open international at a date best suited for the film, but then day and date became the norm, but then a few films would open ahead of US like Marvel and James Bond films. While opening early internationally will often boost international box office it will hurt the US as seen with films like Terminator: Dark Fate and Doctor Sleep. As will holding back films that have negative buzz which Charlie’s Angel had since the trailers were poorly received.

After Charlie’s Angels. Men In Black International, Terminator: Dark Fate and Doctor Sleep underwhelmed must look worryingly at 2020 slate as it has many more sequels, remakes and reboots but without Disney’s big guns of Avengers sequels, Pixar sequels, major Disney reimaginations (Mulan wasn’t hugely successful) and Pixar sequels.

Need to ask who the target audience for long gap sequels including Bad Boys For Life opening 25 years after the first film (but does have Will Smith unlike Men In Black International and Independence Day: Resurgence) and Top Gun; Maverick 34 years after Top Gun was released. Paramount Pictures recently sold their long time in development Beverly Hills Cop 4 to Netflix but still have Coming to America 2 set for December 2020 32 years after the first film was released.

When I look at the sequels in 2020 it reminds me of 1990 which had many unnecessary sequels that failed to find an audience, next year cinemas have also to deal with European Championships in June/July with several games in the UK and Tokyo Olympics.

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £15,983,967 down 27.1% from last weekend £21,913,354

The weekend admissions 2,128,358 26.7% down from last weekend 2,906,560

16 films opened at weekend taking (£3,982,428); Knives Out 73.75% (£2,937,305); Charles Angels 13.7% (£547,004); remaining 14 films shared 12.5% (£498,119);

Top three took 83.2% (£13,303,449) of the top 10; Frozen 2 65.5% (£8,711,498); Knives Out 22.1% (£2,937,305); Last Christmas 12.4% (£1,654,646);

Up 3.8% from 2018: (£15,392,277); Ralph Breaks the Internet (£4,032,775); Creed 2 (£2,991,509); Disobedience (£193,907); Pokemon the Movie: The Power of Us (£177,750); The Possession of Hannah Grace (£113,537); #1 Ralph Breaks the Internet £4,032,775 1st week 613 screens (26.2% of top 10)

Up 62.1% from 2017: (£9,864,139); Wonder (£1,240,245); The Man Who Invented Christmas (£168,137); The Nutcracker – Bolshoi 2017 (£160,421); Happy End (£135,682); The Disaster Artist (£130,238); #1 Paddington 2 £2,883,617 4^th week 3^rd #1 37% drop 652 screens (29.2% of top 10)

Up 43.2% from 2016: (£11,160,568); Moana (£2,214,898); Sully: Miracle on the Hudson (£1,786,844); The Edge of Seventeen (£273,139); Bleed for This (£250,975); Blue Velvet (Re: 2016) (£16,880); Eat that Question (£1,468); #1 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them £4,494,727 3^rd week 649 screens 50% drop (40.3% of the top 10)

Up 8.4% from 2015; (£14,738,989); The Good Dinosaur (£2,926,448); Bridge of Spies (£1,682,392); Black Mass (£1,272,249); Carol (£540,632); Being A.P. (£49,867); Doctor Zhivago (Re: 2015) (£16,344); #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 £4,534,464 2^nd week 579 screens 60% drop (30.8% of top 10)

Up 4.9% from 2014: (£15,237,651); Paddington (£5,125,519); Horrible Bosses 2 (£1,257,808); 2001: A Space Odyssey (Re: 2014) (£69,567); I Am Ali (£8,131); #1 Paddington £5,125,519 1^st week 518 screens (33.6% of top 10)

Up 41.3 from 2013: (£11,314,366); Free Birds (£1,044,074); Saving Mr. Banks (£795,615); Carrie (£662,625); The Best Man Holiday (£128,503); #1 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire £5,525,476 2^nd week 55% drop 557 screens (48.8% of top 10)

Down 56.4% from 2012 (£10,220,354); Rise of the Guardians (£1,968,984); Great Expectations (£544,636); Alex Cross (£226,780); Sightseers (£213,066); Trouble with the Curve (£41,391); #1 Skyfall £2,275,469 6^th week 4^th #1 41% drop 532 screens (22.2% of top 10)

