- Dolittle – £5,085,520 – NE
Took £1.93m from previews over Saturday/Sunday last weekend
Having the 260th biggest opening in the UK between Ocean’s Eleven and Die Hard 4.0 close to Bumblebee, Paddington, The Grinch and Detective Pikachu) and 362nd inflation inflated the biggest opening between The Revenant and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (close to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Zootropolis, Wreck-It Ralph and Detective Pikachu).
Had Universal Pictures 32nd biggest opening between Downton Abbey and The Grinch (close to How to Train Your Dragon 3, Kung Fu Panda, Mrs Brown’s Boys d’Movie and Johnny English Strikes Back) and 39th biggest inflation inflated Universal Pictures opening.
As with Cats in December poor reviews haven’t put off audiences to seeing the film, but it was helped to be the only family film on release with Jumanji: The Next Level, Spies In Disguise and Frozen 2 played out and Paw Patrol: Ready, Race, Rescue targeting younger audiences, but will face tougher competition from Sonic the Hedgehog this weekend as half-term holidays begin.
Removing previews Dolittle would have still opened ahead of Birds of Prey taking £3,155,520 but only £322,223 ahead. Over the last 25+ years, the preview box office has distorted films opening. When previews first started they were one evening showing on Thursday night with films including Jurassic Park but then they started entering with multiple shows on Thursday, and then previews on all day Saturday and Sunday, as is normal for most family and animated films now.
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
Universal Pictures have a very strong slate of films this year releasing their Emma remake this weekend which has received positive reviews over recent years they have ad strong success over Valentine’s Day weekend opening the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy.
The Invisible Man opening at the end of the month, which was to be part of their Monsters Universe, instead, its made under Blumhouse Productions; opens 20 years after Paul Verhoeven’s The Hollow Man. No Time To Die opens in April expected to be the biggest film of the year alongside Trolls World Tour (sequel to 2016 film), Fast and & Furious 9 in May, the trailer release recently broke viewing figures and Minions 2: The Rise Of Gru opens in July, the first trailer was released last week.
- Birds of Prey – £2,833,297 – NE
Took £935,000 from Friday
Had the 507th biggest opening in the UK between Pokemon: The First Movie and Megamind (close to Terminator: Dark Fate, Men in Black 3, Men In Black International and Batman Returns) and 698th biggest inflation inflated opening between The Full Monty and Runaway Bride (close to Knight & Day, Terminator: Dark Fate, Total Recall and Kick-Ass 2).
68th biggest comic-book opening in the UK between Men in Black 3 and Batman Returns (close to Watchmen (£3,243,001), Kick-Ass (£3,881,704), Green Lantern (£2,472,969). Batman (£2,058,159) and 75th biggest inflation inflated between Blade and Kick-Ass 2.
80th biggest Warner Bros opening between Pokemon: The First Movie and Batman Returns (close to The LEGO Ninjago Movie, Tomb Raider, Wild Wild West and Green Lantern) and 106th biggest inflation inflated Warner Bros opening between Due Date and Swordfish.
Ahead of Birds of Prey release was expected to open between Shazam (£4,067,068) and Aquaman (£5,230,285) and close to Wonder Woman (£6,179,616), but in reality, an opening similar to Kick-Ass, Watchman and Kill Bill was always probably more likely. Was hoping that reviews would have expanded Birds of Prey audience, but with Parasite opening far stronger than expected and 1917 and Bad Boys For Life holding it had a lot going against it.
While Birds of Prey despite receiving positive reviews while Suicide Squad received negative reviews in 2016 was never going to open anywhere near its £11,252,225 it should have surely opened to closer to double or at least closer to Shazam and Aquaman. All the positivity surrounding DC over the recent years with the success of Aquaman, Shazam! and Joker has evaporated and is even more pressure on Wonder Woman 1984, The Batman and The Suicide Squad for DC to hold their own against Marvel.
The strange thing with DC films is the worst films have opened bigger than their better films with Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice opening with £14,621,007 but Wonder Woman opening a year later with £6,179,616, the only exception was Joker last year.
Female action films
2003’s Kill Bill Volume 1 opened £2,693,742 (£4,380,364 inflation inflated) taking £11,252,063 (£18,297,274 inflation inflated)
2004’s Kill Bill Volume 2 opened £2,768,832 (£4,452,331 inflation inflated) taking £9,024,046 (£14,510,827 inflation inflated)
2019’s Captain Marvel opened £12,750,000 taking £39,234,293
2012’s The Hunger Games opened £4,900,177 taking £23,631,402
2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road opened £4,538,933 taking £16,955,183 (£13,310,296 inflation inflated)
2008’s Wanted opened £3,814,055 (£5,295,669 inflation inflated) taking £9,586,363
2014’s Lucy opened £3,076,997 taking £14,129,734
2010’s Kick-Ass opened £3,881,704 (£4,710,236 inflation inflated) taking £11,528,933 (£13,989,730 inflation inflated)
While 2016’s Deadpool opened £13,729,803 taking £37,616,432 and 2018’s Deadpool 2 £12,974,669 taking £32,501,893
The film is about Harley Quinn rather than Birds of Prey so why wasn’t the film called Harley Quinn as while the Birds of Prey feature the film they play back-up to Harley Quinn which probably confused some; there were reports that some cinemas were calling the film Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey which surely make more sense as it is Hatley Quinn (Margot Robbie) film.
