- Mufasa: The Lion King £2,201,919 – £24,023,259
Down 32.7% in its fourth weekend
Took £325k 14.8% (-71.5% £1.14m) Friday; £1.06m 48.2% (-15.9% £1.26m) Sat; £816k 37.1% (-60.5% £869k) Sun.
86th biggest fourth weekend between Die Another Day and The Dark Knight Rises (close to Mary Poppins Returns, A Bug’s Life, The Golden Compass and King Kong) and 181st inflated fourth weekend between The Secret Life of Pets and Evita (close to The Greatest Showman, Nanny McPhee, Home Alone and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).
Fourth weekends
1994’s The Lion King dropped 56.8% £1,173,493/£2,877,766 and £15,177,771 67.4% of £22,525,524/£55,239,516
Disney’s reimagination sequels have failed to repeat success.
2013’s Maleficent dropped 38.2% £970,381 and £15,230,777 78.3% of £19,453,353; Sequel 2019’s Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil dropped 49% £1,025,043 and £13,074,572 88.5% of £14,773,607.
2010’s Alice in Wonderland dropped 48.5% £2,496,673/£3,344,283 and £34,817,788 82.6% of £42,169,542; sequel 2016’s Alice Through The Looking Glass dropped 49.8% £418,384 and £8,992,310 90.7% of £9,915,284.
The biggest Disney re-imagination fourth weekends:
2017’s Beauty and the Beast dropped 59.1% £2,759,448/£2,936,288 and £58,485,266 80.8% of £72,430,579
2019’s The Lion King dropped 15.3% £4,366,824 and £59,913,197 78.9% of £75,938,299/£83,826,626
2010’s Alice in Wonderland dropped 48.5% £2,496,673/£3,344,283 and £34,817,788 82.6% of £42,169,542
2016’s The Jungle Book dropped 62.9% £2,139,629/£2,301,328 and £36,835,516 79.7% of £46,235,032
2019’s Aladdin dropped 26.7% £2,881,535 and £30,419,724 82.9% of £36,710,978
2023’s The Little Mermaid dropped 37.7% £1,323,769 and £22,028,857 80.8% of £27,275,784
Disney have two more reimaginations set for release in 2025 Snow White and Lilo & Stitch with Moana set for release in 2026 and Tangled in development.
217th biggest between Uncharted and Borat (close to The Sixth Sense, Hancock, The Hunger Games and Wreck-It Ralph) and 432nd biggest inflated between Sleeping With The Enemy and Philadelphia (close to Trolls, Sliding Doors, Pocahontas and Lilo & Stitch).
- 2. Nosferatu £1,992,465 – £8,825,009
Dropped 62% in its second weekend. (36% without previews)
Took £554k 27.8% (-46.2% £1.03m) Friday; £898k 45.1% (-29.3% £1.26m) Saturday; £540k 27.1% (-61.4% £769k) Sunday.
470th biggest second weekend between Everest and Epic (close to The Silence of the Lambs, Split, The Final Destination and Terminator 2: Judgement Day) and 803rd biggest second weekend inflated between Rise of the Guardians and The Spiderwick Chronicles (close to Final Destination 2, Shaun of the Dead, 28 Days Later and The Conjuring).
20th biggest second weekend over the last 52 weeks between Alien: Romulus and Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire (close to Venom: The Last Dance, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Bad Boys: Ride or Die and A Quiet Place: Day One)
2022’s The Northman dropped 22.4% £696,833 and £2,359,184 50.5% of £4,349,002
2016’s The Witch took £883,088 and 2020’s The Lighthouse took £384,284
1993’s Bram Stoker Dracula dropped 30.3% £1,840,433/£4,540,881 and £6,188,535 53.6% of £11,548,429/£28.5m.
While the last Dracula film was part of Universal Pictures Dark Universe shared monster universe 2014’s Dracula Untold dropped 50.5% £847,958 and £3,519,514 79% of £4,454,648/£5,250,121
847th biggest between Prince of Persia and Before Sunset (close to Scary Movie 3, Final Destination 3, Elysium and Total Recall (1990) and 1,361st biggest inflated between Last Action Hero and Lethal Weapon (close to The Fly, The Amityville Horror, Annabelle and The Running Man).
Nosferatu has taken more than all of last year’s horrors; the previous biggest Longlegs were £8.1m.
