Top 5 Breakdown

1. Ralph Breaks The Internet – £2,446,583  – £7,404,787

Down 39.3% in its second weekend

Had the 268^th biggest second weekend in the UK between Legend and Captain Phillips and  432^nd biggest inflation inflated between Blade 2 and Pitch Perfect 3

Had the 18^th biggest second weekend of the year between Mission impossible Fallout and Ready Player One and Disney’s fifth biggest second weekend of the year between Solo and Coco.

Had the 31^st biggest animated second weekend between Alvin And The Chipmunks II and Brave (close to Big Hero 6, A Christmas Carol and Arthur Christmas) and the and the 72^nd  biggest inflation inflated animated second weekend between Robots and Cars 2.

Had Disney’s 58^th biggest second weekend between A Christmas Carol and Brave and the 84^th biggest second-weekend inflation inflated Disney opener between The Lion King 3D and Cars 2.

After Monsters University had a disappointing opening in July 2013 had an advantage over  Ralph Breaks The Internet as summer holidays started in its second weekend saw it hold much stronger against Despicable Me 2, but we are still two weeks away from Christmas holidays.  

Wreck-It Ralph held strongly in its second weekend down only 24% taking £3,436,400 29% more and £10,516,665 (42% more) due to its being half term weekend and not having any competition Sammy’s Great Escape was the only other family film on release for half-term taking £519,049.

Wreck-It Ralph had no competition until Oz: The Great and Powerful opened four weeks later with £3,712,948 but which time Wreck-It Ralph had taken £21,459,657 91% of £23,607,542 total.

Of the autumn/Christmas films Ralph Breaks The Internet was one of a handful of films expected to take £30m+ along with The Grinch, The Crimes of Grindelwald and Mary Poppins, but now might not take £20m  all depends on how it holds over the next few weeks with the six new releases.

2. The Grinch – £2,001,598  – £19,491,600

Down 13.6% in its fifth weekend; despite poor reviews and mixed word of mouth The Grinch has surprisingly held strongly over the last four weeks which saw Ralph Breaks the Internet open low than many expected and it drops much heavier.

Is the 55^th biggest animated film in the UK between Kung Fu Panda and Hotel Transylvania 3 (overtaking Coco, How to Train Your Dragon, Aladdin and Cars) and the 72^nd biggest inflation inflated animated film between Cars 2 and Hotel Transylvania 3.

Will shortly overtake 2011’s Despicable Me  

July 2013 was the last time Illumination Entertainment went head to head with Pixar film over the years since several films have been brought forward to avid going directly against each other.

The first weekend Monsters University had a disappointing opening against third weekend Despicable Me 2 but Monsters University dropped only 19% in its second weekend (similar to 17% Despicable Me 2 dropped) as school holidays had started. This wasn’t the case for both films this year as we are still two weeks away from Christmas holidays starting.

Ralph Breaks the Internet opened four weeks after The Grinch would normally be a big enough gap if was during school holidays but being during term time it meant the two films were limited to the weekend box office. While Ralph Breaks the Internet and The Grinch top the charts over the weekend, they drop down the charts during the weekdays and this will be until December 21^st when school holidays begin.

Despite Ralph Breaks the Internet receiving better reviews than The Grinch the first family film always has the advantage over the second film opening a few weeks later, this does set up an interesting battle next June when there will again be only three weeks between The Secret Life of Pets 2 and Toy Story 4. While The Secret Life of Pets 2 will likely be not as good as Toy Story 4 but the opening second could affect it, saying that Toy Story 3 played as strongly to adults as to children so To Story 4 will likely do similar as do most Pixar films.

The eight Illumination Entertainment films have taken £250m at the UK box office since 2010.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas in December 2000 took £15,167,543 (£27,129,219 inflation inflated).

3. Creed 2 – £1,717,275  – £5,990,120 

Down 42.6% in its second weekend; has already taken more than Creed (total box office £5,684,690) after only 10 days on release.

Taking 41% more than Creed in its second weekend (£1,217,405) and 39% more after 10 days (£4,305,551).

When Creed opened in 2016 was surrounded by Oscar contenders The Revenant #1 £3,856,489; The Big Short #4 £1,302,205; The Hateful Eight #8 £567,527 all targeting similar demographic while Creed 2 apart from Bohemian Rhapsody had little competition, that is until Tuesday with Once Upon a Deadpool and Wednesday with Aquaman.