The industry never questions an indie male director moving up to make a big-budget film, but questions seem to always be asked when a woman does, as Birds of Prey director Cathy Yan had only directed low budget Dead Pigs, similar was said about Patty Jenkins before Wonder Woman opened as she had only directed Monster. While there were no such questions asked about Rian Johnson directing Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Gareth Edwards directing 2014’s Godzilla or Colin Trevorrow directing Jurassic World directing only Safety Not Guaranteed previously.
Some also questioned why the film was R -Rated as it wouldn’t have been difficult to cur the film as a PG-13 and then it would have been accessible to a younger teen audience. Probably after the success of Joker and wanting to be seen to be different to MCU thought the higher certificate would allow them to make a female Deadpool film.
Was also the question over the release date, why it did open next weekend as Alita: Battle Angel, Black Panther, The Lego Batman Movie, Deadpool and Kingsman: The Secret Service had previously done especially being Oscar weekend and Bad Boys For Life opening a month earlier.
Warner Bros will be hoping for better things from Wonder Woman: 1984 opening in June after Wonder Woman opened with $103.25m taking $412.56m in the US and $821.84m worldwide but only £21.5m in the UK. Ahead of its release Wonder Woman as Captain Marvel had misogynistic comments that women can’t do action films, despite this audiences came out strongly before the sequel opens Marvel release Black Widow over 10 years after she first appeared in Iron Man 2 and ‘died’ in Avengers: Endgame. Scarlett Johansson has already had action success with 2014’s Lucy so unlikely to receive as much misogynistic abuse?
The question is will strong word of mouth help Birds of Prey hold better over the weeks ahead as Warner Bros have often had films that having disappointing openings but held well over the weeks after as neither Sonic the Hedgehog or Emma should have any impact on Birds of Prey this weekend, but after the huge media coverage Parasite over the last week, it’s strong opening, strong word of mouth and almost doubling its screens could be4 competition for it.
- 1917 – £2,271,528 – £35,888,252
Dropped 18.8% in its fifth weekend;
17th biggest fourth weekend in the UK between LOTR: Return of the King and Mamma Mia Here We Go Again (close to Paddington, Joker, Bohemian Rhapsody and The Greatest Showman).
Ahead of the awards many expected the Best Picture and Best Director awards to be split as they have been several times over recent years as with Parasite always expected to win Best Foreign Language Film and 1917 to win Best Film, instead, it won 3 Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins, Best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects.
Which is slightly disappointing for the film, but that’s the problem with award ceremonies films might get many Oscar nominations but there can only be one winner. As with The Irishman, 1917 was gazumped by Parasite late in the Oscar campaign and probably all the issues about lack of diversity worked against it as Parasite winning the two major awards would make it far easier to show that there is progress, rather than if 1917 won, even if it probably deserved it more.
Sam Mendes became the third director to win DGA BAFTA and Globe but not win Best Director Oscar along with Ben Affleck for Argo and Ang Lee for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
After 24 days 1917 has become eOne’s 2nd biggest film in the UK between The Kings Speech (£45,009,555) and Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 and fourth film to take over £30m and could be their second to take over £40m by net weekend.
93rd biggest film in the UK between Die Another Day and The Secret Life of Pets and 147th biggest inflation inflated between The Twilight Saga: New Moon and The Inbetweeners Movie 2 (close to Gravity, Shakespeare In Love, Minority Report and Fifty Shades of Grey).
Fifth weekend
Took more than
1.3% Mamma Mia Here We Go Again (£2,241,507); 2.6% Bohemian Rhapsody (£2,211,454); 4.1% Spectre (£2,179,154); 10.1% The Greatest Showman (£2,042,450); 14.6% Dunkirk (£1,938,125); 16.8% Bridget Jones’s Baby (£1,888,986); 17.2% Black Panther (£1,881,691); 19.8% A Star Is Born (£1,821,004); 30.1% Slumdog Millionaire (£1,587,819); 60.3% Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (£901,078).
