Top 5 Breakdown

1. The Predator – £2,394,163  – NE

Took £744,000 from two days of previews (Wednesday previews were 3D only) taking 31% of its opening weekend from previews similar to The Dictator, Sex Tape, Terminator Salvation, Elysium and Ted 2; taking £1,650,163 Fri-Sun would have seen The Predator open #2 only £50k ahead of Crazy Rich Asians which didn’t have 3D, IMAX and 4DX surcharges.

Had the biggest opening of the Predator franchise in the UK but that tells only half the story because all expect for Predators were released over 10 years ago, so need to compare their inflation inflated openings instead and The Predator had the lowest opening close to 1991’s Predator 2.

It was 20^th Century Fox’s third #1 of the year after The Greatest Showman and Deadpool 2 probably their penultimate #1 film as an independent studio with Bohemian Rhapsody opening next month 5 days after EU regulators rule on Disney’s purchase of 20^th Century Fox.

Predator opened in January 1987 with one week on limited release taking £131,502 and expanding into 265 screens in its second weekend with £982,110 taking £2,517,131; In 1998 average ticket price was £2.30 ticket prices have increased 242% since inflation inflated wide opening £3,360,524 and total £8,612,966

Predator 2 opened May 1991 with £936,057 (had higher admissions than The Predator 308,930 Vs 304,214) taking £2,431,277, but with tickets £3.03 in 1991 they are up 160% since opening would be £2,431,277 and total £5,009,881

Predators opened July 2010 (third behind The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Shrek Forever After) with £2,203,193 (previews of £551,214) taking £5,767,854; (ticket inflation since of 32%)

Alien vs Predator opened October 2004 £2,003,663 (£241,549 previews) taking £5,017,379); ticket inflation 75% opening £3,511,988 total £8,794,381

Alien vs. Predator 2 opened January 2008 £1,970,363 taking £4,420,884 (ticket inflation 55% opening £3,070,645 total £6,889,576

With poor reviews and word of mouth will likely drop more than 2010’s Predators down over 65% in its second weekend.

Had the 548^th biggest opening in the UK between Moulin Rouge and Mirror Mirror and 800^th biggest inflation inflated opening between The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Maze Runner

The original Predator opened in 1987 and feels like a much bigger film now as starred Arnold Schwarzenegger but in the mid-80s The Terminator, Commando and Real Deal were moderate hits and Sylvester Stallone had the bigger hit Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rocky IV. Wasn’t until a year later with Twins, Total Recall, Kindergarten Cop and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (he made instead of Predator 2) his films became huge hits.

Last year Arnold Schwarzenegger again decided to star in the new Terminator film being produced by James Cameron set for release next November Paramount Pictures US/20th Century Fox international) instead of starring in The Predator. While Arnold Schwarzenegger isn’t the box office name he was 20+ years ago when he starred in True Lies and Eraser his appearance in the film would have still elevated The Predator from the film was without him. Were reports the script included a scene featuring Dutch, but Arnold Schwarzenegger decided against appearing in the film.  

Producer John Davis first announced the film in 2014 said it reimagining the franchise in a “different, interesting way” while Shank Black said was “It’s an attempt to ‘event-ise’ the Predator again… to make it more mysterious.” and more intimate scale as the first film was.

He also said the film sets up sequels, but after its underwhelming performance and Disney soon to take ownership of 20th Century Fox next year unlikely will be any more instalments of either Predator or Alien. The Predator opening comes only a year after the box office performance of Alien: Covenant which took far less than  2012’s Prometheus; Alien: Covenant opened with £5,178,531 in May 2017 including £348,270 previews dropping 58.92% in its second weekend taking £2,127,347 and £12,913,468 total.

Stacey Snider talked about The Predator script in Variety last September “it’s unexpected and utterly fresh… from the first page, it didn’t read like a Predator film. It’s set in suburbia, there’s a little boy and his dad at the centre of the action”.

This was before the film had extensive reshoots with much over the third act with two sequences from the end of the film removed according to script leaks which would have centred on a cameo by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The reshoots caused the films release date to move from February to September.

