1. 1917 –  £2,798,457  – £31,404,434

Down 38.1% in its fourth weekend; first film since Joker last year to be #1 for 4 weeks; last year Aladdin, The Lion King and Joker this year No Time To Die is likely to be the only other film to be #1 as long.

30^th biggest fourth weekend in the UK between Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow Part 2 and Beauty and the Beast (close to Paddington 2, Black Panther, Dunkirk and Slumdog Millionaire.

After 17 days 1917 has become eOne’s 3^rd biggest film in the UK between Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 and The BFG and fourth film to take over £30m; the 127^th film to take over £30m at the box office;

While 1917 will drop down to third this weekend with new arrivals Birds of Prey and Dolittle with its BAFTA wins will see an increase over the week and gold strongly in its fifth weekend as it moves towards overtaking 2011’s The King’s Speech over the next few weeks to be their biggest ever film in the UK.

118^th biggest film in the UK between Slumdog Millionaire and Shrek Forever After and 190^th biggest inflation inflated between High School Musical 3 and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (close to Life of Pi, Calendar Girls, Moulin Rouge and The BFG).

Fourth weekend

Took more than

2.9% Paddington 2 (£2,883,617); 6.2% Dunkirk (£2,634,839); 18.59% Slumdog Millionaire (£2,359,854); 23% Love Actually (£2,273,706); 24% Mary Poppins Returns (£2,256,418); 30.1% A Star Is Born (£2,150,987); 33.3% The Greatest Showman (£2,103,605); 53.3% Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (£1,824,607)

Took less than

7.4% Bohemian Rhapsody (£3,021,648); 14.7% The Jungle Book (£36,835,516); 19.2% Joker (£3,464,682); 23% The King’s Speech (£3,634,265); 24.6% LOTR: Return of the King (£3,713,999); 27.3% Titanic (£3,849,120); 34.7% LOTR: Return of the King (£48,099,432); 41.3% Avatar (£4,770,980);

After 24 days total

Took more than

16.3% Paddington 2 (£26,903,226); 17.3% Titanic (£26,774,482); 24.8% Love Actually (£25,166,894); 26.1% The Kings Speech (£24,905,378); 35.9% Downton Abbey (£23,109,145); 63.2% A Star Is Born (£19,238,711); 86.2% The Greatest Showman (£16,865,309); 92% Little Women (£16,355,697); 121% Slumdog Millionaire (£14,216,466);

Took less than

2.2% Mamma Mia! (£32,109,923); 9.8% The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (£32,958,815); 11.5% Bohemian Rhapsody (£35,500,000); 17.9% Mary Poppins Returns (£38,242,693); 23.4% Avatar (£40,991,797); 25% Casino Royale (£41,960,147); 29.9% Dunkirk (£44,794,468); 32.8% Joker (£46,738,367);

On Sunday 1917 predictably won 7 BAFTAs including Best Picture and Best Director, but didn’t win any acting or writing awards, many question how some films can be nominated for Best Picture but then director does not get nominated. The last BAFTA Best Film to not also win acting or writing awards was 2013’s Argo (but did get nominated in acting and screenplay); 1917 was the first Best Picture BAFTA winner not to be nominated for any acting or writing awards since Ben Hur in 1959.

In early November momentum was with Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman but by the end of the month 1917 was being screened and it was odds on to win Beat Film and Best Director at BAFTAS. While American Beauty won Best Film 20 years ago and Sam Mendes won Best Director Oscar he didn’t win Best Director BAFTA which was won instead by Pedro Almodóvar for All About My Mother.

Away from James Bond Spectre and Skyfall, Sam Mendes directed 2009’s Revolutionary Road (took £2,751,902; 2006’s Jarhead (took £5,155,997; 2002’s Road to Perdition (took £6,471,752 (£11,286,485 inflation inflated); 20 years ago Sam Mendes directed the Oscar-winning American took £21,261,601 (£34,888,354 inflation inflated).

If 1917 wins Best Picture on Sunday it will be their fifth over the last 10 years (The King’s Speech, 12 Years A Slave, Spotlight and Green Book) which is an incredible achievement for an independent distributor that has to acquire most of the films it releases, unlike studios who have more control with the films they make.

4^th weekend

1998’s Saving Private Ryan took £1,367,408 19.3% drop (£2,378,685 inflation inflated) and £12,170,437 (£21,171,178 inflation inflated) 64.9% of £18,740,016 (£33,573,924 inflation inflated)  

2017’s Dunkirk took £2,634,839 43% drop and £44,794,468 79.1% of £56,585,035

2011’s The King’s Speech took £3,634,265.00 14% drop £24,905,378 46.1% of £54,036,062

2009’s Slumdog Millionaire took £2,359,854 16%  drop £14,216,466 33.8% £41,995,981

With Birds of Prey, Dolittle, Sonic The Hedgehog and Emma opening over the next two weeks1917 will drop down the charts but should still hold well this weekend and next weekend having a boost from BAFTA and likely Oscar success, while also perform well during the week.

1917 should take at least £40m and could take closer to £50m if it does as most expect to win BAFTA and Oscar awards over the next few weeks which will see it become eOne’s biggest ever film in the UK and probably one of the biggest films of 2020.

2. Bad Boys For Life –  £1,844,179   – £11,287,270

Down 32.8% in its third weekend.

241^st biggest second weekend in the UK between How to Train Your Dragon 3 and High School Musical 3 (close to Mission: Impossible III, The Bourne Ultimatum, Die Hard with a Vengeance and Mad Max: Fury Road) and 366^th biggest second-weekend inflation between Iron Man and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (close to Die Hard 4.0, Clear And Present Danger, Enemy of the State and Rush Hour 2).