Took less than
4.6% 34.7% LOTR: Return of the King (£2,377,268); 7.7% Joker (£2,446,199); 12.6% Paddington (£2,558,263); 20.6% The King’s Speech (£2,803,272); 61% Titanic (£3,657,613); 678.7% Skyfall (£3,809,893); 143.3% Avatar (££5,527,039);
After 30 days total
Took more than
4.9% Titanic (£34,118,124); 16.3% The Kings Speech (£30,014,606); 14.1% Frozen (£30,807,697); 22.3% Love Actually (£27,871,625); 29.2% Downton Abbey (£25,394,967); 36.1% A Star Is Born (£22,929,874); 44.3% The Greatest Showman (£19,965,506); 48.4% Little Women (£18,498,695); 52.9% Slumdog Millionaire (£16,897,975);
Took less than
8.7% Bohemian Rhapsody (£39,003,704); 9.1% Mamma Mia! (£39,168,064); 13.4% Mary Poppins Returns (£40,699,643); 17% Bridget Jones’s Baby (£41,991,553); 19.2% Black Panther (£42,779,145); 24.3% Casino Royale (£44,612,070); 36.8% Dunkirk (£49,101,623); 37.6% Avatar (£49,374,516); 43.7% Joker (£51,563,890); 51.9% Mamma Mia Here We Go Again (£54,523,054); 57.4% Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (£56,482,187); 81.2% Beauty and the Beast (£65,048,372); 146.2% Spectre (£88,374,402); 149.7% Skyfall (£89,620,677); 217.5% Star Wars: The Force Awakens (£113,955,827).
Two weeks ago 1917 predictably won 7 BAFTAs including Best Picture and Best Director but didn’t win any acting or writing awards, many questioned 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. Right up to Sunday many expected 1917 to win either Best Picture or Best Director and while its impossible to compare 1917 with Parasite, 1917 is a far better film.
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).
5th weekend
1998’s Saving Private Ryan took £931,140) 31.9% drop (£1,635,849 inflation inflated) and £13,898,774 (£24,4176,98 inflation inflated) 74.2% of £18,740,016 (£33,573,924 inflation inflated)
2017’s Dunkirk took £1,938,125 27% drop and £49,101,623 86.7% of £56,585,035
2011’s The King’s Speech took £2,739,204 25% drop £30,014,606 55.5% of £54,036,062
2009’s Slumdog Millionaire took £1,587,819 33% drop £16,897,975 40.2% £41,995,981
After holding close to Dunkirk over several weeks 1917 will come short, but the marketplace is much more crowded than wad the case with Dunkirk in 2017; 1917 should take over £40m over the next two weeks but now struggle to match The King’s Speech. 1917 will surely be one of the biggest films of the year and take a large percentage of eOne’s box office for the year, this often happens with an independent distributor, while it’s a numbers game one film will contribute far more than the rest.
- Parasite – £1,397,387 – NE
Had the biggest ever opening for a foreign-language film in the UK taking £1,389,856 (including previews) from 137 screens overtaking 2007’s Apocalypto opened in 385 screens (£1,360,110) 2004’s Hero (£1.05m), 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (£696,000) and 2004’s Amélie (£559,000).
1,074th biggest opening in the UK between Gothika and Mean Girls )close to Miss Potter, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Danish Girl and The Book Thief) and 1,201st the biggest inflation inflated opening between Hidden Figures and The Internship (close to Far From The Madding Crowd, Hacksaw Ridge, Hustlers and Lost in Translation).
Took £205,000 from Q&A preview screenings on Monday from 156 screens with the director charting #2 behind 1917 boosted by media coverage generated after winning Best Original Screenplay and Best Foreign Film the night before at the BAFTAs and took £310,754 from preview screenings ahead of its opening; the film opened in 136 screens.
Had the biggest opening for a foreign-language film in the UK overtaking 2000’s Crouching Tiger opened with £686,386 #4 (£1.1m inflation inflated) from 88 screens including £57,188 previews; in the top 10 for 10 weeks and in the top 15 for 16 weeks taking £8.89m (£14.3m inflation inflated).
2001’s Amelie opened with £559,747 (£957,248 inflation inflated) from 82 screens taking 7 weeks to play to its widest of 115 screens (Moulin Rouge #1 in its 5th weekend £1,072,657 from 397 screens); Amelie stayed in the top 10 for 8 weeks and top 15 for 13 weeks taking £4,320,466 (£7,388,623 inflation inflated).
It was a massive gamble for Curzon in October to announce a full theatrical release for Parasite and to date it February 7th at the end of award season week after BAFTAs and weekend of the Oscars, but the gamble paid off; the gamble paid off for The Handmaiden taking £1.4m.
Parasite last weekend won 2 BAFTA awards Best Foreign Language Film and Best Original Screenplay and won 4 Oscars on Sunday Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Foreign Language Film becoming the first film ever to win Best Film and Best Foreign Language Film.