Keegan-Michael Key rewrote most of the ending saying in April “We just finished (reshoots) last week, and just about three-quarters of the third act was rewritten. And Shane Black is… he’s just a consummate professional and a consummate writer. He’s a wordsmith! It was a really, really exhilarating experience, and I think that he’s still one of our most vibrant writers of cinema.”

The film was retrofitted in 3D as many other films have been over the last decade, surprising studios are still opting to retrofit films into 3D as 3D sales have dropped over dramatically in recent years partly to do with cinemagoers unhappy about films being retrofitted. Audiences were happy to pay a third more for a film like Gravity (released 5 years ago) was shot in 3D and 3D was a key part of its plot which saw a larger percentage of its box office come from 3D than 2D. 

The problem is studios and exhibitors saw 3D as a way to artificially inflate films box office as cinemagoers seemed to be willing to pay a third ore for 3D but after a few years’ audiences realised it was adding very little to their cinema experience often making it worse as 3D darkens the image onscreen while cinemagoers pay a third more. This almost killed off the format and exhibitors who would screen 3D films all day in their biggest screens then moved it into smaller screens limiting 3D screenings.

To try to bring back 3D format Warner Bros earlier this year with Tomb Raider and Ready Player One first evening previews were 3D only and 20^th Century Fox did similar for last Wednesdays previews of The Predator but then on Thursday 3D screenings dropped down to one or two a day with the rest 2D.

Greed killed the 3D format by both studios and exhibitors, almost all animated films released today were shot in 3D, but few get to see them how they were made because audiences aren’t willing to pay more to see 3D. Will audiences come back to 3D with Avatar 2 due for release 11 years after the first film which helped relaunch the 3D format in 2009. Exhibitors could easily bring 3D format back but removing the surcharges to tickets and only charging for 3D glasses, while studios could help by not retrofitting films into 3D.

The film received much-unwanted media attention when was revealed Olivia contacted 20^th Century Fox about a scene she appeared in featured a registered sex offender. The studio quickly removed the scene who were unaware of his background when they hired him as  “are legal limitations that impede studios from running background checks on actors” a Fox statement said.

The film received its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and was asked why she was still promoting the film tweeting she was “contractually obligated,” and “from what I’m experiencing, I think they’d prefer I not show up. It would make everyone breathe easier.”

At the Toronto Film Festival, she found herself doing solo interviews after fellow actors dropped out she said “It’s a very lonely feeling to be sitting here by myself when I should be sitting here with the rest of the cast,” “The outpouring of support online and from the media and everyone just validating that it’s the right thing to do has been really uplifting and helps me breathe a little easier. … We’re making movies. We’re not in the mafia. I haven’t spoken to the family. This guy isn’t in our movie anymore. I try to do the right thing and that’s all I can do, and when I see something, you do something. You don’t just sit back and hope it protects your movie. The movie is a great movie, the scene isn’t in there. It’s going to do well. At the end of the day, it’s just a movie. We can’t tell stories about people and not care about people. … There are people who get very mad at you for not just helping them bury it.”

A few days afterwards Sterling K. Brown and other cast members came out to support Olivia Munn with director Shane Black last Thursday also supporting her.

Writer/Director Shane Black appeared in the original film as Hawkins but is better known writing the scripts for Lethal Weapon, The Monster Squad and Lethal Weapon 2. Un 1990 he sold a spec script for The Last Boy Scout for $1.75m the highest ever paid at the time for a script.

In 2005 he made his directorial debut with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the film underwhelmed at the box office opening with £458,826 and taking £2,889,226 but helped relaunch Robert Downey Jr, probably the reason why he was hired to direct Iron Man 3 8 years later. Shae Black last directed The Nice Guys in 2016 again received positive reviews but underwhelmed at the box office probably due to poor dating. Opened in the UK June 3rd, 2016 against Warcraft: The Beginning, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows and Me Before You, The Nice Guys opened in sixth with £1,004,622.

The original Predator film received its UK premiere during the London Film Festival in November 1987 often had big  Hollywood films premiering and the year after Die Hard also premiered at the LFF. Since the BFI took ownership of the film festival has lost its identity as the majority of the films screened already premiered at Venice, Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals and the films don’t generate as much media coverage as they used to.