Sony Pictures 53^rd biggest between XXX and Stuart Little 2 (close to Karate Kid (2010), Snatch, 21 Jump Street and Bad Boys 2) Bad Boys 2 #65 and Bad Boys #121 biggest and 68^th biggest inflation inflated between Click and Open Season.

Third weekend

1995’s Bad Boys took £500,000 (£1,017,241 inflation inflated) taking £3,697,132 (£7,521,751 inflation inflated) and £8,408,498 (£13,673,278 inflation inflated)

2003’s Bad Boys 2 dropped 52% taking £711,618 (£1,134,742 inflation inflated) and £7,269,958 (£11,592,636 inflation inflated) taking £8,141,704 (£13,673,278 inflation inflated

After reuniting with two films with Will Smith, Jerry Bruckheimer will also reunite with Tom Cruise this summer in Top Gun: Maverick 34 years after the original film opened and 30 years after they previously worked together on Days of Thunder.

3. The Personal History of David Copperfield  –  £1,037,119    – £3,758,595

Dropped 31.9% in its second weekend; took £2.72m over kits opening 7 days taking similar amount Mon-Thurs as Fri-Sun as older audiences often prefer going to the cinema during the week rather than the weekend.

But, would have expected David Copperfield to held far stronger and taken more during the week, but the film was positioned in the hope that it would receive BAFTA nominations but only received one for Best Casting.

After receiving its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival last September opened the London Film Festival in October but failed to generate much momentum despite receiving positive reviews. Searchlight Pictures acquired US rights in September but then dated it for May 2020, but it was too late for Lionsgate to delay its UK release which saw it being isolated opening in January after all the major award contenders and not get the media coverage.

This is the perennial problem with the London Film Festival as distributors either have to open the film within a few weeks after its premiere as Widows (opening film)  in 2018 or hold back the film to January Stan and Ollie (closing film). Widows opened a few weeks after its premiere taking £6,275,005, while Stan and Ollie opened in January taking £10,523,554 neither films were nominated for many BAFTAs and neither won.

While last year’s closing The Irishman was leading the way receiving 10 BAFTAs and 10 Oscars and was seen as the early favourite, but as often happens other films gazump the early favourites with 1917 and Parasite being the big winners at the BAFTAs last weekend and will also be the Oscars this weekend.  Rather than playing the award lottery a film should be given the best release date for the film and then if it gets nominations it’s a bonus, but the problem with films like David Copperfield it needs the nominations to get seen by a wider audience.

The problem with holding back a film to January and February is distributors have to double up with the film’s marketing as the film receives its premiere in October with the cast in attendance, but then need to do it again in January and February.

825^th biggest second weekend between Emma and Girls Trip (close to Joy, Lost in Translation, Intolerable Cruelty and Jojo Rabbit) and 1,010^th biggest inflation inflated between Battle: Los Angeles and Spy Kids 2 (close to Green Book, Lion, Flight and Joy).

36^th biggest Lionsgate opening in the UK between Jeepers Creepers and Hacksaw Ridge (close to Sicario, A Simple Favour, Wonder and The Railway Man).

Armando Iannucci’s last film 2017’s The Death of Stalin dropped 18% in its second weekend taking £812,288 and £2,469,700 of £5,013,045; previously directed 2009’s In The Loop took £2,123,530.

Second weekends Dev Patel films

2009’s Slumdog Millionaire took £2,630,820 and £5,959,416 taking £31,664,346

2012’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel took £2,342,095 and £7,014,101 taking £20,308,480

2017’s Lion took £1,101,725 and £3,313,448 taking £11,742,907

4. Little Women – £659,344 – £19,931,774

Down 34.3% in its sixth weekend

Little Women continues to perform similar to the inflation inflated weekend and total box office of 1996’s Sense And Sensibility which took £349,491 in its 6^th weekend (£668,756 inflation inflated) and £12,382,532 (£23,694,142) taking £13.53m (£25,907,059).

256^th biggest film in the UK between Tangled and Thor: The Dark World (close to Calendar Girls, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Maleficent and Blade Runner 2049) will shortly become the 255^th film to take £20m+ and 368^th inflation inflated the biggest film between Wedding Crashers and XXX (close to The English Patient. The Others, Spice World and Moana).

23^rd biggest Sony Pictures film between Hotel Transylvania 2 and Hotel Transylvania 3 (close to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Men in Black 3) and 34^th biggest inflation inflated between The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists and XXX (close to Jerry Maguire and Erin Brockovich).

Little Women received 5 BAFTA nominations winning Best Costume Design and received 6 Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress (Saoirse Ronan), Best Supporting Actress (Florence Pugh) and Best Adapted Screenplay but likely only to win Best Costume Design on Sunday.

At the BAFTAs on Sunday much was made that only men were nominated as Best Director and no women, but while Little Women is a lovely film had Greta Gerwig been nominated it would have only been a token nomination as she was never going to win.

While Little Women took much more than sixth weekends of The Favourite, Pride and Prejudice and Sense And Sensibility, Little Women took similar to Pride and Prejudice and Sense And Sensibility inflation inflated sixth-weekend box office.

62% more than 2019’s The Favourite dropped 40% taking £248,159 and £14,615,916 86.1% of £16,965,411.

50.6% more than 2005’s Pride and Prejudice dropped 34% taking £325,564 (£489,382 inflation inflated) and £13,471,642 (£20,250,366 inflation inflated) 86.8% of £14,562,448 (£22,322,903 inflation inflated)

47% more 1996’s Sense And Sensibility £349,491 in its 6th weekend (£668,756 inflation inflated) and £12,382,532 (£23,694,142) taking £13.53m (£25,907,059).

1995’s Little Women took £3.4m (£7.2m inflation inflated).