Biggest foreign language films in the UK
2004’s The Passion of Christ £11.1m; 2001’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon £9.4m; 2001’s Amelie £5m; 2007’s Apocalypto £4.1m; 2004’s Hero and House of Flying Daggers £3.8m.
At the Golden Globe’s Bong Joon Ho said: “Once you overcome the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.” This follows on from similar comments last year from Alfonso Cuarón after winning Best Foreign-Language Oscar for Roma saying, “I grew up watching foreign-language films and learning so much from them — films like Citizen Kane, Jaws, Rashomon, The Godfather and Breathless.”
Parasite will likely be many cinema-goers first subtitled film, which could open up the audience for a wider range of films, and exhibitors to book them, could of this attention to subtitled films happened with either Okja or Roma if Netflix gave them a proper theatrical release, unlikely as neither had the momentum behind them as Parasite has had for the last 9 months.
Ever since Parasite received its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May (where it became the first Korean film to win the Palme d’Or) it has received critical acclaim (99% Rotten Tomatoes). In 2017 Bong Joon-Ho’s Okja also premiered at the Cannes Film Festival receiving critical acclaim but its screening was met with boos as Netflix distributed the film and was projected in the wrong aspect ratio (some thought it was done deliberately in anger for a Netflix film to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival).
Bong Joon-Ho’s previous film 2013’s Snowpiercer took 5 years to be released in the UK after the Weinstein Company acquired the film in 2012 but Harvey Weinstein demanded 30 minutes of footage to be edited and opening and closing monologues added but the director refused. The film was eventually released on Netflix in the UK last year.
Curzon acquired UK rights in May 2019 and in October promised to give the film a full theatrical release as normally the films they acquire have a limited theatrical release with VOD release a few days or weeks after.
The film will expand wider this weekend into about 400 screens; Parasite opened in about 25% of the screens the other films in the top 5 were playing in showing that a film doesn’t need to open so wide. Only two weeks ago The Personal History Of David Copperfield opened with £1,524,147 from 656 screens
Over recent years best foreign-language films have suffered at the box office about the same time as Event Cinema started growing as it cannibalized its box office aa well as independent cinema;
In 2002 131 foreign language films were released in the UK 38% of the films released taking 2.2% of the yearly box office with Y Tu Mama Tambien taking £1.74m was the biggest foreign language film of the year.
Over the following years, the number of foreign language films released has more than doubled but its box office share and its box office hasn’t grown, so similarly to the growth of Event Cinema much of this is due to the number of titles released with box office shared more rather than audience growth.
In 2017; 349 foreign language films were released in the UK taking £28.6m 45.9% % of the films released taking 2.1% of the yearly box office; The Handmaiden taking £1.5m was the biggest foreign language film of the year.
In 2016 368 foreign language films were released in the UK; 44.8% of all film releases, but only took 2.4% of the box office gross, more foreign-language films are being released than ever before, but they are cannibalizing themselves. In 2004 there were 259 films released in the UK but last year there were over 900, but the number of screens in the UK hasn’t grown nearly as much which means box office cannibalization.
As these films don’t get the playing time they used to get, they are films that need word of mouth to build their audience, but they don’t get the chance to do so anymore due to the sheer number of films being released each week. Even Cinema hasn’t helped foreign language films as exhibitors can book and Event Cinema screening midweek for one rather than take a risk on a foreign language film.
Much was made of Netflix’s decision not to give Roma a wide theatrical release but to give the black and white Mexican film a wide cinema release would have been a bigger gamble than Curzon had with Parasite. While Netflix didn’t reveal box office of Roma as they didn’t for The Irishman from reports from the cinemas that played them they performed strongly.
As Parasite opened in South Korea almost 9 months ago the film has been widely available online on illegal streaming sites, but despite this cinemagoers came out strongly to see the film over opening weekend, with many sell-outs across the weekend.
After Parasite Oscar success will it make the Cannes Film Festival popular again for studios to launch award contenders early as most Oscar winners over recent years have premiered at the Venice/Toronto/Telluride Film Festivals, the previous Best Picture winner also premiered at Cannes was The Artist in 2011.
Over the decades the Cannes Film Festival was full of glamour and the films received huge media coverage with the world media in attendance, but then most films would open months later. There have been some exceptions including Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby, but they open out of the competition. Searchlight Pictures recently announced July 2020 release for Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, which had many speculating it would premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
While the Cannes Film Festival might have got its mojo back the London Film Festival hasn’t with both opening and closing films (The Personal History of David Copperfield and The Irishman) coming up empty for major awards this year). While Parasite was surprisingly absent from the London Film Festival.
Much will be made about Netflix’s Oscar ‘snub’, but it was all about timing as all four films that received the most nominations were gazumped by the others that won the awards they were expected to win while despite Parasite premiering months before at Cannes it’s the timing was perfect. Netflix had a hand in Parasite success as 2017’s Okja brought Bong Joon-ho films to a much wider global audience that made mainstream audiences aware of the directors work, as while his previous films The Host and Snowpiercer received critical acclaim they weren’t seen by a wide audience.