Up 51.5% from 2011 (£10,545,613); My Week with Marilyn (£749,819); 50/50 (£410,251); Dream House (£304,239); Moneyball (£230,848); The Deep Blue Sea (£108,767); Take Shelter (£83,982); #1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 £4,574,978 2^nd week 546 screens 67% drop (43.4% of top 10)

Up 29.2% from 2010: (£12,372,683); Unstoppable (£1,714,871); London Boulevard (£577,224); The American (£411,707); The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (£219,259); Machete (£90,423); #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 1 £8,344,776 2^nd week 581 screens 54% drop (67.4% of top 10)

Up 5.4% from 2009; (£15,162,202); Paranormal Activity (£3,593,762); Law Abiding Citizen (£1,488,143); Nativity (£794,314); Bunny and the Bull (£40,801); #1 The Twilight Saga: New Moon £4,303,257 2^nd week 504 screens 63% drop (28.4% of top 10)

Up 137.5% from 2008; (£6,730,148); Four Christmases (£2,275,585); Changeling (£1,225,548); What Just Happened? (£178,818); Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas 3D (£23,640); #1 Four Christmases £2,275,585 1^st week 434 screens (33.8% of top 10)

Up 134.6% from 2007: (£6,812,364); Fred Claus (£1,937,042); Hitman (£1,240,698); The Assassination of Jesse James (£180,886); This Christmas (£46,820); #1 Fred Claus £1,937,042 1^st week 445 screens (28.4% of top 10)

Up 29.4% from 2006; (£12,348,508); Flushed Away (£3,106,874); Deck the Halls (£600,047); Stranger than Fiction (£368,627); Big Nothing (£83,829); London to Brighton (£29,153); #1 Casino Royale £5,307,969 2^nd week 506 screens 38% drop (43% of top 10)

Up 6.4% from 2005 (£15,013,252); Flight Plan (£1,694,350); Exorcism of Emily Rose (£1,346,732); Mrs. Henderson Presents (£752,394); The Transporter 2 (£414,400); #1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire £9,275,599 2^nd week 536 screens (61.8% of top 10)

Up 3.7% from 2004 (£15,406,511); The Incredibles (£9,753,035); The Forgotten (£653,945); Beyond the Sea (£179,558); Enduring Love (£165,338); I Love Huckabees (£155,592); #1 The Incredibles £9,753,035 1^st week 494 screens (63.3% of top 10)

Up 22.1% from 2003 (£13,095,047); Elf (£4,538,440); Master and Commander (£1,845,125); Spin the Bottle (£95,533); #1 Love Actually £4,660,595 2^nd week 478 screens 30% drop (35.6% of top 10)

Up 28.7% from 2002 (£12,415,161); The Santa Clause 2 (£951,754); Enough (£340,600); The Quiet American (£240,552); #1 Die Another Day £5,364,433 2^nd week 431 screens 41% drop (43.2% of top 10)

Up 73.4% from 2001 (£9,215,665); Zoolander (£676,518); Bandits (£644,271); Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (£381,940); Ghosts of Mars (£104,723); The Devil’s Backbone (£45,145); #1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone £5,809,759 3^rd week 508 screens 31% drop (63.1% of top 10);

Next weekend in 2018: (£9,850,638); The Old Man & the Gun (£317,831); Sorry to Bother You (£250,453); The Nutcracker – ROH, London 2018/19 (£191,828); Die Hard (30th Anniversary) (£86,628); Tulip Fever (£49,539); The Snowman and the Snowdog (£18,135); White Boy Rick (£30,090); Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Re: 2018) (£1,375); #1 Ralph Breaks the Internet £2,446,583 2^nd week 39% drop 619 screens (24.8% of top 10)

Also Opened

• Eyes Wide Shut (20th Anniversary) – Park Circus

£16,629 from 54 screens

Re-release of Stanley Kubrick’s classic erotic mystery psychological drama he completed weeks before his death starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman the film had a 15 month shoot due to Stanley Kubrick’s perfectionism scenes required multiple takes.

Received positive reviews (75% Rotten Tomatoes); in 2015 BBC called it 61st greatest American film of all time.

Eyes Wide Shut opened in the UK in September 1999 opening #1 with £1,189,672 taking £5,065,520

Other Box Office Info

While last weekends box office was the biggest this decade surely with ticket inflation of over 50% from a decade ago it should be much more than only 5% increase on 2009 box office and 3.7% from 15 years ago?