Had the 425th biggest second weekend in the UK between Bend It Like Beckham and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and the 637th biggest inflation inflated between Sin City and Annabelle

Rocky Balboa opened January 2007 with £3,639,339 taking £8,503,135

While Southpaw opened July 2015 with £1,662,296 taking £7,821,500

4. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – £1,468,736  – £29,271,816   

Down 45.8% in its fourth weekend;

Took 67% less than Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them took in its third weekend (£4,494,727) in 2016 that was still #1 after three weeks taking 23% more £37,886,538.

The Crimes of Grindelwald had much tougher competition with The Grinch and Ralph Breaks The Internet opening close to it while Fantastic Beast had far less competition with Moana opening three weeks after it opened.

Being the second part of the film series The Crimes of Grindelwald was always likely to take about 25-30% less than the first film as was the case with The Last Jedi Vs The Force Awakens last year. As the first film will normally open the film out to new audiences but the second parts will normally play stronger to the fan base.

The Crimes of Grindelwald is the ninth biggest film of 2018 overtaking A Star Is Born

Will shortly become the 115^th film to take more than £30m at the UK box office and become Warner Bros 25^th biggest film in the UK.

After Fantastic Beasts took £54,593,487 in 2016 most people would have expected The Crimes of Grindelwald to take £50m+ but as with  Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom will take 30% less than the previous film; Jurassic World 2 took £41.5m (35% less than Jurassic World).

While The Crimes of Grindelwald might have taken about £10m less than most would have taken a few months ago Warner Bros have had a very strong last six months of the year from Ocean’s Eight onwards with The Meg, The Nun, Smallfoot, A Star Is Born, Creed 2 and with Aquaman opening on Wednesday they will have eight films this year taking £10m+ at the UK box office. Disney has also had eight films take £10m+ in 2018 but the difference with Disney’s all were properties and was expected to take the box office they did.

The 10 Wizarding World Extended Universe films have taken over £520m at the UK box office over the last 17 years (over £775m inflation inflated) are the third biggest film series in the UK but with half the films made by Pixar and Marvel that have taken more.

Pixar 20 films took £620m (£885m+ inflation inflated)

Marvel Cinematic Universe 20 films £595m (£662m inflation inflated)

James Bond 7 films (1995+) £390m (£650m inflation inflated)

Star Wars 13 films (missing BO for 2 films) £370m (£725m inflation inflated)

5. Bohemian Rhapsody – £978,075  – £43,988,347 

Down 36.2% in its seventh weekend;

Five months ago Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again received rave reviews from critics and was expected to have a long run in cinemas as the original film did 10 years ago while it might have held in second for several weeks after opening still took less than Bohemian Rhapsody in its seventh weekend.

Became 20th Century Fox’s 6^th film to take over £40m and sixth biggest film in the UK between The Greatest Showman and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and the 15th biggest inflation inflated between The Day After Tomorrow and Deadpool;

Is the fifth biggest musical between The Greatest Showman and Les Miserables and the 10th biggest inflation inflated between Les Miserables and High School Musical 3

Has become the 64th film to take over £40m at the box office (20th Century Fox’s 6th) currently 49^th biggest in the UK between The Kings Speech and The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe and 88^th inflation inflated the biggest film in the UK between Paddington and Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2

Many were surprised when 20^th Century Fox decided to submit Bohemian Rhapsody in the Drama category of the Golden Globes rather than Musical or Comedy (Warner Bros also did for A Star Is Born) as the Musical or Comedy category is always the easier category. The Martian famously won the Best Film Musical or Comedy and Matt Damon Best Actor in 2016 but in doing so hurt its Oscar chances.

Was surprising to see Bohemian Rhapsody receive two Golden Globe nominations in the Drama category for Best Film and Best Actor Rami Malek last week especially as the film wasn’t as well received by critics as it has been with audiences.

 

Has become the fifth biggest film of the year (overtaking The Greatest Showman 2018 box office which took £43m in 2018). If Bohemian Rhapsody continues to hold as it has been doing should overtake The Greatest Showman £47.3m which is still playing in cinemas almost a year after opening. A few weeks ago thought it could take £50m+ but with six films opening over the next 12 days will find it hard to hold onto its screens but 20^th Century Fox will be releasing a sing-along version of the film soon.

