- Avatar: The Way of Water – £2,116,615 – £70,884,535
Down 21.4% in the 7th weekend; 18.4% Friday £390k (-26%); 48% Saturday £1.09m (-24%); 33.9% Sunday £718k (-22%).
Avatar 2 is only the 14th film in 35 years to be #1 for 7 weeks
2020’s Tenet #1 for 8 weeks.
2000’s Gladiator #1 for 7 weeks
1998’s Titanic #1 for 13 weeks
1997’s The Full Monty #1 for 13 weeks
1996’s Independence Day #1 for 7 weeks
1994’s Four Weddings and a Funeral #1 for 7 weeks.
1993’s Jurassic Park #1 for 8 weeks.
1991’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day #1 for 7 weeks;
1990’s Ghost #1 for 8 weeks and 1990’s Pretty Woman #1 for 9 weeks
1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit #1 for 7 weeks and 1988’s Fatal Attraction #1 for 9 weeks;
1987’s Crocodile Dundee #1 for 9 weeks
Tenet was the last by default due to no other major releases opening over those weeks, in normal conditions would have stayed 2 weeks at most, had it opened July 16, 2020, as originally planned against Top Gun: Maverick might have never been #1)
Would be many more before 1987 as were much fewer films released, had much longer legs and started with an exclusive Leicester Square opening for several weeks, but don’t have data as Screen International didn’t report national BO before late 1986.
As with the last four weeks, Avatar 2 BO dramatically increased from Friday to Saturday (up 160%) but then likely dropped up to 80% from Sunday to Monday, over the previous weeks that was still enough for Avatar 2 to hold #1 but Wednesday-Friday lost #1 to Pathaan, The Crucible NT Live and Billie Eilish: Live At The O2 and will likely lose #1 Mon-Thurs to Pathaan this week.
Avatar: The Way of Water will lose almost all IMAX/PLF/3D screens to Puss In Boots: The Last Wish and Knock at the Cabin this weekend, As with Avatar in 2010 a large percentage of Avatar 2 BO has come from IMAX/PLF/3D, so losing these screens will heavily impact its box office. But 2D BO has been much higher for Avatar 2 than Avatar (7%) so might not drop as heavily until Ant-Man opens in two weeks.
Avatar (£3,316,855) was toppled by Valentine’s Day (£3,732,393) in its 9th weekend (February 12th) returned #1 the next two weeks taking £2,817,009 and £2,260,319 before losing IMAX/PLF/3D screens to Alice in Wonderland opening £10,555,220 from 533 screens which saw Avatar drop 60% £908,049 from 345 screens
Last 6-week BO split weekend to weekday
£20.60m 1st week taking £11.18m 55.8% Fri-Sun and 44.2% (£8.87m) Mon-Thurs
£17.43m 2nd week £4.97m 28.5% Fri-Sun and 71.5% (£12.46m) Mon-Thurs
£14.09m 3rd week with 54.2% (£7.64m) Fri-Sun and 45.8% (£6.44m) Mon-Thurs taking 43.4% (£2.8m) from Bank Holiday Monday and £3.64m Tues-Thurs.
£8.14m 4th week 72.1% (£5.86m) Fri-Sun (41.1% Sat/Sun £3.34m) and 27.9% (£2.27m) Mon-Thurs
£5.49m 5th week 76% (£4.17m) Fri-Sun (41.2% Sat/Sun £2.3m) and 24% (£1.32m) Mon-Thurs
£3.71m 6th week 75.2% (£2.78m) Fri-Sun and 24.8% (£0.92m) Mon-Thurs
£2.78m 7th week 76% (£2.11m) Fri-Sun (62% Sat/Sun) and 25% (£0.6m Mon-Thurs (estimate)
13th biggest seventh weekend between Die Another Day (£1,506,915) and Skyfall (£2,746,995) close to Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, LOTR: Two Towers, LOTR: Return of the King and Top Gun: Maverick; took £2,748,466 less than Avatar (£4,865,081) and the 21st biggest inflated 7th weekend between Die Another Day (£2,799,076) and Toy Story 4 (£2,689,420) close to LOTR: Return of the King, LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and LOTR: Two Towers) Avatar is the biggest inflated £7,288,316
15th biggest film in the UK (16th to take £60m+ since Titanic in 1998) between Beauty and the Beast and Avengers: Infinity War (close to Toy Story 3, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Star Wars: Rogue One and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone) and 61st biggest inflated between Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Die Another Day (close to Men In Black, The Dark Knight Rises, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith).
Ahead of opening most would have expected Avatar 2 to take upwards of £100m and be one of the biggest international territories after China as the UK with $148m was Avatar’s 4th biggest after Japan, France and Germany with $157m. But the reason for the UK taking over a third less than expected is likely due to the drop in 3D sales, for Avatar was 85%+ 3D with about 7%+ for both IMAX and 2D, while Deadline figures for Europe 70% for IMAX/3D but UK opening weekend was 57% from IMAX/3D with 43% 2D.