The success of Little Women will help the new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma opening next month also 25 years after Gwyneth Paltrow’s Emma opened with £2,081,141 (£4,061,037 inflation inflated) taking £4,305,395 (£8,401,338 inflation inflated).

5. The Gentlemen – £597,494  – £10,364,506

Dropped 32.3% in its fifth weekend; only £168 separated The Gentleman and Jumanji: The Next Level in 6^th.

(570^th film to take over £10m); 549^th biggest film in the UK between Angry Birds and Antz (close to The Mask, Ocean’s Eight, Rush Hour 3 and Ali G Indahouse) and 712^th biggest film in the UK between Shaun of the Dead and Jack Reacher (close to Bad Boys, London Has Fallen, Phone Booth and Three Kings).

23^rd biggest Entertainment Films between The Mask and Rush Hour 3 (close to Lion, The Departed, Final Destination and Gangs of New York) and 39^th biggest inflation inflated between Saw and Blade: Trinity.

While overtaking Guy Ritchie’s 2015’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E. £6,455,363 will come short to Guy Ritchie’s 1998’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels £11.8m and 2000’s Snatch £12.4m; despite this, The Gentlemen has performed strongly in the crowded marketplace with Oscar contenders and Bad Boys For Life.  

So many independent film distributors have come and gone over the last feel decades so it’s an incredible achievement Entertainment Films is still holding its own over 40 years after launching as a video distributor.

Between 1990 and 2010 they had a lucrative output deal with New Line Cinema which saw them release the Lord of the Rings trilogy and they have always invested heavily into British films from the good The Inbetweeners Movie, the bad St. Trinian’s 2 and the ugly Sex Lives of the Potato Men.

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £9,319,783 down 31.6% from last weekend £13,633,69

The weekend admissions 1,305,544 down 33.1% from last weekend 1,949,486

16 films opened at weekend taking (£2,553,598); Queen & Slim 19.8% (£507,302); A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood 19.3% (£493,770); The Lighthouse 15.1% (£384,284); The Rhythm Section 6.7% (£171,837); Richard Jewell 6.2% (£158,868); remaining 11 films shared 32.8% (£837,537);

Top three took 60.9% (£5,679,755) of the top 10; 1917 30.1% (£2,798,457); Bad Boys For Life 19.8% (£1,844,179); The Personal History Of David Copperfield 11.1% (£1,037,119);

Down 22.3% from 2019; (£11,997,508); How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (£5,323,448); Green Book (£1,672,562); Escape Room (£820,218); Can You Ever Forgive Me? (£518,230); Carmen – Met Opera 2019 (£293,456); #1 How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World £5,323,448 1st week 556 screens (44.3% of top 10)

Down 27.6% from 2018: (£12,874,783); Den of Thieves (£1,082,560); Phantom Thread (£727,104); Winchester (£373,550); Journey’s End (£123,961); Roman J. Israel, Esq. (£22,193); #1 The Greatest Showman £2,201,523 6^th week 1^st #1 531 screens op 8% (17.1% of top 10)

Down 30.9% from 2017: (£13,491,421); Rings (£812,267); Resident Evil 6 (£463,691); Gold (£406,399); Loving (£236,147); Swan Lake – Bolshoi 2017 (£189,737); Toni Erdmann (£157,688); Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back (£58,266); #1 Sing £3,800,408 2^nd week 554 screens 64% drop (28.1% of top 10)

Down 17.7% 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 3^rd week 616 screens 41% drop (20.1% of top 10)

Dow 34.1% from 2015; (£14,145,093); Big Hero 6 (£4,293,286); Kingsman: The Secret Service (£4,241,292); Inherent Vice (£363,133); Les Contes D’Hoffmann – Met Opera 2015 (£238,597); Trash (£79,178); Son of a Gun (£21,065); #1 Big Hero 6 £4,293,286 1^st week 501 screens (30.3% of top 10)

Up 2.7% from 2014: (£9,072,053); That Awkward Moment (£961,167); I, Frankenstein (£811,365); Lone Survivor (£751,564); Out of the Furnace (£191,011); Lost Illusions – Bolshoi 2014 (£58,510); #1 The Wolf of Wall Street £2,385,585 3^rd week 515 screens 34% drop (26.3% of top 10)

Down 10.7% from 2013 (£10,437,105); Flight (£1,401,214); Bullet To The Head (£429,317); Hyde Park On Hudson (£136,783); Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away (£78,747); #1 Les Miserables £2,785,143 4^th week 562 screens 31% drop (26.6% of top 10)

Up 8.2% from 2012 (£8,612,269); Chronicle (£2,193,072); Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island); Jack and Jill (£848,814); Man on a Ledge (£697,394); Carnage (£298,733); Young Adult (£137,736); Martha Marcy May Marlene (£110,156); #1 Chronicle £2,193,072 1st week 397 screens (25.4% of top 10)

Down 40% 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 1^st week 445 screens (32.9% of top 10)

Down 19.9% 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 7^th week 424 screens 6% drop (41.7% of top 10)  

Down 0.2% from 2009; (£9,343,240); Revolutionary Road (£1,013,548); Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist (£398,194); #1 Slumdog Millionaire £2,359,854 4^th week 23^d #1 416 screens 16% increase (25.2% of top 10)

Down 3.4% from 2008; (£9,648,055); Cloverfield (£3,485,956); Over Her Dead Body (£995,690); Penelope (£769,840); Underdog (£330,914); Things We Lost in the Fire (£42,438); Asterix at the Olympic Games (£9,969); #1 Cloverfield £3,485,956 1^st week 386 screens (36.1% of top 10)