Universal Pictures have seven more horror films set for release this year including The Wolfman opening this weekend from Blumhouse and then Jaume Collet-Serra’s The Woman In The Yard (March), Christopher Landon’s Drop (April) and Justin Tipping’s Him (September), and M3GAN 2.0 (June), The Black Phone 2 (October) and Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 (December).
- 3. Sonic The Hedgehog 3 £1,497,794 – £20,921,886
Down 44% in its third weekend
Took £150k 10% (-84.7% £979k) Friday; £898k 45.1% (-29.3% £994k) Saturday; £599k 40% (18.5% £699k) Sunday.
374th biggest third weekend between American Pie: The Wedding and Flubber (close to Lilo & Stitch, Kung Fu Panda, The Muppets and Justice League) and 638th biggest third weekend inflated between Over The Hedge and Black Widow (close to Freaky Friday, Stuart Little 2, Into the Woods and Total Recall (1990).
Third weekends
2020’s Sonic The Hedgehog dropped 53.5% £2,181,550 and £17,215,552 89.3% of £18,986,844 over 5 weeks before COVID lockdown
2022’s Sonic The Hedgehog 2 dropped 29.5% £2,121,438 and £16,391,816 62.61% of £26,182,692
281st biggest between Iron Man 2 and Fantastic Beasts 3 (close to Aquaman, Monsters vs. Aliens, Doctor Dolittle and Peter Rabbit 2) and 527th biggest inflated between The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (close to Kung Fu Panda 2, Hotel Transylvania 3, Sister Act and Beverly Hills Cop).
- 4. We Live In Time £1,347,254 – £5,222,238
Down 52.6% in its second weekend (19% without previews)
Took £378k 28.1% (-30.1% £547k Friday; £578k 42.9% (-12.6% £661k) Saturday; £391k 29% (-48.1% £647k) Sunday.
777th biggest second weekend between Annie (2014) and The LEGO Ninjago Movie (close to The Lost City, Ghost, Ticket To Paradise and Jerry Maguire) and 1,264th inflated biggest second weekend between Encanto and Species (close to We’re the Millers, Days Of Thunder, The Heartbreak Kid and The Time Traveller’s Wife).
32nd biggest second weekend over the last 52 weeks between Garfield and Longlegs (close to Joker: Folie à Deux, Red One, One Life and Wicked Litle Letters).
John Crowley previously directed 2003’s Intermission took £2,141,314/£3,819,641 and 2019’s The Goldfinch took £320,849.
2015’s Brooklyn dropped 24.9% £782,363 and £2,782,461 55.9% of £4,981,577/£5,472,135
2010’s Love and Other Drugs dropped 49.7% £807,912 and £3,584,886 68% of £5,272,800/£7,018,584
2011’s One Day dropped 52.5% £1,048,343 and £4,994,696 62.2% of £8,024,165/£10,487,028
2014’s The Fault in Our Stars dropped 50.5% £1,699,690 and £6,697,519 60.8% of £11,006,752/£12,972,243
2013’s About Time dropped 38% £1,092,192 and £3,895,293 51.2% of £7,602,017/£9,220,211
2004’s The Notebook dropped 47.5% £162,517/£785,209 70.8% of £1,109,047/£1,956,270
2024’s It Ends With Us dropped 37.2% £2,834,201 and £11,384,454 53.6% £21,241,321
1,397th biggest between Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa and Naked Gun 33 1/3 The Final Insult (close to Love and Other Drugs, Eyes Wide Shut, Good Morning Vietnam and Get Shorty) and 1,963rd biggest inflated between Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story and The Purge: Anarchy (close to 10 Things I Hate About You, Dave, About Schmidt and The Secret of My Success).
- 5. Babygirl £1,091,180 – NE
Took £330k 30.25% Friday; £419k 38.41% Saturday; £342k 31.35% Sunday.
1,604th biggest opening between The Vow and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (close to Game Night, Galaxy Quest, Sleepless in Seattle and Man Called Otto) and 2,239th biggest inflated opening between Police Academy 6 and Message in a Bottle (close to Wall Street, Side Effects, Family Business and From Dusk Till Dawn).
52nd biggest in the last 52 weeks opening between Trap and The Bikeriders (close to Longlegs, Priscilla, The Bikeriders and A Real Pain)
Erotic thrillers, apart from the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, have struggled to find a wide audience over recent years, but that was due to the huge popularity of the books and the strong female audience.
Over recent years Nicole Kidman has starred in many TV shows including Nine Perfect Strangers, Lioness, The Undoing and Faraway Downs, Babygirl is her first leading role since starring in 2020’s Bombshell.