It would be interesting to see how Avatar 2 compares to Avatar in 2D, 3D, IMAX and PLF. IMAX for Avatar 2 should be much more than Avatar as it was showing in 52 cinemas compared to 9 for Avatar 13 years ago. In 2009 Avatar took 85%+ from 3D with IMAX (9 screens) and 2D (300) taking about 7% each but 2D has taken far more of the BO for Avatar 2 (41%) with 47% 3D and 12% IMAX.
In 2010 Avatar dropped only 6% in its seventh weekend taking £4,865,081 (424 screens £11,474 average) and £65,070,599; holdovers Alvin And The Chipmunks II #3 £1,195,220; Sherlock Holmes #4 £1,149,268; It’s Complicated #5 £849,416; Up in the Air #6 £735,463; Toy Story 2 (3D) #7 £690,291 and new release Edge Of Darkness #3 £1,172,927
It was always expected Avatar 2 would be #1 for 7 weeks as there was little opening over those weeks that could compete with it.
Avatar dropped #2 in its 9th weekend after 6 consecutive weeks #1 (opened #1 then dropped #2 against Alvin and the Chipmunks 2) against Valentine’s Day and returned to #1 the weekend after for two weeks. As with Avatar (Alice in Wonderland opened at its 12th weekend and lost IMAX/PLF and 3D screens) with Knock in the Cabin opening next week along with Puss in Boots 2 in the UK) will drop much heavier over the next few weeks.
The 7 James Cameron-directed films have taken £300m at the UK BO (don’t have data for Terminator) but the age of many of them sees the inflation inflated total of £500m+.
- 2 Pathaan – £1,967,854 – NE
Took £550,768 from previews on Wednesday #1 (£319,348) and Thursday #2 (£231,466)
Taking £350k Friday; £550k Saturday; £516k Sunday
Had the biggest opening day for a Bollywood film in the UK and the biggest opening weekend ever
842nd biggest opening between Rise of the Guardians and Norbit (close to The Expendables 2, Brotherhood, John Carter and Daredevil) and 1,348th biggest inflated between Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and Stigmata (close to Spy Game, Hitman, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Rambo III); of course, Pathaan opening can’t be compared with any of them but just give them as a perspective of the opening.
It’s the first Bollywood film to be fully shot in IMAX, sharing screenings with Avatar: The Way of Water in selective IMAX cinemas. Indian films took £7m last year at the UK BO
Opened in 223 screens less than a third of the screens The Fablemens opened and a third of the screens Avatar 2 was playing showing again that films don’t need to open as wide as they do, distributors used to carefully select locations when films were released by prints but since digital they open far too wide which has an impact on the legs the films have.
Had the biggest openings for Bollywood film in the UK; 2016’s Sultan opened £1,048,417 from 121 screens (£8,665 average) taking £1,505,128; 2010’s My Name Is Khan £936,454 #6 from 91 screens (£10,291 average) taking £2,316,393; 2013’s Chennai Express £935,671 #10 126 screens (£7,426 average) taking £1,624,693.
Pathaan is the fourth film in the YRF Spy Universe; previous films 2019’s War opened £345,418 #8 from 94 screens £3,675 average; 2017’s Tiger Zinda Hai £495,660 #7 from 110 screens £4,506 average; 2012’s Ek Tha Tiger opened £543,073 #6 from 68 screens £7,986 (av)
Other Bollywood openers include
2013’s Dhoom 3 £ 884,567 #5 from 97 screens £9,120 average taking £1,976,454 (highest grossing)
2022’s Ponniyin Selvan 1 £745,386 #5 from 119 screens £6,264 (av)
2016’s Dangal £652,886 #6 from 165 screens £3,957 (av)
2022’s RRR £650,204 #2 from 160 screens £4,064 (av)
2022’s Brahmastra £516,943 #4 from 217 screens (Disney) £2,383 (av)
2022’s Laal Singh Chaddha £411,189 #7 from 350 screens (widest Bollywood opening released by Paramount) £1,175 (av)
2022’s K.G.F: Chapter 2 £357,038 #8 from 89 screens £4,012 (av)
- 3 Plane – £1,161,382 – NE
Included £56,463 from previews
1,407th biggest opening between All the Money in the World and Michael Collins (close to Fight Club, Conspiracy Theory, The Specialist and The Peacemaker) and 1,958th biggest inflated between Moonfall and The Hustle (close to Young Guns, Primal Fear, Unlawful Entry and Alive).
Lionsgate acquired the film in 2019 and then it was sold to Solstice Studios in 2020 but it was re-acquired by Lionsgate in 2021.