Cineworld Cinemas reported lower than estimated box office in 2019 due to underperforming box office, the problem has been over the last few years the divide between the haves and the have nots. The bigger films are getting bigger box office Avengers: Endgame, The Lion King, Toy Story 4, Frozen 2 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker but the films below are being squeezed. The problem is cinemagoers have become much more selective in the films they will pay £15 to see and those they will wait to see on Netflix, with Disney+, Peacock and HBO Max launching next year studios will be pushing many more theatrically made films towards streaming as not worth the risk with a theatrical release.

Warner Bros has had huge success this autumn wit Joker but It Chapter 2 wasn’t nearly as successful as the first film while The Goldfinch and The Kitchen flopped and Motherless Brooklyn opening this weekend is unlikely to find a cinema audience willing to pay £15 to see it, but might if it was cheaper.  Many have suggested over the years different pricing tariffs for films, some said that British films should be cheaper, but should be lower pricing for non-megamovies, there is different tariffs for sporting events or music concerts so why not cinema?

 

 

UK Box Office Top 10

US Box office

• Frozen 2 – Disney

Dropped 34% in its second weekend taking $85.97m and $288.85m

2013’s Frozen took $67.39m in its second weekend (1^st weekend wide after opening with $243,390 from 1 screen) dropped 53.1% in the weekend after Thanksgiving taking $31.61m and $134.25m going on to take $400.73m in the US staying in the top 10 for 17 weeks taking $2m+ for all 17 weeks

Comparisons could be made with

2016’s Finding Dory opened with $135.06m taking $72.95m in its second weekend down 46% and $286.27m stayed in the top 10 for 7 weeks taking $1n+ for 9 weeks.

2018’s Incredibles 2 opened with $182.68m taking $80.34m in its second weekend down 56% and $349.79 stayed in top 10 for 8 weeks taking $1n+ for 13 weeks

Frozen 2 held much stronger in its second weekend due to Thanksgiving holidays and will likely drop upwards of 50% weekend after which has been historically a dead weekend.

Frozen took $1.274bn worldwide and in 2013 Frozen overtook Toy Story 3 to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time but was surpassed this year by The Lion King reimagination.

For the third time, Disney has taken over $3bn at the US box office (last year Disney took $3.09bn). With a slate of films including Avengers: Endgame ($858.3m), The Lion King ($543.6m), Toy Story 4 ($434m), Captain Marvel ($426.8m and Aladdin ($355.6m) it was always going to be a record-breaking year for Disney and take vastly more than rivals, but it will likely be a much more closely fought battle next year with Universal and Warner Bros having much stronger slates.

9^th biggest 2019 film in the US between Joker and It: Chapter Two;

17^th biggest animated film between Monsters, Inc. and Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch

99^th biggest film in the US between Monsters, Inc. and Home Alone and 38^th biggest Disney film between Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University; 236^th biggest inflation inflated between Hancock and National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Frozen 2 is unlikely to have the legs of the first film and faces much tougher competition with Jumanji: The Next Level, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and Spies In Disguise opening over the next few weeks. Frozen 2 will open up to 50% bigger than Frozen but will drop off much heavier.

Took $163.8m from 45 territories and $451m international and $738.6m worldwide; China $90.5m; Korea $61.2m; Japan $38.3m; UK $35m; Germany $26.1m; France $24.7m; Mexico $17m; Russia $13.7m; Philippines $12.2m; Indonesia $11.1m; Spain $10.4m;

22^nd biggest animated film worldwide between Monsters University and Up; 108^th biggest film worldwide between Monsters University and The Matrix Reloaded and 36^th biggest Disney film worldwide between Monsters University and Up.

• Knives Out – Lionsgate

Opened with $26.76m and $41.41m over 5 days; received positive reviews (96% Rotten Tomatoes) A- CinemaScore

Opened very close to 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express (opened with $28.68m taking $102.82m in the US and $252.78m) Knives Out was inspired Agatha Christie star ensemble films.

It is the first film Rian Johnson has directed since the polarised Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Prior to directing The Last Jedi Rian Johnson was best known for directing indie films including Brick, The Brothers Bloom and Looper (opened $20.8m taking $66.48m and $176.5m.