2. The Nun – £1,832,874 – £7.7m  

Down 55.28% in its second weekend was the second worse drop of the franchise after The Conjuring 2 (had a 7-day opening weekend) but with The Predator opening, The Nun was expected to have a steep drop targetting the same demographic as The Predator and having a mixed word of mouth.

After 11 days on release, The Nun is ahead of The Conjuring other spinoffs Annabelle and Annabelle: Creation and only slightly behind the two Conjuring films; the five-film series has now taken over £40m at the UK box office with the third Annabelle film due for release next July and The Conjuring 3.

Had the 447^th biggest second weekend between Rampage and Sin City and 591^st inflation inflated second weekend between The A-Team and Intolerable Cruelty.

3. Crazy Rich Asians – £1,599,858 – NE   

After opening strongly in the US last month Crazy Rich Asians has received strong buzz along with positive reviews which should have seen it open stronger than it did especially as The Predator failed to match expectations. 

Had 849^th biggest opening in the UK between The Full Monty and Sicario and 1.010^th biggest inflation inflated opening between The Commuter and Poltergeist

While 10% of US opening is often used as a guide for a films UK opening while this is often the case with blockbusters including Deadpool 2 and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom its nearer 7% for smaller films like Love, Simon, Game Night and A Quiet Place.

Ahead of release was hard to compare Crazy Rich Asians with other mainstream rom-coms partly because the genre has underperformed over the last decade and wasn’t sure if the film would break out as did in the US.

Originally compared Crazy Rich Asians to films like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Bend It Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice believing with strong buzz, word of mouth and positive reviews would play beyond its ethnicity, might do that in the following weeks on release. Maybe bringing its release forward hurt its box office potential, as had it opened In November would have given time for Warner Bros to do an intensive talker screening program would have helped it find a wider audience in its opening weekend.

Crazy Rich Asians opened similar to My Big Fat Greek Wedding opened almost the same weekend 16 years ago with £1,503,436 with 84% ticket inflation since 2018 opening would have been £2,758,052 (was the opening I predicted). Also compared Crazy Rich Asians with 2004’s Bride and Prejudice opened with £1,667,616 (inflation inflated £2,922,971) taking £4,993,561 (£8,752,634) and 2002’s Bend It Like Beckham opened with £2,001,795 (inflation inflated £3,805,345) taking £10,914,247 (£20,747,614).

The problem with the state of cinema today industry experts are comparing box office without adding inflation, while Crazy Rich Asians might have taken similar box office to My Big Fat Greek Wedding did it with 42% fewer cinemagoers. 2002 was the last year admissions grew in the UK since then box office has doubled but admissions have been flat. In the early 90s industry experts predicted admissions would be over 200m by the year 2000, while never got to 200m still had steady increases for the rest of the decade.  

My Big Fat Greek Wedding had very long legs of the 1050 wide releases opening between 1988 and 2018 its opening weekend was the 24^th smallest with 11.18% between The Wedding Singer and The English Patient. (top 5 are The Full Monty, Slumdog Millionaire, Titanic, Four Weddings and a Funeral and The King’s Speech with Mamma Mia! 14^th and The Greatest Showman 17^th) It is highly unlikely Crazy Rich Asians will hold anywhere nearly as strongly.  

Opening was close to rom-coms Love and Other Drugs £1,606,253; Scott Pilgrim vs. The World £1,604,545; You’ve Got Mail £1,604,398; Knocked Up £1,583,998; Girls Trip £1,557,981; Runaway Bride £1,649,984; 50 First Dates £1,651,544; Bride and Prejudice £1,667,616 but took less than 27 Dresses £1,752,897 and A Bad Moms Christmas £1,781,738 highlight its disappointing opening.

4. King of Thieves – £1,535,876  – NE   

Had the 880^th biggest opening in the UK between Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days and Jeepers Creepers and 1,022^th  inflation inflated opening between Hidden Figures and The Internship.

Middle weekend in September has been lucrative time to open British based films over recent years; 2017 – Victoria and Abdul; 2016 – Bridget Jones’s Baby; 2015 – Legend; 2014 – Pride; 2013- Rush and next year Danny Boyle’s Untitled Musical is set for mid- September release but could be switched for Downtown Abbey: Movie. Early September release often has films receiving world premiere at Venice a few weeks before with the talent able to come to the UK to promote immediately after before going to Toronto Film Festival.