Opened similar to 2018’s Den of Thieves £1,082,560 taking £2,790,151 and bigger than 2018’s Mile 22 £795,888 taking £1,420,868; 2019’s 21 Bridges £655,213 taking £1,508,195 and Likely to open similar to 2021’s £198,225
Gerald Butler has starred in many action films starring as the leading seaman in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies and more recently Olympus Has Fallen trilogy, Geostorm and Greenland. His films are regularly dismissed by critics but cinemagoers enjoy them as they are popcorn movies and the trailer for Plane is one of the craziest trailers over recent years (along with Cocaine Bear and Shotgun Wedding released on Amazon Prime last week).
2019’s Angel Has Fallen opened £2,122,408 taking £7,456,528
2016’s London Has Fallen opened £3,229,675 (including £511,336 previews) taking £10,831,576
2013’s Olympus Has Fallen opened £2,247,900 (including £851,675 previews) taking £6,131,193
While 2017’s Geostorm opened £1,625,895 taking £4,217,525
- 4. The Fabelmens – £1,067,384 – NE
Includes £67,088 from week-long previews from 6 London cinemas
1,507th biggest opening between Invictus and I Love You Phillip Morris (close to Born on the Fourth of July, Casino, Spotlight and I, Tonya) and 2,002nd biggest inflated between In the Name of the Father and Courage Under Fire (close to O’ Brother, Where Art Thou, Amelie, The Awakenings and Platoon
Despite receiving widespread critical acclaim since its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival (91% Rotten Tomatoes) receiving 7 Oscar nominations (including Best Film) and one BAFTA nomination (Best Screenplay) was always going to be a hard sell to audiences. This was why it had 7 days of previews in 6 London cinemas last week, normally when a film opens on a platform its BO is separated as Amistad, Schindler’s List and Empire of the Sun were so surprising this BO was included in its opening weekend.
Opened similar to 2021’s West Side Story £1.2m. The film had its UK premiere on Wednesday 18th January and opened in 6 cinemas on January 20th despite its official release date of January 27th.
Films would regularly have a platform opening for a week or more in Leicester Square, before going wide, but the BO would be reported for its platform. Platform openings for award contenders were the norm 20 years ago, films like Evita and Chicago had exclusive openings in Leicester Square for several weeks but have been very few since The Artist in 2011. This is despite platform openings still being the norm for these films in the US. (The Banshees of Inisherin opened in 4 screens in the US but 546 screens in the UK).
The Favourite in 2018 had a similar release it opened on Boxing Day in London (taking £336,655) before opening wide on January 1st and the film had a 12-day opening weekend including 9 days of previews taking £1,775,372. Maybe it’s because exhibitors are so quick to reduce showtimes in a film’s second weekend if the film doesn’t immediately find an audience (as seen recently with Till, Tar, Empire of Light and Babylon all film audiences don’t rush out to see) by having a hidden weekend gives the film a week to build up word of mouth. But it does confuse as critics reviewed it last weekend being overshadowed by Babylon whereas this weekend it’s the major release.
The film opened in 670 cinemas (767 screens) having eOne’s third widest opening in the UK after 1917’s 692 screens and The BFG’s 680 screens, but both were far more commercial mainstream films that would find their audience immediately but The Fabelmens was never going to be that kind of film and needed a much slower release, but the problem is with Puss in Boots 2 and Knock on the Cabin opening this week, then Magic Mike 3 and Titanic re-release doesn’t give it any wiggle room opening so wide. (Three weeks ago, Empire of Light opened in 690 screens down to 467 screens in its third weekend).
The film opened in the US on platform release November 11th with $161,579 from 4 screens but didn’t expand further until two weeks later losing momentum, expanding into 638 screens over Thanksgiving with $2.26m and then expanding further into 1,122 screens December 23rd. It was one of several adult dramas that struggled to find an audience in US cinemas in the autumn.
After Avatar 2 BO performance there have been many articles about how James Cameron is “saving cinema”, which was similar to writing about Top Gun: Maverick and No Time To Die but audiences need to come back to the cinema to see other films as there are 900 other films released. The problem with films Like The Fablemens as Babylon and Empire of Light is these aren’t films audiences don’t rush out to see over the opening weekend despite opening on 700+ screens and they lose shows
25 Steven Spielberg-directed films have taken £400m+ (don’t have UK BO for the first two Indiana Jones films) and £800m+ inflated.
Steven Spielberg over the last decade hasn’t had the same success he had between the 80s and 00s as the kind of films he has directed has changed, as someone who has grown up watching his films in the 80s, they are all still must-see rewatchable films that most modern films aren’t.
Steven Spielberg has been attached to direct Indiana Jones 5 in 2016 when Disney first announced the film, but as production kept being delayed directed The Post, Ready Player One and West Side Story. He dropped out of directing Indiana Jones 5 in early 2020 deciding to direct The Fabelmens which he had been developing since 1999 originally titled I’ll Be Home.