Similar films to Babygirl include.
1995’s To Die For opened £390,761/£889,318 96 screens taking £2,047,804/£4,660,519
1999’s Eyes Wide Shut opened £1,189,672/£2,238,053 344 screens taking £5,244,320/£9,865,799
Similar films include.
1988’s Fatal Attraction opened £904,240/£3,113,731 201 screens taking £15,441,564/£53,172,690
1995’s Disclosure opened £1,659,674/£3,777,189 349 screens taking £7,857,594/£17,882,800
2024’s Challengers opened £1,607,094 699 screens taking £6,357,926
2015’s The Boy Next Door opened £406,174 taking £817,282
2024’s Anora opened £509,005 #6 344 screens taking £1,672,928
2024’s Nightbitch opened £133,977 #9 98 screens
Director Halina Reijn said her inspiration for Babygirl was the erotic thrillers of the 1980s and 1990s including 1993’s Indecent Proposal (opened £1,547,925/£3,819,179 taking £11,885,752/£29,325,594) and 1992’s Basic Instinct (opened £2,168,649/£5,350,685 taking £15,480,560/£38,195,027); Halina Reijn previously directed 2022’s Bodies Bodies Bodies opened £351,159 521 screens taking £916,909.
Also Opened
- A Real Pain – Disney/Searchlight
£999,818 #6 from 446 screens
Took £293,401 from previews Weds/Thurs
Took £182k 18.22% Friday; £307k 30.73% Saturday; £305k 30.53% Sunday.
1,723rd biggest opening between Funny People and Happy Death Day (close to The Nice Guys, Nightcrawler, Crocodile Dundee and The Death of Stalin) and 2,345th biggest inflated opening between Balls of Fury and The Hate U Give (close to Awakenings, Doc Hollywood, Arlington Road and Extreme Measures).
55th biggest in the last 52 weeks opening between Terrifier 3 and The Beekeeper (close to All Of Us Strangers, The Bikeriders, Fly Me to the Moon and The Holdovers)
Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January receiving critical acclaim; named one of the top ten films of 2024 by the National Board of Review and the AFI. Opened in the US in November as so many films had a strong two weeks on a platform but then struggled to find a wider audience after expansion taking $6.65m.
Similar films to A Real Pain include.
2006’s Little Miss Sunshine opened £349,810/£568,890 114 screens taking £2,777,576/£4,517,126
2002’s The Royal Tenenbaums opened £700,025/£1,292,354 159 screens taking £2,674,161/£4,936,913
2008’s Dan in Real Life opened £603,860/£919,725 348 screens taking £1,469,782/£2,238,591
2007’s The Darjeeling Limited opened £435,198/£682,528 192 screens taking £1,323,698/£2,075,978
2014’s This Is Where I Leave You opened £109,425
2016’s Captain Fantastic opened £280,614
2012’s The Descendants opened £1,797,939/£2,235,428 403 screens taking £7,499,805/£9,324,718
1988’s Planes, Trains and Automobiles opened £247,856/£853,487 145 screens taking £1,757,962/£6,053,504
The film’s title A Real Pain describes how the lead characters were dealing with A Real Pain and the other was being a real pain.
• Maria – Studiocanal
Opened £509,328 #10 from 400 screens.
Includes £125,766 previews
Biographical about opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie and directed by Pablo Larraín.
It is the third film in a trilogy of 20th-century women directed by Pablo Larraín after 2017’s Jackie (opened £662,900 197 screens taking £3,032,732) and 2021’s Spencer (opened £698,065 183 screens taking £2,825,527)
Premiered at the Venice Film Festival receiving positive reviews; it had a limited release in the US in November before being released on Netflix in December.
- Se7en (30th Anniversary) – Warner
Opened £143,394 #15 357 screens.
As with many anniversaries while it’s the 30th anniversary of Seven in the US it’s the 29th anniversary in the UK as it was originally released in January 1996 with £2,628,821/£5,627,098 from 312 screens taking £19,516,175/£41,775,164.
UK box office in detail
The weekend’s top 10 box office took £11,156,615 down 43.2% from last weekend’s £19,627,945: 1,472,973 admissions down 43.2% from 2,478,276 admissions.