Up 22.5% from 2007: (£7,607,816); Dreamgirls (£1,329,817); Arthur and the Invisibles (£1,185,603); Notes on a Scandal (£1,141,364); #1 Dreamgirls £1,329,817 1^st week 270 screens (17.5% of top 10)

Up 31.9% from 2006; (£7,062,485); Zathura (£1,317,391); Walk the Line (£1,111,142); Derailed (£693,669); #1 Zathura £1,317,391 1^st week 400 screens (18.6% of top 10)

Up 26.1% 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 1sr week 456 screens (62.8% of top 10)

Up 12.2% from 2004 (£8,304,070); Big Fish (£1,644,011); Cold Creek Manor (£136,556); Sylvia (£123,981); The Emperor’s New Clothes (£5,656); #1 Scary Movie 3 £1,894,077 2^nd week 417 screens 46% drop (22.8% of top 10)

Down 8.7% from 2003 (£10,207,853); Catch Me If You Can (£3,720,957); Banger Sisters (£201,731); #1 Catch Me If You Can £3,720,957 1^st week 459 screens (36.4% of top 10)

Up 15.6% from 2002 (£8,058,230); Shallow Hal (£1,277,183); Gosford Park (£837,169); Training Day (£739,718); #1 Vanilla Sky £1,743,556  2^nd week 427 screens 41% drop (21.6% of top 10)

Next weekend in 2019: (£13,436,944); The LEGO Movie 2 (£4,016,730); Alita: Battle Angel (£3,198,180); All is True (£266,767); If Beale Street Could Talk (£252,462); Boy Erased (£118,585); #1 The LEGO Movie 2 £4,016,730 1^st week 572 screens (29.9% of top 10)

Also Opened

• The Rhythm Section – Paramount Pictures

Opened with The Rhythm Section, £171,837 from 404 screens

Was originally set for February 20219 release before being delayed to November 2019 (in January 2019) before being pushed back to January 2020 in August 2019.

Blake Lively has had box office success with 2016’s The Shallows (opened £800,963 taking £1,723,386), 2015’s Age of Adaline (opened £570,386 taking £1,084,834) and 2018’s A Simple Favour (opened £1,621,900 and £4,930,383)

While also performing similar to action films 2019’s Cold Pursuit (opened £631,467 taking £1,743,561) and 2018’s Peppermint (went straight to Amazon) but not as strongly as female action films 2018’s Red Sparrow (opened £1,843,124 taking £6,395,074) and 2017’s Atomic Blonde (opened £1,686,430 taking £3,063,918).

The film was cut by three seconds by the BBFC to get a 15 certificate

In August 2017 Paramount Pictures acquired world rights to the film produced by Eon Productions best known for making the James Bond films. The Rhythm Section is only Eon Productions third non-Bond film they have produced, the other two 1963’s Call Me Bwana and 2017’s Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool.

Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson gave an interview to Variety at the beginning of January talking a lot about the upcoming James Bond film No Time To Die and that anyone can be Bond as long as it’s a man.

What was surprising was they didn’t mention The Rhythm Section which they could have said they have no need in making James Bond a woman as they have The Rhythm Section based on Mark Burnell’s novel of female spy released at the end of the month, originally planned a potential film series.

When the project was first revealed it was planned to be the first of a potential series, so if that was still the case that would surely be mentioned in the interview?

Surely with films like The Rhythm Section and also Richard Jewell that will last a week in cinemas they should be able to void their theatrical window contract and be allowed to be released on VoD within weeks of cinema release, rather than waiting for another 15 weeks?

Even Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker dropped out of the top 10 and down to 15^th this weekend after another big drop, very few films now play beyond their eighth week on wide release and within four weeks they have taken 90% of their box office (apart from award contenders like 1917) so never makes any sense to me that these films still have to play out several more weeks when the films aren’t legally available anywhere.

No Time To Die opens in April have been rumours this week that it could be the longest ever James Bond film almost 3 hours long.

No Time To Die is expected to be the biggest film of 2020 this year taking over £90m, 2012’s Skyfall took £102.87m and 2015’s Spectre took £95.17m, (second and third-biggest films in the UK). No Time To Die has the advantage over those two films opening ahead of Easter holidays, the big question will be is can No Time To Die beat Avengers: Endgame 4 day opening of £43.4m also having a 4 day opening Spectre opening with £43.01m with 6.5 days and Skyfall took £23.79m over 3 days which was then the biggest opening.

• A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood – Sony Pictures

Opened with £493,770 from 467 screens

Marielle Heller’s Can You Ever Forgive Me? opened with £519,049 taking £2.2m

A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood was chosen by Time magazine as one of the ten best films of the year and Tom Hanks was nominated for his performance for the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice, Screen Actors Guild Awards, BAFTA Awards and Academy Awards.

Despite starring Tom Hanks the film is a hard sell internationally as Mr Rogers isn’t well known it would be like trying to sell a Phillip Schofield biopic about his broom cupboard years to US audiences.

It was surprising Tom Hanks was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for the film as ahead of its release many were hoping that he could finally win his third Best Actor Oscar after so many attempts since winning two in two years with Philadelphia and Forrest Gump.

It’s incredible that performances for Jim Lovell (Apollo 13), Captain Miller (Saving Private Ryan), Chuck Noland (Cast Away), Michael Sullivan (Road to Perdition); Carl Hanratty (Catch Me If You Can), Captain Richard Phillips (Captain Phillips), Walt Disney (Saving Mr Banks), James B. Donovan (Bridge of Spies), Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger (Sully) and Ben Bradlee (The Post) didn’t win him his third Oscar.

Tom Hanks next stars in Bios opening in October before reteaming up with Paul Greengrass in News of the World and the Elvis biopic directed by Baz Luhrmann both due for release next year which could see him nominated again.