After directing so many iconic films over the last 40 years including Jaws, E.T, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report and Catch Me If You Can be surely the perfect time to direct the semi-autobiographical story. Audiences who have grown up watching these films will elements of them in The Fabelmens.
It was announced in November that Steven Spielberg was attached to direct the next film about Frank Bullitt starring Bradley Cooper. Steven Spielberg is often connected to direct films as he was for American Sniper but then leaves them for other films so only, he knows if it will be his next film.
It was a strange coincidence The Fabelmens, Empire of Light and Babylon all were released so close to each other all telling stories about cinema, all sadly struggling to find audiences in cinemas despite all three being directed by Oscar-winning directors who previously had huge success by the other films. Maybe that impacted them as all of them were going to be hard sells to mainstream audiences despite being about cinema as films about filmmaking and the film industry often struggle to find a wider audience as seen with Trumbo, Saving Mr Banks, The Player, Barton Fink, Ed Wood and The Producers.
While the 1990’s Cinema Paradiso took £1,022,000; started on platform release opening at Curzon Mayfair £23,416.
Normally January is when distributors release the must-see British award contender, but there wasn’t this year as The Banshees of Inisherin opened in October. As the director’s previous Oscar-winning film Three Billboards opened in January it was surprising it wasn’t also but maybe as Disney had Empire of Light dated for January with The Fabelmens and Babylon also dated October looked a better time to open as it was also day and date with the US.
But interesting that yet again Oscar bait films are overlooked for BAFTAs and Oscars, but it’s these kinds of films that are helped the most by getting award nominations as the Best Picture nomination for Avatar 2 won’t boost its BO but a major nomination for Empire of Light, The Fabelmens and Babylon would have gotten these films onto the radar of mainstream audiences.
eOne and Steven Spielberg heavily promoted the film in the UK with many interviews and screenings so they did all they could to get audiences to see the film in cinemas, but the struggle was always getting them inside the cinema especially if they hadn’t gone to see any of the other award contenders as their success often leads into success to the next.
The problem was audiences haven’t seen beyond Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical and Avatar: The Way Of Water since November while September to before Black Panther 2 opened was soft, so the audience didn’t see the trailers for these films in cinemas.
Empire of Light has taken £3.3m in 3 weeks taking £202k down 55% #14 and Babylon £2.62m #6 taking £662k down 50%
- 5. M3gan £749,354 – £5,980,325
Down 44.7% in the third weekend
1,157th biggest film between Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Walking with Dinosaurs (close to Hollow Man, Blade: Trinity, Green Lantern and Pulp Fiction) and 1,718th biggest inflated between Poseidon and The Tuxedo (close to House on Haunted Hill, Real Steel, Lake Placid and The Devil Inside).
57th biggest horror between The First Purge and Paranormal Activity 4 (close to Annabelle Comes Home, 28 Days Later, The Haunting and 28 Weeks Later) and 96th biggest horror inflated between The Happening and The Devil Inside (close to The Craft (1996), Piranha 3-D, The Hills Have Eyes and From Dusk Till Dawn).
10th biggest Blumhouse Productions between The First Purge and Mama (close to The Invisible Man, Sinister, Insidious: The Last Key and Halloween Kills).
Blumhouse horrors have taken £120m+ over the last 10 years but the films come short of their US performance.
M3gan has been compared to Chucky; 1989’s Child’s Play took £493,521 and Child’s Play 2 took £391,549 also 2013’s Mama £5,321,101 and 2015’s Ex Machina £2,502,929.
Also opened
• Unwelcome – Warner Bros
£118,322 #14 from 316 screens
Directed by Jon Wright described as Gremlins meets Straw Dogs; previously directed 2009’s Tormented (opened £284,757 taking £698,053)
It was originally due to be released in February and then October 2021. Warner Bros acquired UK rights in October 2020 then called The Little People.
Films like Unwelcome are struggling the most to find audiences in cinemas over the last decade, reviews have been positive and audience reaction has been good, but it will be out of cinemas within weeks as exhibitors won’t give it a chance to find its audience. As with films like The Fabelmens audiences will come to films like Unwelcome after a positive word of mouth as they won’t rush out to see it, but it will be limited to evening and late-night shows from Friday.
• Billie Eilish: Live At The O2 – Trafalgar
£329,407 from 256 screens #10 from Friday only
As with all Event Cinema screenings tickets were twice the normal price, but interestingly Vue West End prices for Billie Eilish were cheaper than Vue Westfield, it’s not the first time Event Cinema has been cheaper at Vue West End but if that cinema can charge lower prices why can’t other cinemas charge less for Event Cinema.
I’ve always said Event Cinema is a great addition to the cinema, but it and Secret Cinema need to be separate from regular cinema as each ticket adds two admissions as the industry average price is now £7.69.
Normally Event Cinema screenings are single shows as Billie Eilish but with BTS: Yet To Come In Cinemas has 5 days of screenings having multiple shows each day Weds-Sun with prices of £14.99 it will be interesting to see if that increases its BO or just shares its BO over 5 days as often has when films have extended previews.