Thirty years ago, the film Buster was released 20 years after the Great Train Robbery. Prince Charles and Princess Diana were due to attend the film’s premiere in September 1988 but after it was accused of glorifying crime and Phil Collins wanted to avoid causing them an embarrassment.

Some thought King of Thieves was doing similar being only three years after the robbery did feel a bit soon. Studiocanal released Legend three years ago opened with £5,189,074 taking £18,202,111 about The Kray Twins was well received critically and was also accused of glorifying crime. Critics saw King of Thieves as a group of loveable rogue old men similar to Going in Style (opened in April 2017 with £0.56m taking £2.8m had one of the lowest second-weekend drops for a major release in 2017).

2008’s The Bank Job starring Jason Statham based on the 1971 Baker Street robbery has more in common with King of Thieves opened with £951,013 taking £3,801,036

The opening was close to other British gangster films 2009’s Harry Brown opened with £1,271,814 taking £4,557,776 and 2004’s Layer Cake opened with £1,090,561 taking £4,287,343.

Over the last 17 years nine years have seen a big British film open this weekend; it’s the fourth time the film was released by Studiocanal all made by Working Title films; Victoria and Abdul £1,846,970; Bridget Jones’s Baby £8,111,077; Legend £5,189,074; Rush £2,099,308; The Sweeney £1,545,294; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy £2,814,860; Pride and Prejudice £2,529,947; Calendar Girls £1,762,505

5. Christopher Robin – £521,842 – £13,178,608  

Down 40.96% in its fifth weekend; over the last five weeks Christopher Robin has performed steadily but after Paddington still feels underwhelming as it lacks the charm that you expect from the beloved children’s favourite.

The trailer for Mary Poppins Returns was released on Monday which feels very similar to Christopher Robin with Mary Poppins coming back to help the Banks children as Winnie the Pooh comes back to help Christopher Robin having family and work troubles. Disney is the one studio who can get audiences to happily pay to see the same film again which they have done with all of their reimaginations and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. As seen with this side by side comparison of Beauty and the Beast animated film and last years reimagination.

Many are predicting Disney’s The Lion King reimagination to be the biggest film of the year as the 24 year old film took almost $1bn when it was released in 1994 but hopefully it will be more than just a scene by scene remake. 

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £9,647,147 up 2.92% from last weekend £9,372,532

The weekend admissions 1,225,813 up 2.93% from last weekend 1,190,919; 2018 average ticket up 3.87% from last year’s £7.49 to £7.87 for 2018 according to six-month box office results.

13 films opened at weekend taking £3,346,830; The Predator 41.7% (£2,394,163); Crazy Rich Asians 27.8% (£1,599,858): King of Thieves 26.7% (£1,535,876); remaining 10 films shared 3.67% (£211,096): Top two took 43.8% of the top 10; The Predator 24.8% and 18.99% The Nun

The weekend was down 15.9% from 2017 (£11,473,084): Victoria and Abdul £1,846,970; mother! £831,676; American Assassin £768,951; Aces of the Jungle £374,982

Up 26.81% from 2016: (£13,181,394): Bridget Jones’s Baby £8,111,077; Blair Witch £959,401; The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years £654,726; The Infiltrator £370,439; Hunt for the Wilderpeople £167,646;

Down 16.3% from 2015; (£11,539,308); Legend £5,189,074; The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials £2,799,428; The Visit £1,031,292; Irrational Man £197,188;

Up 35.57% from 2014: (£7,115,583); The Boxtrolls £2,000,597; Pride £718,778; A Most Wanted Man £610,312; The Wizard of Oz (Re: 2014) £42,478;

Down 8.54% from 2013: (£10,548,613); Insidious 2 £2,877,742; Rush £2,099,308; White House Down £1,184,338; Justin and the Knights of Valour £831,011; In a World… £35,178; 42 £3,797;

Up 24.3% from 2012 (£7,760,490); The Sweeney £1,545,294; ParaNorman £1,393,123; Hope Springs £728,689; To Rome with Love £141,008; Premium Rush £115,358