• Richard Jewell – Warner Bros

Opened with £158,868 from 319 screens

Richard Jewell was one of the many projects 20th Century Fox developed that was put into turnaround by Disney after the acquired the studio and Warner Bros acquired.

The film began development in 2014 when Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill were going to produce the film with Jonah Hill starring as Richard Jewell with Paul Greengrass directing, he left the project and moved on to News of the World also in development at 20th Century Fox but moved to Universal Pictures with Tom Hanks starring, now dated for December 2020 release.

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

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

Richard Jewell is Clint Eastwood’s 37th film directed over 48 years taking $2bn in the US and $3.34bn worldwide; Richard Jewell is his 11th film in a row for Warner Bros since 2008’s Gran Torino.

BO of some of Clint Eastwood’s recent films

2019’s The Mule opened with £725,554 taking £1,421,554

2018’s The 15:17 to Paris opened with £290,577

2016’s Sully: Miracle on the Hudson opened with £1,786,844 taking £7,386,195

2015’s American Sniper opened with £2,530,473 taking £13,424,242

2012’s J. Edgar opened with £413,210

• The Lighthouse – Universal Pictures

Opened with £384,284 from 83 screens

Robert Egger’s debut The Witch in 2016 opened with £436,598 opening in over double the number of screens (180) taking £1.2m.

While The Lighthouse received critical acclaim it was a hard sell being shot in black and white opening in a busy week for new releases opening in 10^th.

• Queen & Slim – eOne

Opened with £507,302 from 357 screens

Strong opening for the film helped with Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith heavily promoting the film and receiving positive reviews.

Other Box Office News

January box office was up 24% from 2019 and February should also be stronger than last year with Birds of Prey, Dolittle, Emma, Sonic the Hedgehog all likely to perform stronger than How to Train Your Dragon 3 (£19.7m), The Lego Movie 2 (£18.6m), Instant Family (£10.6m), Alita: Battle Angel (£9.2m).

January has always been a strong moth for cinema with colder weather and with the Christmas holdovers and the Oscar contenders there is always a strong mix of films for all audiences. While Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Cats had fast declines others including Little Women and Jumanji: The Next Leve held strongly and then 1917 and Bad Boys For Life performed strongly.

Top 10 films of 2020 are divided between 6 studios, with strong slates from all studios this year the box office will likely be shared out across many more films than recent years, this will probably mean there will be less £50m+ films but will mean there will be many more £30m+ films which must be better for the industry as people will likely be seeing a wider range of films.

1917; Bad Boys For Life; Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker; Little Women; The Gentlemen; Jojo Rabbit; Jumanji 2; The Personal History Of David Copperfield; Spies in Disguise; Bombshell

UK Box Office Top 10

US Box office

• Bad Boys For Life – Sony Pictures

Dropped 48% in its third weekend taking $17.68m and $148.05m  

Third weekends

2003’s Bad Boys 2 dropped 42.3% taking $12.73m ($19.78m inflation inflated) and $113.34m ($173.02m) 81.7% of $138.6m ($215.38m inflation inflated) and $273.33m WW

Bad Boys 2 was the 10th biggest film of 2003 having the 10th biggest opening of the year

The biggest films of 2003 were The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ($377.1m); Finding Nemo ($339.71m); Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl ($305.39m); The Matrix Reloaded ($281.57m); Bruce Almighty ($242.82m); X2: X-Men United ($214.84m); Elf ($167.54m); Chicago ($167.51m); Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines ($150.37m); Bad Boys II ($138.6m).

1995’s Bad Boys dropped 36.3% taking $7.01m ($15.1m inflation inflated) and $44.09m ($94.97m inflation inflated) 67.1% of $65.8m ($141.74m inflation inflated) and $141.4m WW

The biggest films of 1995 were Batman Forever ($184.1m); Apollo 13 ($172.1m); Toy Story (146.2m); Pocahontas ($139.21m); Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls ($103.97m); Casper ($100.32m); Die Hard with a Vengeance ($92.73m); Crimson Tide ($91.38m); Goldeneye ($91.34m); Waterworld ($88.24m).

Will Smith’s 27 films have taken $2.55bn in the US; $3.57bn internationally and $6.12bn worldwide. 

386^th biggest film in the US between Gran Torino and Lethal Weapon 2 and 793^rd biggest inflation inflated between Grumpier Old Men and The Emperor’s New Groove and 39^th  biggest Sony Pictures film between Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

Jerry Bruckheimer’s 34 films have taken $4.1bn in the US, $6.3bn international and $10.4bn worldwide; most of his biggest hits were released in the 80s and 90s including Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Days of Thunder, Bad Boys, The Rock, Con Air, Armageddon, Enemy of the State, Coyote Ugly and Remember the Titans.

Took $30.8m from 63 territories and $142.7m internationally and $291m worldwide; UK $14.8m; Germany $12.7m; Mexico $10.5m; Australia $10m; Russia $9.1m; France $8.2m; Spain $5.5m; South Korea $4.2m; Saudi Arabia $4.1m; UAE $4.1m.  

507^th biggest film worldwide between Pacific Rim: Uprising and The Green Mile and 49^th biggest Sony Pictures film worldwide between Ghostbusters and Salt.

• 1917 – Universal Pictures

Down 38% in its sixth weekend taking $9.8m and $119.3m;

565^th biggest film in the US between Fahrenheit 9/11 and Hairspray and 1,061^st biggest inflation between Trainwreck and Rambo III; 79^th biggest Universal Pictures film between  On Golden Pond and The Break-Up

While 1917 won 7 BAFTAs on Sunday including Best Picture and Best Director many believe it won’t do the same at the Oscars (received 10 Oscar nominations) with possibly the awards split and Parasite winning Best Director.