UK box office in detail
This weekend’s top 10 box office took £9,422,654 up 11.4% from last weekend’s £8,455,983: 1,201,300 admissions up 14.8% from 1,046,533
638th biggest top 10 of the last 21 years (out of 1,087) between 21 April 2017 #1 Fast & Furious 8 £3,593,733 (38.1% of top 10) and 23 February 2007 #1 Hot Fuzz £3,297,539 (35% of top 10) and 929th biggest inflation inflated between 21 May 2010 #1 Streetdance £2,493,948 (35.9% of top 10) and 14 March 2008 #1 10,000B.C. £1,932,539 ( 31.9% of top 10).
The top 3 took £5,245,851 55.7% of the top 10; Avatar: The Way of Water 24.5% (£2,116,615); Pathaan 20.9% (£1,967,854); Plane 12.3% (£1,161,382);
Taking 22.46% of the top 10 it’s the 889th highest percentage #1 between 28 March 2003 The Recruit and 18 March 2016 Kung Fu Panda 3
944th biggest admissions #1 (275,243) between 25 September 2015 Everest £1,996,439 (276,899) and 11 August 2006 Cars £1,340,219 (275,199)
Down 25.6% 2022 (£12,668,620); Sing 2 (£6,867,533); Parallel Mothers (£301,877); Rigoletto – Met Opera 2022 (£86,823); Friday The 13th (1980) (Re: 2022) (£8,256); #1 Sing 2 £6,867,533 1st week 632 screens (54.2% of top 10)
2021; Lockdown
Down 30.9% from 2020 (£13,633,691); The Personal History Of David Copperfield (£1,524,147); Paw Patrol: Ready, Race, Rescue (£483,886); The Grudge (£461,921); The Turning (£104,459); #1 1917 £4,518,270 3rd week 27% drop 742 screens (33.1% of the top 10)
Down 11.2% from 2019; (£10,612,229); Vice (£1,327,464); Dragon Ball Super: Broly (£851,508); The Mule (£725,554); A Dog’s Way Home (£705,875); Love Yourself In Seoul – BTS World Tour 2019 (£518,810); Second Act (£403,211); Destroyer (£106,410); Schindler’s List (25th Anniversary) (£29,745); #1 Glass £1,936,631 2nd weeks 559 screens 44% drop (18.2% of top 10)
Down 45.7% from 2018: (£17,354,267); Maze Runner: The Death Cure (£2,247,915); Early Man (£2,020,653); Downsizing (£1,131,687); 12 Strong (£421,515); Tosca – Met Opera 2018 (£404,994); Last Flag Flying (£16,867); #1 Darkest Hour £2,672,022 3rd week 2nd-week #1 over 3 weeks 641 screens 15% drop (15.4% of top 10)
Down 63.5% from 2017: (£25,816,418); Sing (£10,487,380); T2 Trainspotting (£5,146,791); Hacksaw Ridge (£1,490,158); Denial (£229,067); #1 Sing £10,487,380 1st week 554 screens (40.6% of top 10)
Down 16.9% from 2016: (£11,333,473); Dirty Grandpa (£2,047,207); Spotlight (£1,060,435); Turandot – Met Opera 2016 (£375,950); Youth (£265,217); 13 Hours (£238,231); The 33 (£26,208); #1 The Revenant £2,278,262 3rd week 616 screens 41% drop (20.1% of top 10)
Down 12.3% from 2015; (£10,751,450); Ex Machina (£1,093,952); Mortdecai (£484,878); The Gambler (£381,554); Swan Lake – Bolshoi 2014 (£284,344); A Most Violent Year (£216,538); #1 American Sniper £2,539,534 2nd week 1st #1 457 screens 0% drop (23.6% of top 10)
Down 19.8% from 2014: (£11,753,522); Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (£1,278,187); Inside Llewyn Davis (£718,401); August: Osage County (£537,310); Grudge Match (£265,643); #1 The Wolf of Wall Street £3,608,968 2nd week 506 screens 23% drop (30.7% of top 10)
Down 32.3% from 2013 (£13,926,746); Lincoln (£1,657,337); Zero Dark Thirty (£1,052,845); Movie 43 (£787,648); The Last Stand (£538,867); Won’t Back Down (£736); #1 Les Miserables £4,016,611 3rd week 591 screens 9% drop (28.8% of top 10)
Down 2.4% from 2012 (£9,656,063); The Descendants (£1,797,939); The Grey (£1,094,338); A Monster in Paris (£1,043,531); Like Crazy (£93,981); #1 War Horse £2,081,490 3rd week 510 screens 35% drop (21.5% of top 10)
Down 39.3% from 2011 (£15,525,216); Tangled (£5,106,612); The Mechanic (£921,554); Hereafter (£601,728); How do you Know (£374,933); Biutiful (£156,029); Barney’s Version (£109,266); #1 Tangled £5,106,612 1st week 445 screens (32.9% of top 10)
Down 19.1% from 2010: (£11,642,410); Edge Of Darkness (£1,172,927); Precious: A Novel By Sapphire (£260,921); The Princess And The Frog (platform) (£15,651); #1 Avatar £4,865,081 7th week 424 screens 6% drop (41.7% of top 10)