Up 12.4% from 2011 (£8,582,687): Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy £2,814,860; The Change-Up £727,497; I Don’t Know How She Does It £562,609; 30 Minutes or Less £260,337; You Instead £6,770;

Up 57.6% from 2010: (£6,120,627): The Other Guys £1,980,601; Devil £807,292; Winter’s Bone £138,264; Just Wright £82,513; Grease Sing-a-Long £15,701;

Up 61.6% from 2009 (£5,969,293); Dorian Gray £883,148; Sorority Row £782,693; Julie & Julia £540,441; Adventureland £210,671; Whiteout £150,995; The September Issue £81,892; Miss March £24,434

Up 27.9% from 2008 (£7,542,608); Pineapple Express £1,372,911; The Women £865,310; The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas £513,653; Eden Lake £192,027; Sydney White £1,157;

Up 28.5% from 2007 (£7,504,924); Superbad £1,484,456; Disturbia £728,145; Shoot ‘Em Up £374,770; 3:10 To Yuma £368,510; December Boys £23,145

Up 97.1% from 2006; (£4,892,872); Talledega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby £1,033,759; The Queen £856,273; The Black Dahlia £566,874; The Night Listener £314,078; DOA £224,786;

Up 47.2% from 2005 (£6,549,677);  Pride and Prejudice £2,529,947; Wolf Creek £554,618; Must Love Dogs £142,199;

Up 53.6% from 2004 (£6,276,762): Collateral £2,238,200; Trauma £144,148; Ae Fond Kiss £106,366; Code 46 £60,920

Up 80.7% from 2003 (£5,338,138); Calendar Girls £1,762,505; Tears of the Sun £406,324; Sin Eater £161,779; Spirited Away £152,504;

Up 33.03% from 2002 (£7,251,582): Signs £3,767,713; A Walk To Remember £246,860;

Up 46.4% from 2001 (£6,587,094); The Fast and the Furious £1,763,020; The Martins £310,600

Next weekend in 2017: (£14,426,113): Kingsman: The Golden Circle £8,525,664; Maze £123,985; Borg vs. McEnroe £101,918;

Also opened

• Superfly – Sony Pictures

Opened with £15,720 from 100 screens

Other News

• Universal Pictures – Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! – £487,441  – £64,217,504  

Dropped out of the top 5 in its 9^th weekend in comparison Mamma Mia! was in the top 5 for 13 weeks taking £1,059,102 in its 9^th weekend and £60,141,174 88.2% of its £68,116,092 total.

The Greatest Showman was in the top five for 12 weeks taking £2,000,922 in its 9^th weekend and £33,563,952 71.4% of its £47,000,000 total

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! added 13 screens at the weekend and ran sing-along screenings which should have seen it hold stronger instead dropped by 33%.

Overtaken Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to become the 14^th biggest film in the UK and will shortly overtake Jurassic World £64,322,933 to become Universal Pictures second biggest film in the UK after £69,166,087 would be £104,680,212 today.

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again added $3.3m internationally has taken $263.9m internationally and $383.6m worldwide #290 biggest film globally still almost $65m less than The Greatest Showman still $225m less than Mamma Mia! took 10 years ago. How can the sequel possibly be seen as the success many have called it. While the sequel might have overtaken totals of the original film in many countries it will now unlikely do so in the UK which it should of having done with a 10-year gap and ticket inflation.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is released on DVD in the US next month but a month later in the UK despite opening same day in cinemas, as films open day and date theatrically they should also release the same date on home entertainment as the delay only plays into the hands of pirates. Universal Pictures has also dared Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom to be released on DVD two weeks after the US despite opening two weeks before the US in cinemas?

UK Box Office Top 10

US Box office

• The Predator – 20^th Century Fox

Opens with $24.63m; received 34% Rotten Tomatoes and C+ CinemaScore

Going into the weekend The Predator was expected to open with $30m+ but then took $2.5m from Thursday midnights and estimates dropped to $26m on Friday and Saturday but then dropped to $24m on Sunday, which is less than 2010’s opening of Predators.

The Predator had a budget of $88m compared with $38m for 2010’s Predators and $15m for 1987’s Predator but The Predator failed to attract a wider audience away from its fanbase with very low numbers under 25 playing strongest to males over 25.