Opened with $28.3m from 53 territories; China $13.5m; 2. UK $3.8m; Russia $2m; Australia $1.9m; France $1.5m

• Queen & Slim – Universal Pictures

Opened with $11.89m and $16m over its 5-day opening; received positive reviews 84% Rotten Tomatoes) and A- CinemaScore

• Ford v Ferrari – 20th Century Fox

Dropped 16.2% in its third weekend taking $13.16m and $81.03m

Ford Vs Ferrari will shortly overtake Alita: Battle Angel to become 20^th Century Fox’s biggest film of the year and will shortly also become their first $100m+ film since Bohemian Rhapsody.

30^th biggest 2019 film between Good Boys and Men in Black: International; 121^st biggest 20^th Century Fox film in the US between The Post and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials.

Ford v Ferrari was always the diamond in a rough of 20^th Century Fox 2019 slate and the one likely to be their biggest film of the year as it is a genre of films the studio has had much success this century targetting older demographics including

3^rd weekends

2005’s Walk the Line dropped 50.4% taking $9.53m and $68.29m taking $119.51m total and $186.43m worldwide

2013’s Rush dropped 55.3% taking $4.47m and $18.16m taking $26.94m and $90.24m worldwide

2015’s Bridge of Spies dropped 26.2% taking $8.38m and $45.53m and $72.31m and $165.47m worldwide

2016’s Sully dropped 37.5% taking $13.53m and $92.1m and $125.07m and $240.79m worldwide

2012’s Argo dropped 26.5% taking $12.08m and $60.51m and $136.02m and $232.32m worldwide

Ford v Ferrari is James Mangold’s first film since 2017’s Logan and 5th film he has directed for 20th Century Fox (Walk the Line, Knight and Day, The Wolverine and Logan) and Matt Damon’s 9th (1996’s Courage Under Fire was one of his first major roles) and is his first major role since Downsizing, Suburbicon and The Great Wall).

Took $10.2m from 48 territories $62.3m and $143.3m worldwide; Russia $8.8m; UK $6.7m; France $6.3m; Australia $5m; Mexico $4.1m; Italy $3m; Germany $2.9m; Spain $2.1m

64^th biggest 2019 international film between Angel Has Fallen and The Hustle and 48^th biggest 2019 film worldwide between The Angry Birds Movie 2 and Angel Has Fallen; 165^th biggest 20^th Century Fox film international between Hidden Figures and The Thin Red Line and 152^nd biggest 20^th Century Fox film worldwide between Red Sparrow and Anastasia.

• A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood – Sony Pictures

Dropped 11.1% in its second weekend taking $11.77m and $34.29m

Holding similar to Tom Hanks 2015’s Bridge of Spies taking $11.37m in its second weekend dropping 26% and $32.59m taking $72.31m and $165.47m worldwide.

Sony Pictures will need award nominations to help the film find an international audience as Fred Rogers isn’t well known outside the US it would be like selling a biopic about Phillip Schofield to US audiences.

Documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbour? about Fred Rogers performed strongly taking $22.84m last year. 

• Last Christmas – Universal Pictures

Dropped 35.2% in its fourth weekend taking $2m and $31.68m

67^th biggest 2019 film between Cold Pursuit and Doctor Sleep; 2,669^th biggest film I the US between The Shadow and Push and 3,592^nd biggest inflation inflated between The Fourth Kind and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo.

Fourth weekends

2003’s Love Actually took $8.21m down 4.9% taking $43.39m of $59.69m and $244.93m worldwide

2006’s The Holiday took $6.71m up 38.8% taking $50.02m of $63.22m and $205.13m worldwide

2008’s Four Christmases took $7.7m down 41.1% taking $100.1m of $120.14m and $163.73m  worldwide

2001’s Serendipity took $3.81m down 30% taking $40.03m of $50.29m and $77.51m worldwide

2000’s The Family Man took $5.71m 37.4% drop taking $64.32m of $75.79m and $124.74m worldwide

1989 is the 30th anniversary of the classic rom-com When Harry Met Sally took $7.85m in its third weekend down 11.2% taking $24.15m of $92.82m and the 25th anniversary of Miracle on 34th Street remake took $2.01m down 46.9% and $10.73m taking $17,320,136).