By next weekend 1917 will become Sam Mendes biggest non-Bond film in the US overtaking his Oscar-winning American Beauty (opened $9,505,313 wide taking $130,058,047) winning Best Picture and Director 20 years ago.

Sam Mendes also directed 2009’s Away We Go took $9,430,988), 2008’s Revolutionary Road (took $22,877,808),  2002’s Jarhead (opened with $27,726,210 taking $62,647,540), 2002’s Road to Perdition (opened with $22,079,481 taking $104,054,514)

1998’s Saving Private Ryan took $216,118,802 and $481,840,909 worldwide

2017’s Dunkirk took $188,045,546 and $525,245,546 worldwide

Took $20.9m from 61 territories internationally and $129.8m total and $249.1m worldwide; 615^th biggest film worldwide between Eragon and Love Actually.

• Dolittle – Universal Pictures

Dropped 38% in its third weekend taking $7.59m and $55.1m

Despite poor reviews, Dolittle is holding much stringer than might have expected, while far from being a hit due to its $175m budget al with Cats last year won’t be as big as a flop as many expected.

1.556^th biggest opening in the US between The Shallows and I am Number Four and 2,451^st biggest inflation inflated between Eye for an Eye and Crimes of the Heart; 211^th  biggest Universal Pictures film between Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising and The Jackal

It’s the third film version of Doctor Dolittle after the classic 1967 Rex Harrison and then Eddie Murphy starred in the 1998 remake and 2001 sequel.

Second weekends

1998’s Doctor Dolittle dropped 32.2% taking $19.67m and $64.8m and $144.15m in the US and $294.45m worldwide

2001’s Doctor Dolittle 2 dropped 36.8% taking $15.01m and $51.42m taking $112.95m in the US and $176.1m worldwide

Took $17.7m from 63 territories internationally and $126.9m worldwide; expands across Europe in February and March; 1,361^st biggest worldwide between Space Station and American Wedding and 173^rd biggest Universal Pictures film worldwide between Smokey and the Bandit and American Wedding.

• Gretel & Hansel – United Artists

Opened with $6.1m; received mixed reviews (58% Rotten Tomatoes) and C- CinemaScore (many thought it could have been the third F of the year after The Grudge and The Turning)

In 2013 Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters opened with $19,690,956 taking $55.7m and $226.34m

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• Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Disney

Dropped 32.7% in its seventh weekend taking $3.4m and $507.2m

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker became the worst-reviewed Star wars film dropping below The Phantom Menace Rotten Tomatoes score 52% Vs 53%, but The Phantom Menace received positive reviews when it was first released in 1999 it only dropped its score in 2012 when it was re-released in 3D.

7th weekends

2015 – Star Wars: The Force Awakens dropped 21% taking $11.11m and $895.76m 95.6% of $936.66m; $2.068bn WW

2016 – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story dropped 26.8% taking $5.27m and $520.2m 97.7% of $532.17m; $1.056bn WW

2017 – Star Wars: The Last Jedi dropped 35.1% taking $4.25m and $610.79m 98.5% of $620.18m; $1.332bn WW

2005 – Star Wars: Episode: Revenge of the Sith dropped 33.2% taking $4.08m and $365.55m 96.1% of $380.27m; $849.99m WW

2002 – Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones dropped 28.8% taking $3.66m and $286.25m 94.7% of $302.19m; $640.91m WW

1999 – Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace dropped 32.4% taking $9.54m and $369.41m 85.7% of $431.08m; $924.3m WW

1983 – Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi taking $7.37m and $165.17m 65.4% of $252.58m; $374.59m WW

1980 – Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back dropped 9.9% taking $8.5m and $81.95m 39.1% of $209.39m and $400.08m WW

1977 – Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope took $6.19m taking $41.12m 13.3% of $307.26m; $503.01m WW

Ahead of its release, most people would have expected The Rise of Skywalker to challenge Avengers: Endgame as the biggest film of 2019 and even after opening many still believed it could take over $600m, but now it’s likely to take about $500m (similar to Rogue One) taking almost 95% of its total box office after 5 weeks.

It always amazes me that Disney is the one studio holding back other studios from trying to shorten the current theatrical window from 16 weeks as, despite their films opening bigger, they also drop bigger and still take 90% of their box office within for weeks on release.

14^th biggest film in the US between Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Beauty and the Beast

49^th biggest film inflation inflated between The Lion King and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

10^th biggest Disney film in the US between Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Beauty and the Beast

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will take as much as Toy Story 4 and Joker worldwide showing not all billion-dollar films are the same as Joker taking $1bn is a massive success for the film as it wasn’t expected to take anywhere nearly as much. While Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Toy Story 4 were always expected to take at least $1bn as previous instalments took more.

Took $3.2m internationally from 32 territories and $551m total internationally and $1.058bn worldwide; UK $75.3m; Germany $65.9m; Japan $63.7m; France $53.3m; Australia $32.4m; Spain $21.4m; China $20.5m.

35^th biggest film worldwide between Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and 19^th biggest Disney film worldwide.

In the UK it dropped from 7^th to 15^th dropping 55% taking £244,141 and £57,812,136 probably half most analysts were predicting two months ago; Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the 21^st biggest film in the UK with a similar box office to Joker few would every predicted these two films would take similar box office.

After opening with £20,864,500 predicted it would take £60m and will be close as even I didn’t expect it to drop as fast and as heavily.

• Little Women – Sony Pictures

Down 33% in its sixth weekend taking $3.07m and $98.82m

Many have complained about the lack of nominations Little Women received but are many far more deserving films like Just Mercy and Dark Waters that failed to get even nominated as that is the problem with BAFTA and Oscars it’s not about what best it’s about what they think is best.