Comparisons are

Musicals seventh weekends

2008’s Mamma Mia! took £1,548,894 down 29.8% and £54,541,447 80.1% of £68,162,804

2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again took £976,039 down 42.6% £61,635,830 94.5% of £65,222,094

2017’s The Greatest Showman took £1,925,895 down 12.5% and £26,106,298 55.2% of £47,300,000

2013’s Les Miserables took £765,367 down 32% £37,804,139 92.6% of £40,818,299

Bohemian Rhapsody should take £50m+ becoming 20th Century Fox’s fifth biggest film after Avatar, Titanic, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and The Full Monty and the 34th biggest film in the UK.

The film’s soundtrack dropped to #8 (The Greatest Showman up to #2 50th week) with Queen’s The Platinum Collection #20 Greatest Hits #45 and A Night At the Opera #90

This week Bohemian Rhapsody was named the most-streamed song from the 20th Century with more than 1.6bn streams globally; Bohemian Rhapsody is the only song in history ever to have topped the U.K. charts twice at Christmas #1 for nine weeks and the music video for the song is seen as the first music video ever broadcast.

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £9,850,637 down 36.1% from last weekend £15,420,694      

The weekend admissions 1,240,083 down 36.7f% from last weekend 1,959,427; average ticket up 3.87% from last year’s £7.49 to £7.87 for 2018;

18 films opened at weekend taking £823,971; The Old Man & The Gun 38.5% (£317,831); Sorry to Bother You 30.4% (£250,453); remaining 16 films shared 31.1% (£255,687): Top three took 62.6% (£6,165,456) of the top 10; Ralph Breaks the Internet 24.8%; The Grinch (20.3%); Creed 2 17.4%;

The weekend was up 78.6% from 2017: (£5,515,127); The Nutcracker – ROH, London 2017/18 (£137,862); Stronger (£102,379); A Matter of Life and Death (4K Restoration) (£10,594); Better Watch Out (£44,305); Brigsby Bear (£36,778); The Muppet Christmas Carol (Re: 2017) (£36,287); #1 Paddington 2 (2nd week) 3 weeks total

Up 16.3% from 2016: (£8,465,385): Office Christmas Party (£1,198,176); Snowden (£209,352); The Birth of a Nation (£135,162); The Nutcracker – Royal Opera, London 2016/17 (£124,773); The Pass (£18,673); Life, Animated (£25,612); #1 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (4^th week)

Up 8.3% from 2015; (£9,087,311); Christmas with the Coopers (£683,217); Victor Frankenstein (£431,125); Krampus (£412,713); The Night Before (£272,930); The Lady of the Camellias – Bolshoi 2015 (£105,300); #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 (3^rd week)

Down 14.1% from 2014: (£11,455,843); Penguins of Madagascar (£1,575,949); Get Santa (£576,722); St. Vincent (£389,136); Black Sea (£246,309); The Pyramid (£190,049); The Crucible – The Old Vic 2014 (£126,231); Men, Women and Children (£73,393); #1 Paddington (2^nd week)

Down 7.5% from 2013: (£10,647,204); Frozen (£4,704,940); Homefront (£440,306); Nebraska (£151,332); Old Boy (£94,818); Black Nativity (£61,324); Getaway (£26,467); #1 Frozen (1^st week)

Up 33.4% from 2012 (£7,384,684); Seven Psychopaths (£1,121,679); So Undercover (£99,340); The Man with the Iron Fists (£49,072); The Oranges (£18,513); Celeste and Jesse Forever (£6,915); #1 Rise of the Guardians (1^st  week)  

Up 18.1% from 2011 (£8,340,633): Happy Feet 2 (£1,686,197); Hugo (£1,225,987); The Thing (£485,534); The Big Year (£122,591); Margaret (£4,595); #1 Arthur Christmas (1^st week 4^th week on release)

Up 8.6% from 2010: (£9,062,260): Megamind (£2,827,502); Monsters (£348,577); The Warrior’s Way (£105,389); Of Gods and Men (£59,379); Secretariat (£40,941); Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (£32,925); #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (3^rd week)