Parasite is a very good film but did think the first half was better than the rest as trying to be careful without spoiling to the one person who reads this, but there have been many home invasion films over the years, and this is home invasion with co-artists, while you don’t know who are the Parasites, the rich family, that the poor family see as gullible and they use.
After the success of Parasite surely a US remake is on the cards, but before that HBO are teaming up with Bong Joon ho to make TV series with Mark Ruffalo rumoured to be involved, recently starred in the excellent Dark Water opening at the end of the month, one of the many Oscar snubs,.
After Parasite won big, Netflix was seen as the big loser as they had the most nominations but only won two, it was predictable that everyone would say the gamble didn’t pay off for Netflix and ask what Netflix will do now.
But, while The Irishman was the early favourite in early November it was gazumped by 1917 and Parasite as often the case early favourites end up empty-handed. As the momentum from late November to February was all about 1917 and Parasite and the four acting categories were also locked in November.
Giving The Irishman a full theatrical release wouldn’t have changed anything as it never had a chance as so many of the other contenders as momentum was with Parasite. As you could ask the same question why 1917 didn’t win Best Picture as most people expected 1917 to win either Director or Picture but while Netflix received 24 Oscar nominations Best Supporting Actress for Marriage Story and Best Documentary Feature for American Factory were the only two awards it was ever likely to win.
Netflix is probably already looking ahead to next year with Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy starring Amy Adams, Glenn Close and Freida Pinto; George Clooney’s Good Morning, Midnight starring Felicity Jones and David Fincher’s Mank starring Gary Oldman as Citizen Kane screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz.
As soon as the Oscars ended for this year campaigning has already started for next year’s Oscars they include Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of Chicago 7, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and Wes Anderson’s The French Despatch, likely have its world premiere at Cannes Film Festival as Parasite. This time last year Parasite wasn’t on the radar for Oscars, so its likely some of the next years contenders are still not currently on the radar and people will be looking to see what premieres at Cannes as the film festival has its mojo back.
- Bad Boys For Life – £1,000,627 – £13,098,674
Down 45.7% in its fourth weekend
Sony Pictures 40th biggest between Terminator Salvation and Jumanji (close to Venom, Godzilla, Baby Driver and Snatch) Bad Boys 2 #65 and Bad Boys #121 biggest and 52nd biggest inflation inflated between Bad Boys 2 and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.
424th biggest film in the UK between Pokemon Detective Pikachu and The Rugrats Movie (close to Mr and Mrs Smith, American Sniper, The Beach and Baby Driver) and 560th biggest inflation inflated film between Pokemon Detective Pikachu and American Gangster(close to Bad Boys 2, The Bourne Identity, Wanted and The Hulk).
Fourth weekend
2003’s Bad Boys 2 dropped 48% taking £366,679 (£584,704 inflation inflated) and £7,936,232 (£12,655,073 inflation inflated) taking 97.5% of £8,141,704 (£13,673,278 inflation inflated).
1995’s Bad Boys took £8,408,498 (£10,432,273 inflation inflated)
After the success of Bad Boys For Life Sony Pictures have already started development on Bad Boys 4, but development started many years ago as Bad Boys 3 and 4 were originally going to be made back to back for release in 2017 and 2019.
Will Smith next stars in King Richard, the biopic of Venus and Serena Williams set for release in November which will show if his really got his box office mojo back as despite the success of Aladdin and Bad Boys For Life, Gemini Man underperformed but that was probably more because it was a dated action film opening the week after Joker.
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.
Bad Boys For Life was the first of several sequels from Sony Pictures this year with Peter Rabbit 2 opening Easter, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Venom spinoff Morbius and Escape Room 2 in the summer as they hope they will fill the massive James Bond hole in their box office this year.