22nd biggest weekend between of the last 52 weeks between 21 June 2024 #1 Inside Out 2 £7,762,903 (68.96%) and 19 December 2024 #1 Mufasa: The Lion King £4,415,961 (39.65%)
74th biggest since cinemas reopened out of 217 weeks between 06 January 2023 #1 Avatar: The Way of Water £5,870,063 (52.36%) and 19 December 2024 #1 Mufasa: The Lion King £4,415,961 (39.65%)
514th biggest top 10 of the last 22 years (out of 1,188) between 23 September 2016 #1 Bridget Jones’s Baby £6,453,799 (57.82%) and 19 December 2024 #1 Mufasa: The Lion King £4,415,961 (39.65%) and 825th inflated between 31 May 2002 £6,007,556 #1 Star Wars Ep II – Attack of the Clones £2,442,698 (40.66%) and 19 August 2005 £6,589,529 #1 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory £1,691,431 (25.67%)
The top 3 took (£5,692,178) 51% of the top 10; Mufasa: The Lion King 19.7% (£2,201,919); Nosferatu 17.9% (£1,992,465); Sonic The Hedgehog 3 13.3% (£1,497,794)
1,086th biggest percentage share #1 (19.74%) between 11 September 2009 #1 District 9 £1,184,392 (19.84%) and 09 January 2009 #1 Role Models £2,330,145 (19.64%)
1,025th biggest admissions #1 (278,020) between 07 March 2008 #1 Vantage Point £1,454,636 (279,738) and 29 June 2018 #1 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom £2,001,876 (277,268)
Down 19% from 2024; (£9,374,860); Poor Things (£1,819,563); The Beekeeper (£956,380); The Boys In The Boat (£270,297); #1 Wonka £2,227,606 6th weekend 703 screens 41% drop (23.76% of top 10)
Down 10.5% from 2023; (£12,465,200); M3gan (£2,356,357); Empire Of Light (£1,721,921); Varisu (£648,230); Tar (£394,649); #1 Avatar: The Way of Water £4,172,161 5th week 659 screens down 29% (33.47% of top 10).
Up 32.2% 2022 (£8,436,218); Scream (£2,468,510); #1 Spider-Man No Way Home £3,215,166 5th week 28% drop 679 screens (38.1% of top 10)
2021 Lockdown
Down 38% 2020; (£17,977,081); 1917 (£7,446,302); Wozzeck – Met Opera 2020 (£112,187); Seberg (£47,992); #1 1917 £7,446,302 1st week 683 screens (41.4% of top 10)
Down 15.7% from 2019: (£13,204,230); Stan and Ollie (£2,578,838); Colette (£788,432); The Upside (£681,422); Adriana Lecouvreur Met Opera 2019 (£184,460); The Front Runner (£87,699); #1 Stan and Ollie £2,578,838 1st week 654 screens (19.5% of top 10)
Down 33.8% from 2018; (£16,859,941); Darkest Hour (£4,058,356); Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (£2,361,782); Insidious: The Last Key (£1,840,992); Eric Clapton: A Life in 12 Bars (£183,051); #1 Darkest Hour £4,058,356 1st week 605 screens (24.1% of the top 10)
Down 20.6% 2017: (£14,046,174); La La Land (£6,596,256); Manchester by the Sea (£729,478); Live by Night (£698,218); The Bye Bye Man (£535,492); Underworld: Blood Wars (£349,301); Sherlock: The Final Problem (£322,253); #1 La La Land £6,596,256 1st week 606 screens (47% of top 10)
Down 28.5% 2016: (£15,591,252); The Revenant (£5,235,851); Creed (£2,221,758); Room (£674,033); #1 The Revenant £5,235,851 1st week 589 screens (33.6% of top 10)
Down 38.1% 2015; (£18,016,196); Taken 3 (£6,714,530); Into the Woods (£2,476,409); Foxcatcher (£877,408); #1 Taken 3 £6,714,530 1st week 483 screens (37.2% of top 10)
Down 13.8% 2014: (£12,936,654); 12 Years a Slave (£2,511,349); The Railway Man (£1,230,483); Delivery Man (£1,102,433); #1 12 Years a Slave £2,511,349 1st week 207 screens (19.4% of top 10)
Down 44.1% 2013: (£19,963,299); Les Miserables (£8,127,991); Gangster Squad (£2,090,614); Texas Chainsaw 3D (£1,247,735); #1 Les Miserables £8,127,991 1st week 589 screens (40.7% of top 10)
Down 11.3% 2012: (£12,582,954); War Horse (£3,944,746); The Darkest Hour (£740,773); Shame (£535,288); Margin Call (£131,982); #1 War Horse £3,944,746 1st week 491 screens (31.3% of top 10)
Down 10.9% 2011; (£12,522,775); The Green Hornet (£1,878,905); Conviction (£279,016); Blue Valentine (£176,411); Henry’s Crime (£64,508); #1 The King’s Speech £4,401,926 2nd week 422 screens 25% increase (35.1% of top 10)