Up 0.8% from 2009; (£9,343,240); Revolutionary Road (£1,013,548); Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist (£398,194); #1 Slumdog Millionaire £2,359,854 4th week 3d #1 416 screens 16% increase (25.2% of top 10)
Down 9.9% from 2008; (£10,462,095); Sweeney Todd (£4,525,246); In the Valley of Elah (£345,185); The Savages (£72,823); #1 Sweeney Todd £4,525,246 1st week 436 screens (43.2% of top 10)
Up 18.4% from 2007: (£7,954,979); Blood Diamond (£1,471,104); Venus (£317,426); Bobby (£285,057); #1 Rocky Balboa £1,705,180 2nd week 411 screens 53% drop (21.4% of top 10)
Up 28.5% from 2006; (£7,333,608); Munich (£1,209,970); Rumour Has It (£816,743); Hidden (Caché) (£169,234); #1 Fun with Dick and Jane £1,381,737 2nd week 419 screens 29% drop (18.8% of top 10)
Down 25.2% from 2005 (£12,600,625); Meet the Fockers (£7,917,661); Assault on Precinct 13 (£748,846); Creep (£477,687); Sideways (£349,642); #1 Meet the Fockers £ 7,917,661 1st week 456 screens (62.8% of top 10)
Down 6.2% from 2004 (£10,047,733); Scary Movie 3 (£3,490,585); Big Fish (limited) (£126,899); #1 Scary Movie 3 £3,490,585 1st week 418 screens (34.7% of top 10)
Down 11.3% from 2003 (£10,625,350); I Spy (£878,229); Ghost Ship (£784,565); About Schmidt (£757,325); The Pianist (£195,222); #1 8 Mile £2,514,467 2nd week 423 screens 43% drop (23.6% of top 10)
Up 1 % from 2002 (£9,329,000); Vanilla Sky (£2,978,264); In the Bedroom (£87,294); #1 Vanilla Sky £2,978,264 1st week 425 screens (31.9% of top 10)
Next weekend 2022 (£12,068,383): Jackass Forever (£2,091,017); Moonfall (£1,163,114); BELLE (£152,287); The Souvenir Part II (£93,044); Beauty And The Beast (1991) (Re: 2022) (£4,409); Jumanji (Re: 2022) (£4,001); #1 Sing 2 £5,149,645 2nd week 640 screens 25% drop (42.7% of top 10)
US Box Office
- Avatar: The Way of Water – Disney
Down 21% in its seventh weekend taking $15.96m and $620.84m
IMAX took 14.3% of the fifth weekend ($5.5m and $75.2m total); PLF 19% and 3D 62%
As with Avatar, The Way of Water was always likely to stay #1 for 7 weeks but then it will drop out of the top 10 quicker than Avatar which took 8 more weeks to stay in the top 10 until mid-March.
3rd biggest seventh weekend between Titanic ($25.9m) and Top Gun: Maverick #2 ($15.5m).
As the average ticket price for a 3D/PLF is $18.28 compared to $12.53 for 2D according to EntTelligence research Avatar 2 5th weekend can’t be compared with any of those films as only Avatar took a similar percentage of BO from IMAX/3D/PLF but 13 years later ticket prices are far more now than they were in 2010, an inflation inflated BO for Avatar would $4bn+ worldwide.
The 11th biggest film between The Avengers and Star Wars: The Last Jedi; the 30th biggest inflated between Home Alone and Incredibles 2; the 4th biggest sci-fi between Jurassic World and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Avatar 2 dropped 32% in comparison with Avatar dropped 10.5% in the seventh weekend taking $31.28m; The Force Awakens 21% $11.11m; Rogue One 26.8% $5.27m; The Last Jedi 35.1% $4.25m; The Rise of Skywalker 42.3% $3.21m; but can’t make a direct comparison with any of these films apart from Avatar due to 3D.
Avatar 2 should be looking at $3bn+ 13 years on from Avatar with ticket prices up to 100% more than they were in 2009.
In 2010 Avatar dropped 10.5% taking $31.28m and $595.75m 65.8% of $749.76m; Edge of Darkness #2 $17.21m; When in Rome #3 $12.35m; Tooth Fairy #4 $9.99m; The Book of Eli #5 $8.9m.
It took 45 days for Avatar to overtake Titanic to become the biggest film globally $2.039bn and went on to take $749.76m in the US (held #1 for 7 weeks; Titanic was #1 for 15 weeks), $1.99bn internationally and $2.743bn worldwide. It remained the biggest film globally until Avengers Endgame overtook it after 91 days of release. Avatar retained #1 global status after it was re-released in China in March 2021. (Avatar took $262m in China).