1994’s Little Women took $46.13m ($105m inflation inflated)

770^th biggest film in the US between Olympus Has Fallen and Heaven Can Wait and 1,372^nd biggest inflation inflated film between Made In America and Hidalgo and 98^th biggest Sony Pictures film between Passengers and The Green Hornet.

Took $7.5m from 47 territories and $64.1m and $162.9m worldwide; UK $26m; Australia $9.6m; Italy $6.1m; France $5.1m; Spain $5m.

1,021sr biggest film worldwide between The Island and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and 130^th biggest Sony Pictures film worldwide between Maid in Manhattan and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

• Jumanji: The Next Level – Sony Pictures

Down 22% in its eighth weekend taking $6m and $291.21m

Jumanji: The Next Level took 28.1% less than Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle in its eighth dropped 8.3% taking $10.02m and $365.85m 90.4% of $404.51m and $962.07m worldwide; down 41.1% $6m Vs $10.2m and total after 8 weeks is 13.8% less $257.13m Vs $337.8m; if Jumanji: The Next Level continues to hold as it is currently will take about $300m.

Dwayne Johnson’s 43 films have taken $4.34bn in the US and $7.86m internationally and over $12.21bn worldwide.

97^th biggest film in the US between The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Man of Steel; 232^nd biggest inflation inflated film between The Flintstones and Despicable Me and 8^th biggest Sony Pictures film between Skyfall and The Amazing Spider-Man.

Took $5.3m from 58 territories and $463.8m total and $754.8m worldwide; UK $42.3m; China $41.17m; Australia $27.8m; France $24.52m. Germany $22.12m; Russia $20.56m; Italy $13.27m; Spain $13.54m;

106^th biggest film worldwide between Shrek Forever After and X-Men: Days of Future Past and 13^th biggest Sony Pictures film worldwide between 2012 and The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

• The Rhythm Section – Paramount Pictures

Opened with $2.71m; received poor reviews (33% Rotten Tomatoes) and C+ CinemaScore

After being delayed over a year it was always surprising the film was given a theatrical release, but as it was an acquisition by Paramount maybe they were forced to give it a 3,000+ screen release.

As often happens as soon as a film underperforms trade websites ask what went wrong with the film that could loose up to $30m after it had the lowest opening for a film opening in over 3,000 screens. The film had a test screening in late 2018 is one of the lowest tested films for the studio.

The Rhythm Section was produced by Eon who have had huge success with the James Bond film series for over 50 years but have had little success from other films they have produced apart from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 1969.

When Eon was in the process of selecting their new studio to replace Sony Pictures to release Bond 25 they were producing The Rhythm Section maybe Paramount Pictures thought if they acquired the film it would give them a chance to acquire Bond. Sony Pictures acquired 2014’s The Silent Storm produced by Michael Wilson despite hating the film to keep Eon happy ahead of releasing Spectre in 2015. 

Blake Lively has had box office success with 2016’s The Shallows (opened $16.8m taking $55.12m and $119.1m WW), 2015’s Age of Adaline (opened $13.2m taking $42.62m and $65.66m WW) and 2018’s A Simple Favor (opened $16.01m taking $53.54m and $97.64m WW)

Similar female action films 2018’s Peppermint ($13.42m taking $35.41m and $53.91m WW) but not as strong as female action films 2018’s Red Sparrow ($16.85m taking $46.87m and $151.47m WW) and 2017’s Atomic Blonde (opened $18.28m taking $51.68m and $100.01m WW).

UK Box Office Predictions

Birds of Prey received positive reactions on social media after media screenings last week and Margot Robbie was in the UK last week promoting the film.

Birds of Prey is a sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad, despite receiving poor reviews opened strongly with £11,252,225 and held strongly taking £33,191,023; taking $325.1m in the US and $746.84m worldwide.

Birds of Prey is more likely to open closer to 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine (£6,658,979); 2017’s Wonder Woman (£6,179,616); 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy (£6,363,110); 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier (£6,037,850); 2008’s Iron Man (£5,465,103); 2011’s Thor (£5,449,300); 2018’s Aquaman (£5,230,285)

After releasing one DC film over the last two years (Aquaman in 2018 and Shazam! in 2019) Warner Bros release two this year (Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman: 1984) this year and then three in 2021 (The Batman, The Suicide Squad and Shazam! spinoff Black Adam) and 2022 (Shazam! 2, The Flash and Aquaman 2 (currently dated to open December 16th against Untitled Star Wars and the weekend of the World Cup Finals in Qatar).

Birds of Prey has been rated 15 as Joker recently which allows Warner Bros to target a different audience to their comic-book films to the MCU, as previously to the non-geek all of the comic-book films felt very similar.

After receiving poor reviews and having a disappointing opening in the US three weeks ago the delay for its UK release timed for half-term was expected to harm its box office but just like the recent negativity surrounding Cats in December, Dolittle weekend previews were strong taking £1.76m; similar to Trolls, The Lego Movie, Coco, Hotel Transylvania 2 and Madagascar 3.This would see Dolittle open with £5m+ similar to inflation inflated opening of 1998’s Doctor Dolittle.

1998’s Doctor Dolittle opened with £3,047,574 (£5,459,922 inflation inflated) taking £19,671,348 (£35,242,465 inflation inflated) and $144.15m in the US and $294.45m worldwide

2001’s Doctor Dolittle 2 opened with £1,610,907 (£2,809,360 inflation inflated) taking £8,286,365 (£14,451,100 inflation inflated) and $112.95m in the US and $176.1m worldwide.

Since receiving its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite has received critical acclaim. Curzon acquired UK rights in May 2019 and in October promised to give the film a full theatrical release as normally the films they release have a limited theatrical release with VOD release.