UK box office in detail
This weekend’s top 10 box office took £14,669,620 up 57.4% from last weekend £9,319,783
The weekend admissions 2,071,980 down 58.7% from last weekend 1,305,544
16 films opened at weekend taking (£10,130,688); Dolittle 50.x% (£5,085,520); Birds of Prey 28% (£2,833,297);; Parasite 13.8% (£1,397,387); Kinky Boots 5% (£503,256); Underwater 1.9% (£191,869); remaining 11 films shared 1.1% (£119,359);
Top three took xx% (£xx) of the top 10; Dolittle 49.9% (£5,085,520); Birds of Prey 27.8% (£2,833,297);; 1917 22.3% (£2,271,528);
Up 9.2% from 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 1st week 572 screens (29.9% of top 10)
Up 2.2% from 2018: (£14,358,030); Tad The Lost Explorer and the Secret of King Midas (£302,312); The Mercy (£301,138); The 15:17 to Paris (The 15:17 to Paris); L’Elisir d’Amore – Met Opera 2018 (£214,105); Status Update (£137,886); #1 Fifty Shades Freed £6,132,414 1st week 592 screens (42.7% of top 10)
Down 35% from 2017: (£22,550,899); The LEGO Batman Movie (£7,906,468); Fifty Shades Darker (£7,557,485); The Space Between Us (£258,401); Fences (£102,688); 20th Century Women (£60,203); Prevenge (£30,118); Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (£14,692); #1 The LEGO Batman Movie £7,906,468 1st week 600 screens (35.1% of top 10)
Up 42.2% from 2016: (£10,312,748); Goosebumps (£2,686,105); Dad’s Army (£2,077,942); Point Break (£421,818); Trumbo (£146,105); #1 Goosebumps £2,686,105 1st week 510 screens (26.1% of top 10)
Up 27.5% from 2015; (£11,507,851); Shaun The Sheep Movie (£2,095,061); Jupiter Ascending (£1,349,938); Selma (£792,365); The Interview (£283,811); #1 Big Hero 6 £2,540,116 2nd week 513 screens 41% drop (22.1% of top 10)
Up 23.6% from 2014: (£11,863,126); Mr. Peabody and Sherman (£3,916,559); RoboCop (£2,410,948); Dallas Buyers Club (£1,086,938); The Invisible Woman (£132,021); #1 Mr. Peabody and Sherman £3,916,559 1st week 507 screens (33.1% of top 10)
Up 15.1% from 2013 (£12,741,358); Wreck-It Ralph (£4,526,380); I Give It A Year (£1,450,023); Warm Bodies (£895,509); Hitchcock (£606,817); #1 Wreck-It Ralph £4,526,380 1st week 501 screens (35.5% of top 10)
Up 16.3% from 2012 (£12,616,654); The Woman in Black (£3,153,020); The Muppets (£2,650,664); Star Wars: Episode I – Phantom Menace 3D (£1,528,156); The Vow (£1,091,469); A Dangerous Method (£186,775); Big Miracle (£149,796); #1 The Woman in Black £3,153,020 1st week 412 screens (25% of top 10)
Up 4.5% from 2011 (£14,039,027); The Fighter (£2,118,140); James Cameron presents Sanctum (£859,064); A Little Bit of Heaven (£443,156); Brighton Rock (£352,815); #1 Tangled £4,569,135 2nd week 448 screens 11% drop (32.5% of top 10)
Up 14.7% from 2010: (£12,786,495); The Princess And The Frog (expansion) (£2,219,769); Astro Boy (£1,091,872); Invictus (£1,068,388); Youth In Revolt (£743,932); #1 Avatar £4,338,774 8th week 417 screens 11% drop (34% of top 10)
Up 76% from 2009; (£8,335,147); The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (£2,213,495); He’s Just Not That Into You (£1,913,542); The Secret of Moonacre (£308,099); Doubt (£253,097); Vicky Cristina Barcelona (£243,684); Punisher: War Zone (£94,365); #1 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button £2,213,495 1st week 425 screens (26.5% of top 10)
Up 46.8% from 2008; (£9,992,789); National Treasure 2 (£2,483,297); Juno (£2,002,120); The Water Horse (£760,340); Definitely, Maybe (£698,041); There Will Be Blood (£215,490); The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (£106,911); Arctic Tale (£7,619); #1 National Treasure 2 £2,483,297 1st week 491 screens (24.8% of top 10)
Up 49.3% from 2007: (£9,827,338); Music and Lyrics (£1,929,058); Charlotte’s Web (£1,892,120); Epic Movie (£1,368,657); Hannibal Rising (£1,044,033); Goal! 2 (£326,807); The Reef (£208,259); #1 Music and Lyrics £1,929,058 1st week 432 screens (19.6% of top 10)
Up 35,5% from 2006; (£10,821,573); Chicken Little (£3,173,867); Final Destination 3 (£2,219,978); Big Momma’s House 2 (£1,735,839); The Little Polar Bear 2 (£80,915); #1 Chicken Little £3,173,867 1st week 511 screens (29.3% of top 10)
Up 27.4% from 2005 (£11,511,558); Ocean’s Twelve (£3,394,100); Racing Stripes (£1,145,965); #1 Meet the Fockers £4,588,360 2nd week 456 screens 42% drop (39.9% of top 10)
Up 78.6% from 2004 (£8,214,642); School of Rock (£2,742,356); Something’s Gotta Give (£1,215,563); The Dreamers (£117,181); Charlie (£92,336); #1 School of Rock £2,742,356 1st week 376 screens (33.4% of top 10)
Up 30.9% from 2003 (£11,208,480); Two Weeks’ Notice (£2,636,050); Final Destination 2 (£1,675,057); The Wild Thornberrys (£1,430,610); Punch Drunk Love (£151,494); #1 Two Weeks’ Notice £2,636,050 1st week 414 screens (23.5% of top 10)
Down 5% from 2002 (£15,433,492); Monsters, Inc. (£9,200,257); From Hell (£891,862); Just Visiting (£121,414); #1 Monsters, Inc. £9,200,257 1st week 503 screens (21.6% of top 10)
Next weekend in 2019: (£11,116,499); Instant Family (£2,469,853); Happy Death Day 2U (£735,454); The Kid Who Would be King (£666,749); A Private War (£223,438); Notting Hill (20th Anniversary) (£1,125); #1 The LEGO Movie 2 £2,472,489 2nd week 652 screens 38% drop (22.2% of top 10)
Also Opened
- Underwater – 20th Century Fox
Opened with £191,869 from 330 screens
As with Gemini Man last year Underwater felt like it was a film made 20 years to late and its claim to fame will be that it is the final film to be released by 20th Century Fox before its renamed as 20th Century Studios with The Call of the Wind their first release.