Took $42.4m (28% drop) from 52 territories $1.496bn total and $2.117bn worldwide; China $ $237.1m; France $137m; Germany $124.4m; Korea $103.3m; UK $85.7m;
Europe $667m (72% 3D/PLF); Asia-Pacific $598m (75% 3D/PLF); Latin America $161m (54% 3D/PLF).
IMAX has taken $239m (11.3% from 1,453 screens) taking $156.1m internationally (7.3%)
2009’s Avatar took $100m+ from IMAX worldwide from 262 screens (179 US and 83 international), The Dark Knight from 109 screens and then Gravity from 330 screens. Avatar 2 opened on 1,543 IMAX screens worldwide with an average price of $20.
Avatar took $95m (12% drop) in its seventh weekend internationally from 52 territories $1.443bn total ($153m from IMAX worldwide and $595.75m US) and $2.039bn 74.3% of $2.743bn
Spider-Man No Way Home took $21.1m (down 26%) internationally from 14,400 screens ($108m from IMAX worldwide) from 63 territories in its sixth weekend $1.003bn total and $1.74bn worldwide 91.1% of $1.91bn total.
6th biggest worldwide between Avengers: Infinity War and Spider-Man: No Way Home; 3rd biggest sci-fi worldwide between Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Jurassic World.
- M3gan – Universal Pictures
Dropped 36% in the fourth weekend taking $6.25m and $82.16m
The 749th biggest fourth weekend between Christopher Robin and Black Swan (close to Eraser, Glass, Beetlejuice and 12 Monkeys).
1,001st biggest between Now You See Me and The Post; 1,738th biggest inflated between The Warriors and Race to Witch Mountain; 42nd biggest horror between Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Scream (2022); 134th biggest Universal Pictures between Good Boys and Ted 2.
M3gan is now available on PVOD as all Universal films that open with less than $50m, but often these films continue to attract audiences in cinemas after being released on PVOD.
Took $7.8m from 75 territories $64.3m total and $146.43m worldwide; Mexico $7.7m; UK $5.7m; France $3.5m; Spain $2.9m; Australia $2.86m.
1,251st biggest worldwide between Crazy, Stupid, Love and The Boss Baby: Family Business; 59th biggest horror worldwide between Mama and The Exorcism of Emily Rose; 165th biggest Universal Pictures worldwide between Mama and The Boss Baby: Family Business.
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – Universal Pictures
Down 11% in the sixth weekend $10.49m and $140.71m
The 45th biggest sixth weekend between Avengers: Infinity War and Toy Story 4 (close to Finding Nemo, Moana, Hoodwinked and Shrek).
86th biggest animated film between Pocahontas and Disney’s A Christmas Carol; 441st biggest film between Rush Hour and The Blair Witch Project; 883rd biggest inflated between Tango & Cash and Shazam!; 61st biggest Universal Pictures film between National Lampoon’s Animal House and Split.
2011’s Puss In Boots dropped 59.5% in the sixth weekend $3.04m and $139.51m taking $149.26m and $554.98m worldwide. The five Shrek extended universe films took $1.48bn in the US and $3.65bn worldwide and the 41 Dreamworks Animation films have taken $6.03bn in the US and $16.24bn worldwide since 1998’s Antz.
2001’s Shrek dropped 21.1% by $10.4m and $215.23m of $268.16m and $488.35m WW
2004’s Shrek 2 dropped 26.7% by $10.21m and $396.78m of $441.22m and $928.76m WW
2007’s Shrek the Third dropped 37.2% by $5.65m and $307.8m of $322.71m and $813.36m WW
2010’s Shrek Forever After dropped 44.8% by $3.1m and $229.53m of $238.73m and $752.6m WW
Took $14.3m from 78 territories and $195m total and $335.7m worldwide; Mexico $19.6m; France $19m; Germany $13.7m; Australia $12.7m; Brazil $11.7m.
88th biggest animated worldwide between Trolls and The Good Dinosaur; 449th biggest worldwide between Apollo 13 and Star Trek Beyond; 54th biggest Universal Pictures between Apollo 13 and The Great Wall.
- A Man Called Otto – Sony Pictures
Down 24% in the fifth weekend taking $6.65m and $45.95m
673rd biggest fifth weekend between Ford v Ferrari and Grumpier Old Men (close to Murder on the Orient Express, The Holiday, City of Angels and Road to Perdition).
1,962nd biggest between Gangster Squad and The Full Monty; 2,940th biggest inflated between Johnny Dangerously and MA; 260th biggest Sony Pictures film between Made of Honor and Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans.