Down 1.7% from 2009 (£10,195,907); Planet 51 (£1,513,003); The Box (£474,938); The Descent: Part 2 (£313,739); Me and Orson Welles (£166,389); #1 Paranormal Activity (1^st week) 2^nd week on release

Down 3.4% from 2008; (£11,060,816); Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (£6,342,997); Transporter 3 (£958,615); Lakeview Terrace (£224,493); The Children (£98,205); The Secret Life of Bees (£74,626); The Express (£5,355); #1 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (1st week)

Down 7.6% from 2007:(£10,663,935): The Golden Compass (£7,243,984); Code Name: The Cleaner (£61,734); Southland Tales (£18,241); #1 The Golden Compass (1^st week)

Down 21.6% from 2006; (£12,568,238); Happy Feet (£3,689,166); The Holiday (£2,826,520); The Covenant (£181,365); The Nativity Story (£78,553);  #1 Happy Feet (1^st week)

Down 25.8% from 2005 (£13,287,703); The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (£8,884,111); March of the Penguins (£183,798); #1 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1^st week)

Up 21.2% from 2004 (£8,128,185): Christmas with the Kranks (£777,771); Churchill: The Hollywood Years (£148,326); The Polar Express (£104,632) platform; School for Seduction (£39,213); #1 The Incredibles (2^nd  week)

Down 6.6% from 2003 (£10,553,520); S.W.A.T. (£1,960,281); Brother Bear (£887,321); Timeline (£279,505); Thirteen (£53,553); #1 Love Actually (3^rd week)

Up 80.6% from 2002 (n/a): n/a; #1 Die Another Day (2^nd week)

Up 54.8% from 2001 (£6,363,002); The 51st State (£913,239); Riding In Cars With Boys (£237,279); Christmas Carol: The Movie (£171,576);#1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (4^th week)

Next weekend in 2017: (£31,690,287): Star Wars: The Last Jedi (£28,010,841); Mountain (£41,813); #1 Star Wars: The Last Jedi (1^st week)

Also opened

• The Old Man & The Gun – 20th Century Fox

Opened with £317,831 from 206 screens

   

• White Boy Rick – Sony Pictures

Opened with £30,090 from 103 screens

After underperforming in the US in September was surprising Sony Pictures brought Matthew McConaughey over to the UK to promote the film as the film was unlikely to find an audience in the UK.

• Tulip Fever – Entertainment Films

Opened with £49,539  from 122 screens

Opening over a year after it opened in the US after a long delay was surprising the film was given a release in the UK, but this weekend is normally a dumping weekend for distributors as they rarely open major films this weekend preferring to open them the weekend before school holidays begin.

• Sorry to Bother You – Universal Pictures

Opened with £250,453 from 147 screens

• Die Hard (30th Anniversary) – Park Circus

Opened with £86,628 from 190 screens

Continuing the debate if Die Hard is a Christmas film was re-released to celebrate the films 30^th anniversary

In recent years Die Hard has been seen as a Christmas film but the question is a film set at Christmas a Christmas film as many films including Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3, Babe, King Kong, Gremlins, Jurassic World, Rocky IV, Eyes Wide Shut, Trading Places, L.A. Confidential and The Sound of Music are all set at Christmas but none would be called a Christmas film.

UK Box Office Top 10

US Box office

• Ralph Breaks the Internet – Disney

Dropped 36.4% in its third weekend taking $16.25m and $140.97m; has taken 16% more than Wreck-It Ralph despite received similarly positive reviews.

Wreck-It Ralph in November 2012 took $18.58m in its third weekend and $121.75m with $49.1m taking $189.42m and $471.22m worldwide.

Disney has taken $7bn this year from the global box office,, which was the second time they have taken over $7bn globally in 2016 they took $7.6bn. Disney for decades was the most creative studio in Hollywood but over the last decade, the majority of their success has come from properties only about 5% of 2018 box office came from original films.  This could change next year when 20th Century Fox becomes a label within the studio as Fox has had strong success over recent years with original content with The Greatest Showman and Bohemian Rhapsody taking over $1bn worldwide between them.

Took $18m from 45 territories and $117.3m and $258.2m worldwide.

• Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch – Universal Pictures

Down 16.1% in its fifth weekend taking $15.03m and $223.32m 

Despite mixed reviews, The Grinch has held surprisingly strongly squeezing Ralph Breaks the Internet box office showing how important it is to be the first animated film released.