Parasite won Best Original Screenplay and Best Foreign Film at the BAFTAs last weekend and many believe after becoming the first non-English film to win the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, it could go on and win Best Film or Best Director at the Oscars this weekend; on Monday Parasite had Q&A preview screenings across the UK charting #2 behind fellow BAFTA winner 1917.

Sci-Fi horror Underwater also opens after flopping in the US last month its unlikely to find an audience in the UK. It will be the last film released by 20th Century Fox name before the studio Is renamed to 20th Century Studios by Disney after the acquired the studio last year.

Interestingly the first film released by 20th Century Pictures will be the remake of The Call of the Wild in February the original film was the last film released by 20th Century Pictures in 1935 before the studio became 20th Century Fox.

Opening in the UK Next Week

• Sonic The Hedgehog – Paramount Pictures

Adventure comedy based on the video game by Sega starring James Marsden, Jim Carrey, and Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog and directed by Jeff Fowler.

Sonic The Hedgehog began development at Sony Pictures in 2011 and was due to be released in 2013 but was put in turn around in 2016 and Paramount Pictures acquired it in 2017 and it was shot In 2018.

The film was originally set for release in November but after negative reaction to the first trailer (after the positive reaction to Detective Pikachu released earlier in the year) the studio delayed the film to February so they could redesign Sonic A new trailer was released in November and was well received with Sonic’s redesign now receiving praise as it was similar to hoe he looks in the video games.

Opens ahead of half-term holidays and will open similar to last year’s Detective Pikachu with £4,951,838 taking £13,368,175; unlike previous years Sonic The Hedgehog is the main family film opening for half-term alongside Dolittle and Paw Patrol: Ready, Race, Rescue.

• Emma – Universal Pictures

Comedy-drama based on the 1815 novel by Jane Austen starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn and Bill Nighy and directed by Autumn de Wilde.

Jane Austen’s adaptations on the small and big screen have been hugely popular over the years so its no surprise we have another adaptation of Emma 25 years after also having another adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women also 25 years later as even with original films they are looking for an inbuilt audience.

While Emma has received positive reviews many have said its too much of a straight adaptation of the novel unlike Little Women which was a new interpretation of the book as Clueless was a modern-day (90s) version 25 years ago.

Over the years there have been many versions of Emma on the big and small screen and this Emma doesn’t stand out from them, but the popularity of Jane Austen and opening Valentine’s weekend will see it perform well

Opening the week after Birds of Prey and Dolittle and against Sonic The Hedgehog probably might have been better off having previews over Valentine’s Day and then opening the following weekend as will likely struggle against those three other releases.

Over the years there have been many adaptations of Jane Austen novels on the big and small screen including 1995’s Persuasion and 1999’s Mansfield Park (no BO data);

1995’s Sense & Sensibility taking £13.53m (£25,907,059).

1996’s Emma opened with £2,081,141 taking £4,305,395

2005’s Pride & Prejudice opened with £2,529,947 (£3,878,178 inflation inflated) taking £14,562,448 (£22,322,903 inflation inflated)

2016’s Love and Friendship opened with £263,094 from 80 screens taking £1,736,768

Also having modernised version of Emma with 1995’s Clueless (opened £1,789,649 taking £3,433,230); 2001’s Bridget Jones’s Diary and 2013’s Austenland modern-day versions of Pride & Prejudice

While on the small screen 1995’s Pride & Prejudice, Emma, Persuasion, Northanger Abbey and most recently Sanditon.

The success of Little Women (opening with £3,578,877) will help the new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma opening next month also 25 years after Gwyneth Paltrow’s Emma opened with £2,081,141 (£4,061,037 inflation inflated) taking £4,305,395 (£8,401,338 inflation inflated).

Opening in US Next Week

• Sonic The Hedgehog – Paramount Pictures

After much negativity surrounding the original trailer buzz has been strong for the film since the new trailer was released in November and had a Super Bowl trailer last weekend.

Tracking to open with $40m-$50m opening similar to last year’s Detective Pikachu $54.36m taking $144.1m and $431.7m worldwide.

After box office disappointments The Rhythm Section and Like A Boss, Sonic The Hedgehog will kickstart Paramount Pictures 2020 year with A Quiet Place: Part II opening in March, The Lovebirds in April (Stuber meets Date Night), The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run in May and Top Gun: Maverick in June, The Trial of the Chicago 7  in October and The Tomorrow War starring Chris Pratt in December the rest of their year looks strong.

• Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island – Sony Pictures

The film is based the ABC TV series that ran for seven series between 1977 to 1984

In 2014 Blumhouse Productions signed a 10-year deal with Universal Pictures but Fantasy Island was made outside this deal as Sony Pictures owned the rights to the TV series.

Blumhouse Productions films have taken $2.34bn in the US and $4.54bn worldwide since 2009’s Paranormal Activity.

Fantasy Island stars Lucy Hale who previously starred in Blumhouse’s Truth Or Dare which took $41.41m in the US, $53.91m internationally and $95.33m worldwide with $5m budget.

Tracking to open between $17m-$22m similar to many previous Blumhouse horror films released over recent years (Happy Death Day, Truth or Dare, Happy Death Day 2U and Ouija), but horror films so far this year have underperformed but neither The Grudge nor The Turning was expected to be a box office success.

• Downhill – Searchlight Pictures

Black comedy remake of the film Force Majeure by Ruben Östlund starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Will Ferrell and Miranda Otto and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash.

Had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival

Downhill is the first Fox Searchlight film to be released under its new name Searchlight Pictures.

• The Photograph – Universal Pictures

Romantic drama starring Issa Rae, Lakeith Stanfield, Chelsea Peretti, Lil Rel Howery, Courtney B. Vance and written and directed by Stella Meghie.

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