Tom Hanks has starred in 48 films taking $4.52bn in the US and $9.2bn worldwide ($3bn from Toy Story films). Almost half of his films (22) have taken $100m+ half when $100m+ meant the film was successful (pre-2000).
Sony Pictures are filling the gap of original films since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox with Where the Crawdads Sing (opened $17.2m taking $90.2m), The Woman King ($19m taking $67m) and Little Women ($16.7m taking $108m).
Took $3.3m from 37 territories $24.9m total
UK Box Office Top 10
UK Box Office Preview
After Avatar: The Way of Water topped the box office for seven weeks losing IMAX/PLF/3D screens will have its biggest drop with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Knock at the Cabin opening #1 and #2.
As with Sing 2, Universal opted to open the film ahead of half-term instead of Christmas, to separate it from Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical as Universal did last year with Sing 2. Opening at half-term, it’s the main children’s film released, Epic Tails will play to a younger audience.
Surprisingly Puss in Boots 2 doesn’t have weekend previews, 2017’s Sing had but not 2022’s Sing 2, why Sing opened £10,487,380 (including £4,201,298 previews) taking £28.84m and Sing 2 opened £6,867,533 taking £32.8m. But Sing faced more direct competition from The LEGO Batman Movie (opened £7,906,468 taking £26,771,191) while Sing 2 had Uncharted which played slightly older.
Puss in Boots opened in December 2011 with £1,975,758 taking £14,270,527 despite Arthur Christmas taking £21,369,929; Happy Feet 2 £5,325,893 and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked £26,308,621.
Opened only a year after Shrek Forever After opened £8,955,554 (including £3,040,454 previews) taking £31,106,087
The four Shrek films were hugely popular in the UK taking over £150m+ (£250m+ inflated)
2007’s Shrek The Third opened £16,671,727 (including £6,340,000 previews) taking £38,079,462 (£60,927,139 inflated)
2004’s Shrek 2 opened £16,220,752 (including £5,604,874 previews) taking £48,104,138 (£86,566,021 inflated)
2001’s Shrek opened £3,179,558 taking £29,004,582 (£56,607,976 inflated)
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish should open with £4m-£5m
Knock at the Cabin is the latest horror film from M. Night Shyamalan, and early social media reaction said it was a return to form for the director. He most recently directed 2021’s Old opened #4 £866,860 taking £3,181,707. Knock at the Cabin is likely to open between The Visit opened in September 2015 with £1,031,292 taking £2,805,591 and 2008’s The Happening £1,632,055 (£2,350,787 inflation inflated) 41.9% of £3,895,001 (£5,610,300 inflation inflated).
Avatar The Way of Water will drop 40%+ between £1.2m-£1.5m as the last four weeks it probably dropped about 80% from Sun-Mon as the majority of its BO has come from Sat/Sun since January 2nd.
What will be interesting to see is how Pathaan holds as it will probably be #1 Mon-Thurs adding more screens on Friday, normally Bollywood films are front-loaded, but Pathaan still looks strong on Tuesday so could have £1m+ the second weekend.
BTS Yet To Come in Cinemas has a 5-day opening, normally Event Cinema concerts play for one day but BTS Yet to Come has screenings from Weds-Sun could see it having a £1m+ opening.
Which will likely see Plane and The Fabelmans drop 40% in their second weekends
Opening in two weeks
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – Disney
31st Marvel Cinematic Universe film and sequel to 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp sequel to 2015’s Ant-Man starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas, Kathryn Newton and Bill Murray and directed by Peyton Reed.
The first film from Phase 5 introduces Kang the Conqueror who will be the supervillain in Phase 5 leading into Avengers: The Kang Dynasty in 2025, before Avengers: Secret Wars starts Phase 6 in 2026.
The footage was first screened at Comic-Con in July 2022, with further footage shown during D23 in September, the first teaser trailer was released in October and attached to Black Panther Wakanda Forever. The tone was darker than the previous two Ant-Man films which felt more like family adventure films made in the 80s and 90s.
The 30 MCUs have taken £1bn at the UK BO since 2008 (£1.2bn inflated) but after steady growth solo films have plateaued since Captain America: Civil War in 2018, while Ant-Man films have been the lowest grossing of the MCU with 2015’s Ant-Man opening £4,011,345 taking £16,309,117 and 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp opened £4,988,747 taking £17,599,289.
Disney’s first 8 MCU films’ average opening was £10.9m and the average of the last 8 MCU films (not including Avengers films) average was £11.4m
- The Son – Black Bear
A drama based on Florian Zeller’s 2018 stage play and prequel to the 2020s The Father starring Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, Zen McGrath, Hugh Quarshie, and Anthony Hopkins and directed by Florian Zeller.
It had world premiere at the Venice Film Festival receiving negative reviews (27% Rotten Tomatoes) while The Father received critical acclaim. Hugh Jackman was nominated for Best Actor at the Golden Globes.
In July 2021 Sony Pictures Classics acquired US rights and STX UK rights