The Grinch continues to hold similar to How the Grinch Stole Christmas despite opening 18 years later taking $13.8m down 26% in its fifth weekend and $213.64m taking $260.04m and $345.1m worldwide 

Previous Illumination Entertainment (not Despicable Me films)

The Secret Life of Pets in July 2016 dropped 21.2% with $9.06m and $336.16m and $368.3m and $875.4m worldwide

Sing in December 2016 increased 28.8% with $6.4m and $257.59m taking $270.3m and $634.1m worldwide

While the first Despicable Me in July 2010 dropped 24.9% with $6.97m taking $22.19m and $251,.5m and $543.1m worldwide

Took $25.9m from 63 territories and $98.9m total and $322.4m worldwide.

2000’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas took 75% of its total box office from the US $260.1m Vs $85.1m and $345.1m worldwide; Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax took 61% of its total box office from the US $214.1m Vs $134.8m and $348.8m worldwide

• Creed 2 – MGM

Dropped 40% in its third weekend taking $9.97m and $96.12m; taking 21% more than 2016’s Creed)

Creed dropped 32.5% in its third weekend taking $10.12m and $79.32m taking $109.76m and $173.56m worldwide

While Ralph Breaks the Internet, The Grinch and The Crimes of Grindelwald have taken less than previous films Creed 2 has performed better because of a lack of competition as most of the other films on release are targeting family audiences.

Took $5.2m from 31 territories and $23.2m total and $115.2m worldwide; Creed took $173.56m in 2016.  

• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – Warner Bros  

Dropped 38.8% in its fourth weekend taking $6.95m and $145.35m; taking 26.5% less than 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

Fantastic Beasts dropped 42.5% in its fourth weekend taking $10.42m and $198.94m

The Crimes of Grindelwald has taken 27% less than the first Fantastic Beasts film is a similar drop of Star Wars: The Last Jedi taking 33% less than Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Second parts of films series often see a decline as the audience will often shrink to its fan base as the middle films often have a lot of exposition setting up the next instalments so feel less accessible to new audiences was also the case with The Last Jedi.

Took $22m internationally from 80 territories and $423.3m total and $568.5m worldwide #189 biggest film worldwide between Fifty Shades of Grey and Kong: Skull Island; Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them took $814m in 2016.

• Bohemian Rhapsody – 20th Century Fox

Dropped 23.2% in its sixth weekend taking $6.14m and $173.71m;

Bohemian Rhapsody is 20^th Century Fox’s second-biggest film of 2018 and 40^th in the US between The Greatest Showman and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Took $29.2m from 72 territories $423m total and $596.6m worldwide; #146^th biggest film worldwide between Casino Royale and Tangled.

Bohemian Rhapsody has become 20^th Century Fox’s highest grossing film in 2018 internationally and is their 12th highest grossing film of all time (ahead of Deadpool) and is the 14th film in 2018 to take over $400m internationally.

• The Favourite – Fox Searchlight   

Expands into 91 screens in its third weekend up 39.5% taking $1.49m and $3.53m.

Despite quiet weekend and adding 57 screens didn’t manage to climb into the top 10 climbing up two spaces from 14th to 12^th.

Received five Golden Globes nominations for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for Olivia Colman and Emma Stone and Best Screenplay and 14 Critics Choice Award nominations

Won 10 British Independent Film Awards

Expands into 500 screens this weekend

• Schindler’s List (2018 re-release) – Universal Pictures

Opened with $566,760 in 1,029 screens to commemorate the films the 25^th anniversary; the film was remastered in 4K Dolby Cinema.   

To put Schindler’s List re-release into perspective the film originally opened in December 1993 in 25 screens taking $651k average price $4.14 re-release was in Dolby Cinema with tickets $25+ that is a price increase of 500%+ so no wonder it’s BO was so low.

Schindler’s List is a masterpiece why would people pay $25+ to see a film they probably already own on VHS/DVD/Blu-ray.  

• Mary Queen of Scots – Focus Features

Opened with $194,777 from 4 screens

UK Box Office Predictions

Unusually three films open wide this week all three have extensive previews to try to inflate their openings but Aquaman having only as the five-day opening weekend will still likely open ahead of the other two films despite having fewer days playing time.