Predator opened in June 1987 with $12.03m taking $59.73m – $98.3m worldwide

Predator 2 opened in November 1990 with $8.87m  taking $30.66m – $57.1m worldwide

Predators opened in July 2010 with $24.76m taking $52m– $127.2m worldwide

Alien Vs. Predator opened August 2004 with $38.29m taking $80,28m – $172.5m worldwide

Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem opened December 2007 with $10.05m taking $41.79m – $128.9m worldwide

In 1987 Predator was the 12th biggest film of the year; it’s weird to look back at 1987 and see only two sequels in the top 20 Beverly Hills Cop 2 and The Living Daylights;

Questions will, of course, be asked if the controversy concerning Olivia Munn sharing a scene with a convicted child offender could have affected the film’s performance as it took almost a week before director Shane Black came out to support her. But had it come to light a few weeks or months afterwards that 20th century Fox knew about it but didn’t do anything it would have likely done more damage. 

Had one of the lowest openings for a film opening in over 4,000 screens with only The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature and The LEGO Ninjago Movie having a worse opening.

Internationally The Predator didn’t do much better with estimates $40m+ from 72 territories but took only $30.73m but did still open #1 in 25 territories. Opening a week after The Nun didn’t help its international opening as its US and average reviews.

Last year Alien: Covenant opened with $42m from 34 territories

• The Nun – Warner Bros

Down 66.1% in its second weekend taking $18.28m and $85.11m total

Has overtaken Annabelle $84.27m; Annabelle: Creation $102.09m; The Conjuring 2 $102.47m; The Conjuring 2 $137.4m

The five Conjuring films have taken $511.35m in the US and $1.43bn worldwide; with budgets of less than $20m a tiny fraction of Marvel Cinematic Universe films they are probably more profitable than most films released this year.

Took $33.1m internationally from 62 territories with $143.6m total and $228.7m worldwide; will shortly overtake Annabelle $257m; Annabelle: Creation took $306.5m; The Conjuring $319.5m; The Conjuring 2 $320.4m

 

• A Simple Favour – Lionsgate

Opened with $16.01m; received positive reviews 82% Rotten Tomatoes and B+ CinemaScore

Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick have over 50m followers between them generating strong social media coverage; On May 1^st Blake Lively deleted her Instagram account was followed by 20.4 million but afterwards only followed 24 people all called Emily Nelson. Her profile had one sentence What happened to Emily? (Emily Nelson is the character she plays in A Simple Favour). Blake Lively returned to Instagram on May 5^th days after the teaser trailer was released.

Took $3.5m internationally from 27 territories expanding into Europe next weekend starting with the UK

• White Boy Rick – Sony Pictures

Opened with $8.86m; received 64% Rotten Tomatoes and B CinemaScore

The film tested strongly, and Son Pictures moved its release from August to September, so it could premiere at Toronto and Telluride Film Festivals.

• Crazy Rich Asians – Warner

Down only 33.9% in its fifth weekend taking $8.68m and $149.54m;

Continues to perform similarly to 2011’s The Help which also opened with $26m; dropped 23% in its second weekend taking $20.1m and 27.4% $14.53m taking $96.83m in its third weekend went on to take $169m. Final box office for Crazy Rich Asians is expected to be $190m+.

it is the 9^th  biggest rom-com in the US and biggest since 2009’s The Proposal expected to take over $190m would see overtake Runaway Bride, Sex and the City, The Proposal, There’s Something About Mary, Pretty Woman, Hitch and What Women Want over the net few weeks only beaten by My Big Fat Greek Wedding taking $241m in 2002.

Has become Warner Bros #1 film of 2018 overtaking Ocean’s 8, The Meg and Ready Player One;  Warner Bros has overtaken Universal Pictures to become the second biggest studio in the US after Disney.

Disney has been #1 studio in the US since 2015 taking 31.8% share this year more than Warner Bros and Universal Pictures combined and this year Disney 2018 global box office surpassed our 2017 global grosses of $6.458bn and the second biggest year in studio’s history after 2016’s $7.6bn and the third biggest year in industry history overall.