It’s very sad to see the 84-year studio that made The Sound of Music, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Star Wars, Alien, Broadcast News, Home Alone, Independence Day, Titanic, Moulin Rouge, Avatar, the Martian, Hidden Figures, Deadpool, The Greatest Showman and Bohemian Rhapsody, for its final film to be Underwater.
While the studio will still exist as 20th Century Studios it will make a fraction of the films it used to make and unlikely to take risks as Disney will rely on remaking library content for Disney+ along with Avatar sequels over the next few years.
UK Box Office Top 10
US Box office
- Birds of Prey – Warner Bros
Opened with $33.8m; received positive reviews (86% Rotten Tomatoes) and B+ CinemaScore similar to (Suicide Squad and Joker).
482nd biggest opening in the US between Blades of Glory and Rush Hour
Was tracking to open with about $55m while Warner Bros were tracking to open with $45m
Birds of Prey took $4m from Thursday previews much lower than R-rated comic-book films Joker ($13.3m), Deadpool ($12.7m) and Logan ($9.5m) and less than last year’s Shazam‘s ($5.9m) but similar to 2009’s Watchmen ($4.5m).
Always amazes me how Suicide Squad opened with $133.68m and held so strongly despite poor reviews and poor word of mouth and being a terrible film while Birds of Prey has good reviews but will open with almost 75% less is it because some men still think it’s a women’s film?
Ahead of release Birds of Prey was expected to open between $110m-$125m worldwide with $60m-$70m internationally, slightly less than last year’s Shazam $158.6m global opening.
While 2016’s Suicide Squad opened with $133.3m internationally 57 territories Birds of Prey opened with $48m from 78 territories and $81.3m worldwide; Mexico $4.6m; Russia $4m; UK $3.9m; Brazil $2.8m; France $2.7m; Australia $2.7m; Indonesia $2.4m; Korea $1.9m; Germany $1.8m; Taiwan $1.5m; Italy $1.44m; Spain $1.38m;
- Bad Boys For Life – Sony Pictures
Dropped 32% in its fourth weekend taking $12.01m and $166.33m
Fourth weekends
2003’s Bad Boys 2 dropped 52.6% taking $6.04m ($9.38m inflation inflated) and $123.09m ($191.27m) 88.8% of $138.6m ($215.38m inflation inflated) and $273.33m WW ($589 WW inflation inflated)
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 38.5% taking $4.31m ($9.29m inflation inflated) and $50.21m ($108.16m inflation inflated) 76.2% of $65.8m ($141.74m inflation inflated) and $141.4m WW ($305m WW inflation inflated)
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 $3.86bn in the US; $5.74bn internationally and $9.43bn worldwide.
312th biggest film in the US between Casino Royale and Meet the Parents; 673rd biggest inflation inflated between Freaky Friday and Scary Movie 3 and 30th biggest Sony Pictures film between Casino Royale and 2012.
Jerry Bruckheimer’s 34 films have taken $4.26bn in the US, $6.5bn international and $10.71bn 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 $15.8m from 63 territories and $170m internationally and $336m worldwide; UK $17.1m; Germany $14.7m; Mexico $11.8m; Australia $11.2m; Russia $10.7m; France $10m; Spain $6.4m; Saudi Arabia $5.2m; United Arab Emirates $4.6m; Taiwan $4.3m.
411th biggest film worldwide between Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and A Quiet Place; 37th biggest Sony Pictures film worldwide between Peter Rabbit and 22 Jump Street.
- 1917 – Universal Pictures
Down 3% in its seventh weekend taking $9.23m and $132.77m;
464th biggest film in the US between Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked and Bringing Down the House; 915th biggest inflation between The Good Dinosaur and Couples Retreat; 79th biggest Universal Pictures film between Ride Along and Hulk.