As three films open over the same weekend and all are targeting similar demographics they will likely cannibalize each other with Aquaman likely to have the lowest opening of DC extended Universe film despite receiving positive reviews. Aquaman will likely open with £5.5m+ over 5 days less than both Wonder Woman £6,179,616 and Justice League $7,264,784.

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse took £750,000 from three days of previews last weekend and opens on Wednesday so has 8-day opening comparisons are difficult as it’s a comic book movie but also an animated film but likely to play to different audience demographics especially with Aquaman also opening the same weekend. After taking only £750,000 from previews which are less than half most animated films take with weekend previews was looking at opening slightly lower than last years The LEGO Ninjago Movie opening with £3,642,038 including £1,554,074 from previews.

Mortal Engines surprisingly opened on Saturday and will have 6 days of previews took only £578,861 from previews on Saturday and Sunday; had compared Mortal Engines with the inflation inflated opening of 2006’s Eragon another fantasy film which was planned as a series but didn’t go past the first film. Opened with £1,317,687 with an inflation inflated opening of £2,129,404.

After receiving mixed reviews having 6 days of previews an opening against two other films that have received far better reviews it was always likely the film could be DOA before its official opening. Extended openings rarely make any sense but make no sense at all with films that will generate the negative word of mouth as was the case with Warcraft and Assassin’s Creed but at least they didn’t have any direct competition. As in the US would have made much more sense for Mortal Engines to open last weekend as it did in other countries.

Opening in the UK

• Once Upon A Deadpool – 20^th Century Fox

In September 20^th Century Fox announced plans to release an untitled Deadpool film in October Ryan Reynolds announced it would be a PG-13 recut and 20^th Century Fox officially announced it in November when they released a trailer spoofing The Princess Bride featuring Fred Savage and Deadpool.

The film has received 15 the same certificate as the cinema version was despite being recut as a PG-13 in the US (BBFC often give 15 certificates to PG-13 films) ruining the joke of the recut as younger audiences can’t see it in the UK; the recut is two minutes shorter with additional footage included.

The film will be screened for one night only on December 11^th

Deadpool 2 is 20^th Century Fox’s 15^th biggest film in the UK taking £32,501,893 (and their third biggest film this year) and Deadpool is their ninth biggest taking £37,616,432

• Aquaman – Warner (opening Wednesday)

The sixth film in the DC Extended Universe starring Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Dolph Lundgren, and Nicole Kidman and directed by James Wan; It’s the third film featuring Aquaman following Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.

After the disappointing reception both critically and at the box office for Justice League Aquaman is the first DC film to open 13 months.

Early buzz has been positive for Aquaman and Warner Bros held the world premiere in London over two weeks before its release date; Warner release Shazam! In April and The Joker in October and Birds of Prey, Cyborg and Wonder Woman 1984 in 2020.

The six DC Extended Universe films have taken almost £140m at the UK box office

Aquaman was voted the most anticipated film released in December in the US by Rotten Tomatoes poll second was with Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, third Bumblebee, fourth Mary Poppins Returns

Opened in China two weeks before its US release taking $94m having the biggest opening for Warner Bros in China; opening 66% bigger than Ready Player One; 92% more than  Justice League; 78% Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice and more than the total box office of Wonder Woman.

Aquaman has a 5-day opening weekend competes against Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse having an 8-day opening weekend and Mortal Engines having a 9-day opening.

• Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse – Sony Pictures

Animated superhero film based on the Marvel Comics set in a shared in the Spider-Verse multiverse featuring voices of Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Jake Johnson, Liev Schreiber, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, and Lily Tomlin and directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman.

News Sony was developing a Spider-Man animated film was first revealed In 2014’s Sony email hacking. At CinemaCon 2015 they announced July 20^th, 2018 release date and the film was being produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. A few months later its release date was moved to December 2018.

The first trailer was released in June and with the second in October; received positive reviews currently has 100% Rotten Tomatoes score

The film had MediCinema charity preview screenings on Thursday 6^th December (100% of box office from the screenings is donated to the charity as similar preview screenings for Christopher Robin in August) and also had previews Saturday and Sunday taking £750,000; opens on Wednesday to give it an 8-day opening weekend.