Internationally took $7.3m from 29 territories with a total of $37.9m; 

• Peppermint – STX Entertainment

Down 55.3% in its second weekend taking $6.04m and $24.18m

Action films often play far stronger internationally with Liam-Neeson’s last film The Commuter taking almost 70% of its global $120m box office international and as STX presell most internationally territories (not China and UK) they can be lucrative.

Took $1.8m from 24 territories and $3.9m total

• The Meg – Warner Bros

Drops 36.6% in its sixth weekend taking $3.86m and $137.14m total.

Took $6.1m internationally from 64 territories (including $153m in China) total $368.2m and globally $505.3m #190 biggest film globally between Ghost and Aladdin.

• Mission: Impossible: Fallout – Paramount Pictures

Down 41.2% in its eighth weekend taking $2.28m and $216.1m; #19 biggest Paramount Pictures film in the US overtaking Mission Impossible 2 to be the biggest film of the franchise in the US.

The 6 Mission Impossible films have taken $1.146bn in the US and $3.61bn worldwide; Tom Cruise 39 films have taken almost $4bn at the US box office since making his acting debut in 1981’s Endless Love and $10.09bn worldwide;

Took $15.9m from 57 territories (including $162.3m from China) $544.8m total and $761m worldwide; #86 biggest worldwide between 2012 and Maleficent; global box office for Mission Impossible $457.7m, Mission Impossible 3 $398m, Mission: Impossible II $546m, Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation $582.7m and Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol $694.7m.

Other News

• Johnny English Strike Back – Universal

Started its global opening in Asia taking $3.3m from 6 territories; expands into 27 territories next weekend before opening in the UK October 5^th (against Venom and A Star Is Born) the previous two films #1 territory both took £20m.

Reviews have been poor for the film, but they were similar for the first two films which were originally based on a 90s Barclaycard advert that spoofed James Bond also starring Rowan Atkinson.

UK Box Office Predictions

After taking £1.1m from previews The House with A Clock in Its Walls should open close to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children opened September 2016 with £3,473,781 opening #1

The Predator and The Nun will both have steep declines 50%+ but Crazy Rich Asians should hold dropping about 20% after receiving strong word of mouth unless it gets squeezed by A Simple Favour which also has received positive reviews and strong buzz after having its UK premiere on Monday.

Mile 22 should open similar to Den of Thieves that opened in January with £1,082,560 taking £2,790,151.

King of Thieves will likely round out the top 5 is an alternative to other releases targetting different demographics unless The Little Stranger generates some interest received positive reviews and likely to do better than it did in the US opening last month.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again will likely end its 10 weeks stay in the top 10 after opening a third bigger than Mamma Mia! it hasn’t held as strongly as many expected after holding in second place for 6 weeks, has since dropped down the chart much quicker than Mamma Mia!

 

Opening in the UK

• A Simple Favour – Lionsgate

Thriller starring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding and Andrew Rannell and directed by Paul Feig based on the 2017 novel by Darcey Bell; received positive reviews 88% Rotten Tomatoes.

In 2016 20th Century Fox acquired the film rights to the book but after the film was seen to be too similar to Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train (both performed strongly in early October; Lionsgate acquired the film from the studio in June 2017.

The first teaser trailer was released on May 2nd with a second teaser trailer on May 24th both were well received.

Anna Kendrick last appeared in Pitch Perfect 3 her next Noelle was to be released theatrically next November but will instead be one of the first films to premiere on DisneyPlay their streaming service rival to Netflix launching the end of next year; Since her breakthrough role in Up in the Air and small roles in the Twilight series Anna Kendrick has been one of the most watchable upcoming actresses as Blake Lively has been since starring in TV series Gossip Girl a decade ago.

Blake Lively previously appeared in 2015’s The Age of Adaline opened with £570,386

The Girl on the Train opened with £6,957,945 in October 2016 taking £23,372,415

Gone Girl opened with £4,109,628 in October 2014 taking £22,125,201

• Mile 22 – STX International

Action thriller starring Mark Wahlberg, John Malkovich, Lauren Cohan, Iko Uwais, and Ronda Rousey and directed by Peter Berg; received 22% Rotten Tomatoes been described as an enjoyable action thriller which shouldo

It’s the fourth film Peter Berg has directed starring Mark Wahlberg after Lone Survivor, Patriot’s Day, and Deepwater Horizon. Netflix recently acquired their fifth film together Wonderland and could pair up again for the Six Billion Dollar Man.