Down 10.4% 2010: (£12,452,981); Daybreakers (£1,344,588); It’s Complicated (£1,098,659); The Road (£627,147); Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (£173,831); #1 Avatar £4,770,980 4th week 493 screens 20% drop (38.3% of top 10)
Down 6% 2009; (£11,864,462); Role Models (£2,330,145); Slumdog Millionaire (£1,827,457); Bride Wars (£1,717,894); Defiance (£1,198,425); Sex Drive (£506,573); #1 Role Models £2,330,145 1st week (19.64%)
Up 16% 2008; (£9,618,777); Charlie Wilson’s War (£1,332,932); Dan in Real Life (£603,860); Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (£118,510); The Lady Vanishes (re) (£3,791); #1 I Am Legend £2,051,372 3rd week 465 screens 45% drop (21.3% of top 10)
Up 7% 2007: (£10,426,402); The Pursuit of Happyness (£2,527,181); Smokin’ Aces (£1,023,862); The Last King of Scotland (£861,991); #1 The Pursuit of Happyness £2,527,181 1st week 402 screens (24.2% of top 10)
Up 8.7% 2006; (£10,263,408); Jarhead (£1,927,987); Memoirs of a Geisha (£1,147,056); Breakfast on Pluto (£199,154); Cry Wolf (£196,093); #1 Jarhead £1,927,987 1st week 390 screens (18.7% of top 10)
Up 24.9% 2005: (£8,932,279); Closer (£1,568,526); Team America: World Police (£1,526,329); Million Dollar Baby (£803,899); Vanity Fair (£204,693); #1 Closer £1,568,526 275 screens (17.5% of top 10)
Up 2.8% 2004; (£11,474,178); The Last Samurai (£2,723,081); Lost in Translation (£797,071); #1 Lord of the Rings: Return of the King £3,713,999 4th week 43% drop 502 screens (32.4% of top 10)
Up 6.2% 2003 (£10,505,144); Gangs of New York (£2,622,748); The Tuxedo (£1,080,504); The Good Girl (£114,235); City By The Sea (£77,936); #1 Lord of the Rings: Two Towers £3,728,876 4th week 35% drop 513 screens (35.5% of top 10)
Up 24.5% from 2002: (£8,962,263); Rat Race (£1,004,783); Domestic Disturbance (£402,837); Rock Star (£294,973); Soul Survivors (£200,178); Last Orders (£100,560) #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring £4,371,354 4th week 27% drop 482 screens (48.8% of top 10)
2024 Next week: (£10,259,086); Mean Girls (£3,251,159); The Holdovers (£689,771); Queen Rock Montreal (Re: 2024) (£285,110); The End We Start From (£170,993); #1 Mean Girls £3,251,159 1st week 648 screens (31.69% of top 10)
US Box Office
- Den of Thieves 2: Pantera – Lionsgate
Opened $15.02m; received mixed reviews 58% Rotten Tomatoes; B+ CinemaScore.
Took $1.35m from Thursday previews; Argylle $1.7m; Angel Has Fallen $1.5m; Den of Thieves $950k
It’s the first Lionsgate #1 film in the US since 2023’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Lionsgate had a disappointing 2024 with Borderlands, The Crow and Never Let Go all disappointing at the BO. 2025’s films include John Wick spinoff Ballerina which has been completely reshoot due to poor test screenings along with Saw XI and Michael.
In 2022 Lionsgate was looking to acquire STX they released the original Den of Thieves film, and Lionsgate acquired Den of Thieves 2 as part of their acquisition of eOne. Den of Thieves 2: Pantera has $40m budget selling foreign rights to most international territories.
2018’s Den of Thieves opened $15.2m taking $44.94m and $80.5m worldwide
Took $5m from 42 territories and $20.5m worldwide.
- Mufasa: The Lion King – Disney
Down 39% in its fourth weekend $14.22n #2 and $189.79m
147th biggest fourth weekend between Home Alone and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (close to Shark Tale, Sing, Wonka and A Star Is Born).
267th biggest between Dunkirk and Wreck-It Ralph; 738th biggest inflated between The Pacifier and The Italian Job; 13th biggest 2024 between Bad Boys: Ride or Die and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; 77th biggest Disney between Cars 2 and Wreck-It Ralph.