Director Paul Feig fourth weekends

2018’s A Simple Favour took $3.42m 47.6% drop and $49m of $53.54m and $97.62m worldwide

2015’s Spy took $7.91m 29.5% drop and $88.46m of $110.82m and $232.58m worldwide

2013’s The Heat took $9.3m 33.6% drop and $129.27m of $159.58m and $229.72m worldwide

2011’s Bridesmaids took $12.04m 27.3% drop and $107.16m $169.21m and $289.63m worldwide

Took $8m from 40 territories internationally and $36.2m total and $67.9m worldwide; 269^th biggest Universal Pictures film worldwide between Skyline and Prime; 80^th biggest film worldwide of 2019 between What Men Want and Doctor Sleep and 225^th biggest Universal Pictures internationally between Death Race and A Walk Among the Tombstones.

• Joker – Warner Bros

Dropped 48.3% in its ninth weekend taking $1.3m and $332m;

After the success of Joker Warner Bros plan to make more R-rated comic-book films with next year’s Birds of Prey and James Gunn’s 2021 Suicide Squad both expected to be R-rated. This allows DC comic-book movies to be different to the MCU which is unlikely to go R -rated with any of their films as they don’t fit into the current universe and Disney+.

64th biggest film in the US between Guardians of the Galaxy and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 177^th biggest inflation inflated between It Chapter One and True Lies; 7^th biggest Warner Bros film in the US between Aquaman and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

4^th biggest Warner Bros film worldwide between The Dark Knight Rises and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; 4^th biggest Warner Bros film internationally between Aquaman and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

3^rd biggest DC film worldwide after Aquaman and The Dark Knight Rises and 12^th biggest comic-book film worldwide between The Dark Knight Rises and The Dark Knight

Took $4.6m internationally from 72 territories and $717.7m internationally and $1.048bn worldwide;  UK: $71.9m; France: $46.4m; Japan: $45.5m; Mexico: $43.8m; Germany: $40m; Korea: $37.9m; Brazil: $37.5m; Italy: $32.7m; Spain: $32.2m; Russia: $30.2m; Australia: $26.9m; Indonesia: $13.5m;

In the UK Joker is the 22^nd biggest film and Warner Bros biggest film in the UK since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and their third biggest film in the UK

7^th biggest 2019 film worldwide between Aladdin and Hobbs & Shaw and 35th biggest film worldwide between Aladdin and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides; 12th biggest comic-book film worldwide between The Dark Knight Rises and The Dark Knight.

• Jojo Rabbit – Fox Searchlight

Dropped 57 screens down to 730 screens in its seventh weekend 23.8% drop taking $1.2m and $16.35m

Jojo Rabbit is holding similar to last years The Favourite but after four strong weekends dropped for a second weekend, there was always the concern that JoJo Rabbit would repeat similar mistakes of expanding for too wide too quickly and then lose those screens as it has done. Will be interesting to see if JoJo Rabbit continues to expand this weekend or Fox Searchlight will wait until after Thanksgiving.

7th-weekend expansions

2018’s The Favourite dropped 39 20 screens to 771 taking $1,903,292 and $19,297,628 #13; took 11 weeks to expand into its widest 1,554 screens going on to take $34,366,783 and played in cinemas for over 16 weeks.

2017’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri dropped 637 screens to 307 screens taking $525,491 #21 down 66.9% and $22,741,110; took 5 weeks to expand into widest 1,620 screens going on to take $54,513,740 and played in cinemas for over 20 weeks.

2017’s The Shape of Water dropped 81 screens to 723 taking $2,835,459 #13 down 9.7% and $26,557,351; took 10 weeks to expand into widest 2,341 screens going on to take $63,859,435 and played in cinemas for over 18 weeks.

2015’s Brooklyn added dropped 333 screens to 614 taking $1,176,593 #13 41% drop and $16,495,006; taking 6 weeks to expand into 947 screens going on to take $38,322,743 and played in cinemas for over 20 weeks.

2014’s Birdman dropped 152 screens to 862 taking $1,874,369 #9 up 1.1% and $17,220,426; took 8 weeks to expand into 738 screens (expanded into 1,213 screens after Oscar win) going on to take $42,340,598 and played in cinemas for over 20 weeks.

2013’s 12 Years A Slave dropped 309 screens to 1,165 taking $2,305,038 #13 18.7% drop and $33,155,242; took 6 weeks to expand into widest 1,474 screens going on to take $56,671,993 and played in cinemas for over 25 weeks.

Fox Searchlight has had many successful Oscar winners that also started on platform, but they had a much wider target demographic before opening (Juno, Slumdog Millionaire, Black Swan, The Descendants, Sideways and The Full Monty) JoJo Rabbit’s not yet that must-see Oscar contender receiving a polarised critical reaction.