Expected to open similar to Den of Thieves opening in January with £1,082,560 taking £2,790,151

• The House with A Clock in Its Walls – eOne

Fantasy starring Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, Kyle MacLachlan, Renée Elise Goldsberry, and Sunny Suljic and directed by Eli Roth based on the 1973 novel by John Bellairs;

The film has been compared to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children opened September 2016 with £3,473,781 taking £12,160,991

The film has received PG in the US but a 12A in the UK which will stop many tweens who read the book not be able to see it unless they go with an adult.

Normally PG films in the US would get a similar PG in the UK, the issue is more with PG-13 certificate when blockbusters including Spectre, Jurassic World, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 would get a 12A certificate even though are scene within the films many would find issue with.

As was the case in 2012 with The Woman in Black in 2012 receiving 12A certificate as it was Daniel Radcliffe’s first film after Harry Potter ended and it was fantasy violence BBFC feel that the certificate can be lower. Will be interesting to see what certificate BBFC give Venom rated as a PG-13 in the US will they go Suicide Squad route and give it a 15 or as it’s a Marvel film and comic-book violence will it get a 12A.  This is the problem with the BBFC Vs MPAA as will rate films for different reasons and also the issue with the year gap between the two.

The IMAX release of the film will be attached with a 3D version of Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

As with many family, films had weekend previews last weekend that will be added to its opening.

• The Little Stranger – Pathe

Horror starring Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson, Will Poulter, and Charlotte Rampling and directed by Lenny Abrahamson based on the novel by Sarah Waters; received mixed reviews

Opening in the US

• The House with A Clock in Its Walls – Universal Pictures

Received positive early reviews a scary weens film that should play strongly till Halloween despite competition from Smallfoot and Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween expected to open similar to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

Similar films include

2016’s Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children opened $28,871,140   taking $87,242,834 – $296,485,719 worldwide

2008’s Bedtime Stories opened $27,450,296 – taking $110,101,975 – $212,874,442 worldwide

2008’s The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008) DBO $71.2m/IBO $92.0m – $150,170,815 worldwide    

2004’s Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events opened $30,061,756 – $118,634,549 – $209,073,645 worldwide

2015’s Goosebumps opened $23,618,556 – taking $80,080,379 – $150,170,815 worldwide

• Fahrenheit 11/9 – Briarcliff

Political documentary directed by Michael Moore about the 2016 United States presidential election and the subsequent presidency of Donald Trump; had world premiere September 6^th, 2018 at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival received positive reviews.

The title is in reference to November 9^th, 2016 the day Donald Trump won the 2016 United States presidential election and also connects to Michael Moore’s 2004 documentary Fahrenheit 9/11.

Was originally developed by Weinstein Company but production was delayed after the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegation, production resumed from private funding.

Expected to open with $4m-$9m

Was originally set for release in July but early September release always made more sense as it allowed the film to benefit from the media coverage generated screening at Toronto Film Festival.

• Assassination Nation – Neon

Black comedy-thriller starring Odessa Young, Suki Waterhouse, Hari Nef, Abra, Anika Noni Rose, Colman Domingo, Maude Apatow, Joel McHale and Bella Thorne and written and directed by Sam Levinson; had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival receiving positive reviews.

• Colette – Bleecker Street

Biographical drama starring Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Eleanor Tomlinson and Denise Gough and directed by Wash Westmoreland; had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival (where Bleecker Street acquired US rights and Lionsgate acquired UK rights) receiving positive reviews.

• Life Itself – Amazon Studios

Romantic comedy-drama starring Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde, Mandy Patinkin, Olivia Cooke, Laia Costa, Annette Bening, and Antonio Banderas and written and directed by Dan Fogelman; had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival receiving mixed reviews.

In December 2017 Amazon Studios acquired US rights $10m; Sky Cinema acquired UK rights in June 2018 will show it on Sky Cinema and cinemas same day recently released Final Score, Monster Family and The Hurricane Heist