Fourth weekends
2019’s The Lion King dropped 47.5% $20.2m and $473.3m of $543.63m and $1.662bn worldwide
1994’s The Lion King dropped 29% $9.94m and $218.64m of $312.85m/$1.12bn and $771.05m/$2.04bn WW
Audiences will come out in large numbers to photorealistic animated remakes of the classic animated films as they will come out In similar numbers to see Snow White and Lilo & Sitch this year.
The Little Mermaid dropped 52.3% $11.05m and $253.01m of $298.17m and $569.62m worldwide.
2019’s Aladdin dropped 29.9% $17.3m and $264.04m of $355.5m and $1.054bn worldwide
1996’s 101 Dalmatians dropped 21.8% $6.98m and $84.77m of $136.18m and $320.68m worldwide
2000’s 102 Dalmatians dropped 57.3% $2.66m and $47.99m of $66.95m and $183.61m worldwide
2014’s Maleficent dropped 30.2% $12.91m and $185.87m of $241.41m and $759.85m worldwide
2019’s Maleficent: Mistress of Evil dropped 35.7% $8.41m and $97.71m of $113.9m and $491.7m worldwide
2010’s Alice in Wonderland dropped 48.2% $17.7m and $293.53m of $334.19m and $1.025bn worldwide
2016’s Alice Through the Looking Glass dropped 24% $4.29m and $69.99m of $77.04m and $299.82m
Took $27.9m (down 48%) and $350.9m from 55 territories and $542.3m worldwide; France $33.7m; UK $29.9m; Mexico $24.6m; Germany $24m; $34.5m from IMAX; US $16.6m and International $16.9m
227th biggest worldwide between Cinderella and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows; 9th biggest 2024 worldwide between Kung Fu Panda 4 and Venom: The Last Dance; 64th biggest Disney worldwide between Cinderella and WALL-E.
- Sonic The Hedgehog 3 – Paramount Pictures
Dropped 47% in the fourth weekend $11.35m #3 and $204.86m.
248th biggest fourth weekend between Mission: Impossible II and National Treasure: Book of Secrets (close to Sonic the Hedgehog 2 #237, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Stuart Little and A Bug’s Life)
232nd biggest between Batman Begins and Bad Boys For Life; 650th biggest inflated between Slumdog Millionaire and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw; 9th biggest 2024 between Twisters and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire; 25th biggest Paramount Pictures between Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol and Interstellar.
Fourth weekends
2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog dropped 52.8% $7.7m and $140.52m of $148.97m and $319.71m WW
2022’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 dropped 26.3% $11.53m and $161.11m of $190.87m and $405.42m worldwide
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 has been dated for Spring 2027.
Took $20.3m from 61 territories $180.3m total and $385.2m worldwide; UK $25.9m; Mexico $18.8m; France $15.8m; Australia $13.2m; Brazil $9.2m.
387th biggest worldwide between Home and Happy Feet; 18th biggest 2024 between Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Twisters; 43rd biggest Paramount Pictures between Star Trek and Monsters vs. Aliens.
- Nosferatu- Focus Features
Dropped 47% in its third weekend $6.89m #4 and $81.9m
Robert Eggers previously directed.
2015’s The Witch dropped 51% $2.48m and $20.89m of $25.13m and $40.42m worldwide
2019’s The Lighthouse dropped 34.7% $1.97m and $6.95m of $10.86m and $18.12m worldwide
2022’s The Northman dropped 55% $2.86m and $28.14m of $34.23m and $65.63m worldwide
Robert Eggers’s next film is expected to be a reboot/sequel to 1986’s Labyrinth for Sony Pictures
1992’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula dropped 34.4% $9.84m and $70.06m of $82.52m/$214.87m and $215.86m/$562.1m worldwide
2014’s Dracula Untold dropped 56% $4.39m and $48.42m of $56.28m and $217.12m worldwide
Took $13.7m from 61 territories $54m total and $135.8m worldwide; UK $11.1m; Mexico $6m; Italy $4.3m; Germany $3.5m; Australia $3.4m.
- A Complete Unknown – Searchlight
Dropped 37% in its third weekend $5.12m #6 and $50.96m
It was nominated for three Golden Globes but failed to win; has 11 nominations on the BAFTA long list final BAFTA nominations will be announced on January 15th.
Selected previous James Mangold film’s third weekends.