Extended opening weekends have become a norm in the UK over recent years but most of them just make films more front-loaded and share out its box office over more days. Mary Poppins Returns will have a three-day opening weekend but will still probably have a bigger opening weekend than Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, Bumblebee or Mortal Engines that all have extended openings.

• Mortal Engines – Universal Pictures

Post-apocalyptic adventure starring Hugo Weaving, Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Jihae, Ronan Raftery, Leila George, Patrick Malahide, and Stephen Lang, directed by Christian and produced by Peter Jackson, based on the novel by Philip Reeve.

Peter Jackson  acquired the rights in 2009 but was in development for many years until it was officially announced in 2016; had its  world premiere on November 27, 2018 in London and opened in Australia and New Zealand on December 6, 2018; received poor reviews (41% Rotten Tomatoes score) while critics said it looked stunning but “lack of personality”.

Mortal Engines is the first book of the Mortal Engines Universe of books written by Philip Reeve and was seen as a potential franchise. Mortal Engines has much in common with Philip Pullman’s trilogy His Dark Materials which was also planned to be a series of films starting with The Golden Compass released in 2007 while it performed strongly in the UK opening with £7,243,984 flopped in the US as a result of the $180m film flopping saw Warner Bros bringing the production company New Line in-house to become a production company for the studio. Since acquiring the studio in the 90s Warner Bros allowed New Line to produce and release its films

The film has similarities with 2007’s The Golden Compass was planned as the first part of a series of films based on Philip Pullman’s trilogy His Dark Materials. New Line acquired the rights in 2002 following the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and was seen as their next series of films.

While the film was a success in the UK and internationally it was a massive flop in the US which stopped the series from continuing which is likely to happen with Mortal Engines, Peter Jackson has talked about sequels, but they are unlikely to happen, unless UK audiences get back behind the film many are calling the Brexit movie.

Opening in the US

• Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse – Sony Pictures

With positive reviews and a similar Rotten Tomatoes score as Black Panther, 99% Vs 97% Into The Spider-Verse is expected to have a strong opening.

Four weeks ago was tracking to open between $28-$35m but many expect it to open with closer to $40m.

The animated film is produced by Philip Lord and Christopher Miller who also produced The Lego Movie and the upcoming sequel

• Mortal Engines – Universal Pictures

The $100m+ postapocalyptic steam punk thriller produced by Peter Jackson has received mixed reviews and opened in 43 territories last week taking only $17.9m.

Always surprising when studios decide to open these films internationally early especially made little sense as wasn’t any major release opening in the US at the weekend.

A month ago it was tracking to open between $12-18m and likely with less which will see it open lower than 2007’s The Golden Compass opened with $25.78m taking $70.1m in the US and $372.2m worldwide.

• The Mule – Warner Bros

Crime drama starring Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, Dianne Wiest, and Andy García produced and directed by Clint Eastwood based on The New York Times article “The Sinaloa Cartel’s 90-Year-Old Drug Mule” by Sam Dolnick.

Its Clint Eastwood’s first acting project since 2012’s Trouble with the Curve and first starring role in a film directed by him since 2008’s Gran Torino.

Its Clint Eastwood’s second film of the year expected to open with $15-17m more than The 15:17 to Paris opened in February ($12.55m taking $36.25m)

Clint Eastwood for years was signed up to direct A Star Is Born which his co-star Bradley Cooper directed and has received critical acclaim and taken almost $200m at the US box office and $370m globally and is one of the favourites for Oscars next year. Do of course wonder how different Clint Eastwood’s version would have been. 

• If Beale Street Could Talk – Annapurna Pictures

Romantic drama starring KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Dave Franco, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Ed Skrein, Brian Tyree Henry and Regina King and written and directed by directed and written by Barry Jenkins, based on James Baldwin’s novel of the same name.

Had world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival receiving critical acclaim; the National Board of Review and American Film Institute named it one of the Top 10 Films of 2018 and received three Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Supporting Actress (Regina King) and Best Screenplay.

It was announced in July 2017 Barry Jenkins would direct and produced by Brad Pitt’s Plan B production company which has had strong success in recent years with Oscar nominations for Best Picture. 

• Once Upon A Deadpool – 20th Century Fox

A christmassy version of Deadpool 2 as PG-13 which has a two-week screening with $1 of every ticket going to charity.