UK Box Office Predictions

This weekend is the calm before the storm with no major wide releases (Jumanji: The Next Level does have weekend previews but won’t be reported until its official opening next weekend). Frozen 2 will hold #1 taking £4.5m-£5m with Knives Out holding strongly in second and Last Christmas in third. 

The rest of the chart its harder to place as Charlies Angels will surely drop heavily but newcomers Friends 25th: The One With The Anniversary and Motherless Brooklyn are harder to calculate as while Friends has been hugely popular for the last 25 years why would you pay £10+ to see something you can see at home for free.

Likewise, Motherless Brooklyn is likely to perform similar to The Kitchen and The Goldfinch bur just because there is a lack of commercial content outside the top 4 it might chart higher than expected. While charting higher the bottom 5 are all likely to take less than half of third-placed film.

Les Miserables: The Staged Concert had screenings on Monday #1 at the box office and has encore screenings at the weekend which could also be included in the top 10-weekend box office.

Opening in UK Next Week

• Jumanji: The Next Level – Sony Pictures

Fantasy adventure and second sequel to Jumanji and follow-up to 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (fourth film of the franchise) starring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser’Darius Blain, and Madison Iseman, Awkwafina, Danny Glover, and Danny DeVito and directed by Jake Kasdan.

When the remake was first announced in August 2015 internet response was negative with many saying it was too soon after Robin Williams death. The casting of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart of eased some of that negativity but then when the first picture was released in September was an outcry over Karen Gillan’s revealing costume, are the criticism the filmmakers said the film would explain why she is wearing the outfit. 

The original film opened in February 1996 with £2.1m taking £13.41m; 2002 film Zathura as also marketed as spiritual sequel to Jumanji with the tagline “A new adventure from the world of Jumanji” the film received positive reviews from critics but flopped at the box office opened in February 2006 with £1.31m taking £4.11m.

2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle had weekend previews two weeks ago ahead of release due to Star Wars; The Last Jedi opening the week earlier taking £2.1m having a total opening of £8,154,548 which also included £2.04m from Weds/Thurs previews having a 7-day opening weekend in total. Welcome to the Jungle opened second to the second weekend of Star Wars: The Last Jedi taking £10,158,640 but dropped 64%.

Jumanji: The Next Level has a similar 7 day opening weekend having weekend previous this weekend December 7^th/8^th and then opening on December 11^th but this time opens the week before Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

• Black Christmas – Universal Pictures

Teen horrors always suffer at the box office in the UK as they get PG-13 certificates in the US but 15s in the UK like Happy Death Day, Truth or Dare, Happy Death Day 2U and Ouija. They perform well in the UK but find themselves without an audience in the UK as they are stuck in the middle without an audience.

Opening in US Next Week

• Jumanji: The Next Level – Sony Pictures

2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle opened with $36.16m (including $1.86m from previews) opening #2 to Star Wars: The Last Jedi taking $404.51m in the US and $962.07m worldwide

The sequel Jumanji: The Next Level opens the weekend before Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was tracking to open with $40m+ and will see the Star Wars sequel but the first Star Wars film since Attack of the Clones in 2002 to have direct competition (Spider-Man). With all films since rival studios have kept their distance for Star Wars so will be interesting to see how Jumanji: The Next Level holds in its second weekend.

Since starring in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle has starred in Dwayne Johnson has starred in Rampage opened $35.75m taking $101.02m in the US and $428.02m worldwide

Skyscraper opened $24.9m taking $68,42m in the US and $304.86m worldwide

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw opened $60.03m taking $173.81m in the US and $758.91m worldwide

Will be seen next in Disney’s Jungle Cruise next summer and Red Notice for Netflix and then Shazam spinoff Black Adam

Jumanji opened in December 1995 with $11.08m would be the equivalent of $23m today (n 1995 average ticket price was $4.35 compared to $8.95 today). Taking $100.47m would be over $200m today; Welcome to the Jungle is tracking to open with $60m for its opening 5-day weekend.

Zathura opened 10 years later with $13.42m (showing in 10 years how ticket prices had dramatically increased) taking only $29.25m.

• Black Christmas – Universal Pictures

Slasher horror remake of the 1974 Canadian film Black Christmas starring Imogen Poots, Aleyse Shannon, Lily Donoghue and Brittany O’Grady and directed by Sophia Takal produced by Blumhouse Productions.