2005’s Walk the Line dropped 50.4% $9.53m and $68.29m of $119.51m and $186.79m worldwide
2019’s Ford v Ferrari dropped 16.3% $13.16m and $81..03m of $117.62m and $225.5m worldwide
- Moana 2 – Disney
Down 47% in its seventh weekend $6.53m #5 and $434.89m
107th biggest seventh weekend between Taken and The Polar Express (close to How to Train Your Dragon, The Wild Robot, Moana #116 and Despicable Me 4)
7th biggest animated film between Shrek 2 and Toy Story 4); 33rd biggest between E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Toy Story 4; 142nd inflation inflated between Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince; 4th biggest 2024 between Wicked and Despicable Me 4; 20th biggest Disney between Captain Marvel and The Lion King (1994).
Seventh weekend
2016’s Moana down 41.9% $6.38m and $225.36m of $248.75m and $643.33m worldwide
The 36 Disney animation films since 1988’s Oliver & Company have taken over $5.6bn and $9.6m inflated in the US.
Took $11.1m from 52 territories and $554.9m total and $990.3m worldwide; France $59.4m; UK $48.1m; Germany $39.5m; Mexico $29.6m; Australia $27.6m.
12th biggest animated film between Finding Dory and The Lion King; 55th biggest worldwide between Jurassic World: Dominion and The Lion King; 3rd biggest 2024 worldwide between Deadpool & Wolverine and Despicable Me 4; 28th biggest Disney between Finding Dory and The Lion King.
- Babygirl – A24
Dropped 31% in its third weekend $3.09m #8 and $21.73m
Strong word of mouth has seen Babygirl hold very strongly in its second weekend; the reaction is polarized those who like it love it but those who don’t hate it.
Halina Reijn previously directed 2011’s Bodies Bodies Bodies opened $3.12m taking $11.44m
Nicole Kidman has starred in three other erotic thrillers.
1995’s To Die For dropped 49.3% $2.03m and $15.91m of $21.28m
1999’s Eyes Wide Shut dropped 57.1% $4.32m and $48.65m of $55.69m and $162.09m worldwide
And 2012’s The Paperboy took $693,286.
Similar films include 1987’s Fatal Attraction up 21.3% $9.34m and $31.22m of $156.64m and $320.14m WW.
1996’s Bound took $3.8m
2024’s Challengers dropped 42.3% $4.37m and $37.76m of $50.11m and $96.01m
2015’s The Boy Next Door dropped 32.4% $4.11m and $30.86m of $35.42m and $52.42m worldwide and 2002’s Secretary took $4.05m.
- Better Man – Paramount Pictures
Up 3,923.9% in its third weekend $1.06m #13 and $1.15n expanded into 1,285 screens and $1.16m
After struggling on limited release over the last two weeks in 6 weeks taking $88,095 over the previous two weeks it was always likely Better Man wouldn’t find an audience and repeat the success of Michael Gracey’s previous film 2017’s The Greatest Showman opened $8.8m taking $174.34m and $469.06m worldwide.
Better Man has received positive reviews (875 Rotten Tomatoes) and positive audience reactions and after The Greatest Showman performed so strongly in December it made sense to open Better Man also in December, but the marketplace was vastly different in December 2017.
It was surprising Paramount Pictures acquired US rights for the $110m Better Man for $25m as Robbie Williams isn’t well known in the US, so the film was always likely to struggle to find an audience. Paramount Pictures acquired the film in February 2024 it was the biggest independent film acquired by a studio in years; Better Man was first announced at the Berlin Film Festival in 2021
Over recent years there have been music biopics of Amy Winehouse, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston and Bob Dylan and a Micheal Jackson biopic will be released later this year.
- The Brutalist – A24
Up 468% in its fourth weekend $1.38m from 68 screens up from 8 and $2.74m
Had two days of IMAX previews ahead of opening and will return to IMAX screens in January.
The three-hour film has received critical acclaim (93% on Rotten Tomatoes) has two acts and a 15-minute intermission; it was shot using VistaVision on 35mm and then 70mm prints. It’s the first film to be shot using VistaVision since 1961’s One-Eyed Jacks.
The Brutalist won Best Picture Drama Golden Globe and was nominated for seven including Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor. Received its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival A24 acquired US rights for $10m.
UK Box Office Top 10
UK Box Office Preview
Opening three weeks after Nosferatu opened with £5,246,910 Universal Pictures will be hoping horror fans return to see The Wolfman this weekend. As often early social media reactions were positive for the film, but the embargo was in place till Wednesday and then reviews were average
Being a remake of a remake of a remake there are unlikely to be any spoilers in the film, so surely the only reason for late embargo end is lack of confidence in the film.
In 2017 Universal Pictures announced the Dark Universe a shared universe of Monster films but after 2017’s The Mummy disappointed at the BO they opted to make standalone films
2017’s The Mummy opened £3,343,650 taking £8,744,766
2020’s The Invisible Man opened £2,163,797 taking £6,841,147
2023’s Renfield opened £680,661 taking £1,629,813
It was Universal Pictures’ second attempt to reboot the Monsters series previously making 2014’s Dracula Untold open £1,713,283/£2,019,226 taking £4,454,648/£5,250,121.
Other similar films include.
1994’s Wolf opened £1,236,659/£3,013,643 301 screens taking £4,598,136/£11,205,304
1997’s An American Werewolf in Paris opened £528,858/£1,029,129 186 screens taking £1,194,730/£2,324,880
2002’s Dog Soldiers opened £681,348/£1,257,873 313 screens taking £1,696,327/£3,131,681
2004’s Van Helsing opened £5,429,632/£9,577,436 458 screens taking £15,019,852/£26,493,815
Ryan Gosling was originally attached to star in The Wolfman with Derek Cianfrance directing but they left the film in 2023 due to “scheduling conflicts” Leigh Whannell directed the film instead and had previously directed Blumhouse’s The Invisible Man.
Universal Pictures previously remade The Wolfman in 2010 opening The Wolfman at £2,367,849/£3,151,826 404 screens taking £4,996,842/£6,651,259.
Would surely expect The Wolfman to open similarly to the 2010 version but the buzz seems incredibly soft.
The Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown received positive reviews; and was nominated for three Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Actor for Chalamet and Best Supporting Actor for Norton not winning any and has 6 BAFTA nominations.
Will the casting of Timothée Chalamet attract younger audiences, otherwise its likely to open similar to James Mangold’s Johnny Cash biopic 2006’s Walk The Line opened £1,111,142/£1,807,032 198 screens taking £9,737,493/£15,835,923.
Also released in Here starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, and Kelly Reilly and directed by Robert Zemeckis. The film sees Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, director Robert Zemeckis and screenwriter Eric Roth reunite 31 years after the Oscar-winning Forrest Gump (opened £1,897,804/£4,653,999 taking £16,064,449/£39,394,972.
Here features de-ageing AI technology, such as Ang Lee’s (2017’s Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (opened £14,692 #34 from 89 screens and Gemini Man (opened £1,718,511 #3 taking £4,464,908).
Opening in three weeks
- September 5 – Paramount Pictures (Thursday)
Historical drama thriller starring Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, and Leonie Benesch and directed by Tim Fehlbaum.
Premiered at the Venice Film Festival receiving critical acclaim (91% Rotten Tomatoes) opened on limited release in the US in December opening wide on January 17; received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Drama but wasn’t on the BAFTA long list despite being Best Picture Oscar favourite in October.
Similar films based on real events include Argo and Spotlight while Steven Spielberg directed 2006’s Munich opened £1,209,970/£1,980,177 taking £4,719,662/£7,723,964.
- Dog Man – Universal Pictures
Animated superhero comedy spinoff of 2017’s Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie based on Dav Pilkey’s children’s graphic novel series Dog Man made by DreamWorks Animation. Featuring the voices of Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Poppy Liu, Stephen Root, Billy Boyd and Ricky Gervais and is directed by Peter Hastings.
Dog Man was announced in December 2020 with the cast in September 2024.
Captain Underpants opened in July 2020 £2,495,744 #2 including £1,228,837 previews taking £8,100,263 despite receiving positive reviews as Despicable Me 3 held strongly in its fifth weekend taking £2,250,597 #3 and The Emoji Movie opened following weekend £2,702,809 #2.
Dog Man is the major children’s film opening ahead of the February half-term and the first since Mufasa: The Lion King and Sonic The Hedgehog 3.
- Love Hurts – Universal Pictures
Action comedy starring Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu, Marshawn Lynch, Mustafa Shakir, Lio Tipton, Rhys Darby, André Eriksen, and Sean Astin and directed by Jonathan Eusebio.
Ke Huy Quan’s first film since winning Best Supporting Actor for 2022’s Everything Everywhere All at Once and produced by David Leitch so no wonder the trailer looks like previously directed films John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Hobbs & Shaw, Bullet Train and The Fall Guy with action scenes playing over a romantic pop song.