Blumhouse Productions has had success with teen girl horrors including Happy Death Day, Truth or Dare, Happy Death Day 2U and Ouija and with limited mainstream competition this weekend and being Friday the 13^th should have a decent opening weekend before being cannibalized over the weeks over Christmas.

• Bombshell – Lionsgate

Drama starring Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie, John Lithgow, Kate McKinnon, Connie Britton, Malcolm McDowell, and Allison Janney and directed by Jay Roach.  

The film was originally developed by Annapurna Pictures but in October 2018 they dropped the project due to budget concerns and Lionsgate acquired the film

Opens on limited release on December 13^th and then opens wide on December 20^th.

Bombshell has received strong Oscar buzz since the film was screened in October for the strong performances of the three female leads Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie all expected to receive Oscar nominations.

Its competition will be Greta Gerwig’s  remake of Little Women opening week afterwards which has received critical acclaim, but for me, the previous remake In 1994 was practically perfect in every way from the cast to the stunning score by Thomas Newman

• Richard Jewell – Warner Bros

Biographical drama starring Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, and Olivia Wilde and directed by Clint Eastwood based on 1997 article “American Nightmare: The Ballad of Richard Jewell” by Marie Brenner, published in Vanity Fair.  

Had its world premiere at AFI Fest on November 20^th receiving positive reviews.

Richard Jewell was one of the many projects 20th Century Fox developed that was put into turnaround by Disney after the acquired the studio and Warner Bros acquired. The film began development in 2014 when Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill were going to produce the film with Jonah Hill starring as Richard Jewell with Paul Greengrass directing, he left the project and moved on to News of the World also in development at 20^th Century Fox but moved to Universal Pictures with Tom Hanks starring, now dated for December 2020 release.

The film started shooting in June with a trailer released in October, Clint Eastwood doesn’t hang around with his films they are quickly turned out.

Clint Eastwood is 89 years old but keeps making films Richard Jewell is the 8 film he has directed over the last 9 years having huge success with 2014’s American Sniper and 2016’s Sully with his last 2018’s The Mule taking over $100m

Richard Jewell is Clint Eastwood’s 37^th film he has directed over 48 years taking $1.99bn in the US and $3.32bn worldwide; Richard Jewell is his 11^th film in arrow for Warner Bros since 2008’s Gran Torino.

Tracking to open between $8m-$12m which would be less than to last years The Mule (opened $17.5m) but similar to The 15:17 to Paris ($12.55m).

• Uncut Gems – A24

Crime thriller starring Adam Sandler, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, Lakeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, and Eric Bogosian and directed by Josh and Benny Safdie; had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival received critical acclaim (94% Rotten Tomatoes); was also the Surprise Film at the London Film Festival

The film is executive produced by Emma Tillinger Koskoff (Joker) and Martin Scorsese,

Netflix has international rights and will release it early next year.

• A Hidden Life – Fox Searchlight

Historical drama starring August Diehl, Valerie Pachner, with both Michael Nyqvist and Bruno Ganz and written and directed by Terrence Malick; had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival receiving positive reviews (79% Rotten Tomatoes) were Fox Searchlight acquired rights.

Was surprising despite recent Terrence Malick films underperforming at the box office it was Fox Searchlight’s first film they acquired since being acquired by Disney as while the film received positive reviews it will have a very limited audience. Was probably more acquired to be another prestige film that is Oscar bait but paying $14m for rights, they are unlikely to turn a profit.

The film began production in summer 2016 and was in the editing room for over 2 years; the film is also the directors longest film at 2hrs 53 mins

The 8 films Terrence Malick directed have taken $89.21m in the US and $226.68m worldwide since 1978 his biggest film is 1998’s The Thin Red Line taking $36.4m in the US and $97.7m worldwide

His last three films have taken less than $1m with 2011’s Tree of Life taking only $13.1m

• Seberg – Amazon Studios

Political thriller starring Kristen Stewart, Jack O’Connell, Margaret Qualley, Zazie Beetz, Anthony Mackie and Vince Vaughn and directed by Benedict Andrews; had world premiere at the Venice Film Festival receiving mixed reviews (44% Rotten Tomatoes).

Amazon Studios acquired US rights in February and Universal Pictures acquired international rights in August