After winning 7 BAFTAs last weekend including Best Picture and Best Director many believed 1917 would do similar at the Oscars on Sunday but won 3 Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects missing out on Best Picture and Best Director.
Has 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) that won 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 $15.2m from 61 territories internationally and $155m total and $287.4m worldwide; 519th biggest film worldwide between Bee Movie and Turbo; 66th biggest Universal Pictures film between Pitch Perfect 2 and American Pie 2.
- Dolittle – Universal Pictures
Dropped 14% in its fourth weekend taking $6.53m and $63.83m
Despite poor reviews, Dolittle is holding much stronger 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.
1.317th biggest opening in the US between Staying Alive and In & Out; 2,146th biggest inflation inflated between About a Boy and Fright Night; 175th biggest Universal Pictures film between Scent of a Woman and Babe.
It’s the third film version of Doctor Dolittle after the 1967 Rex Harrison film (flopped opening months after Disney’s The Jungle Book) and then Eddie Murphy starred in the 1998 remake and 2001 sequel, which were far more successful but poorly received critically.
Fourth weekends
1998’s Doctor Dolittle dropped 26.4% taking $9.47m and $105.38m 73.1% of $144.15m in the US ($266.94m inflation inflated) and $294.45m worldwide ($546m inflation inflated WW)
2001’s Doctor Dolittle 2 dropped 28.5% taking $7.48m and $84.73m 75% of taking $112.95m in the US ($187.32m inflation inflated) and $176.1m WW ($293m WW inflation inflated)
Took $18.8m from 65 territories internationally and $94.7m total and $158.7m worldwide; 1,076th biggest worldwide between The Monuments Men and Sin City and 141st biggest Universal Pictures film worldwide between Daylight and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
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- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Disney
Dropped 28% in the eighth weekend taking $2.31m and $510.63m
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.
This weekend will be the final week for The Rise of Skywalker in the top 10 in the US after 5 Star Wars film over 5 years even Bob Iger has said that it was too much and there will be a break before the next Star Wars film. Now that Disney owns Fox they have inherited Avatar sequels which are set for release in alternative years in December with Avatar 2 set for December 2021 and Avatar 3 in December 2023, so its likely Disney will slot Star Wars films in alternative years to Avatar sequels. The next Star Wars film will likely be a new story away from the Skywalker saga set in the Star Wars universe, but as for most people, Star Wars is Skywalker it will be hard to many to untwine the two.
The next Star Wars film is due for release in December 2022, its release could be problematic as it’s the weekend Qatar World Cup ends which would have a major impact on its international box office. Delaying the film a week would see its opening weekend disrupted by Christmas Day, while it’s a hugely popular day to go to the cinema in the US, not so much elsewhere.
Studios will often run scared of World Cup and Euro Championships as they have done this year with Top Gun: Maverick opening in Europe three weeks after the US which sees it open against Tenet in the UK on July 17, with Minions: The Rise of Gru opening against Ghostbusters: Afterlife the weekend before.
After The Rise of Skywalker opened with $177.38m it has dropped heavily over most weeks since but interestingly The Last Jedi took a larger share of its total box office in its opening 35.5% to The Rise of Skywalker34.7% (while The Force Awakens was 26.5%).
8th weekends
2015 – Star Wars: The Force Awakens dropped 37.3% taking $6.97m and $906.04m 96.7% of $936.66m; $2.068bn WW
2016 – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story dropped 44.6% taking $2.92m and $524.63m 98.6% of $532.17m; $1.056bn WW
2017 – Star Wars: The Last Jedi dropped 45% taking $2.33m and $614.45m 99.1% of $620.18m; $1.332bn WW
2005 – Star Wars: Episode: Revenge of the Sith dropped 36.3% taking $2.6m ($3.8m inflation inflated) and $370.81m ($542.1m inflation inflated) 97.5% of $380.27m ($556m inflation inflated) $868.35m WW; $1.27bn inflation inflated WW)
2002 – Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones dropped 33.2 taking $2.45m ($3.95m inflation inflated) and $291.29m ($470.6m inflation inflated) 96.4% of $302.19m; $645.25m WW ($1.042bn WW inflation inflated)
1999 – Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace dropped 21.5% taking $7.49m ($11.81m inflation inflated) and $369.41m ($713.3m inflation inflated) 89.3% of $431.08m ($799m inflation inflated); $924.3m WW ($1.72bn WW inflation inflated)
1983 – Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi taking $8.27m ($24.6m inflation inflated) and $178.48m ($530.9m inflation inflated) 70.6% of $252.58m ($751.4m inflation inflated); $374.59m WW ($1.12bn WW inflation inflated)
1980 – Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back dropped 19.9% taking $6.65m ($23.2m inflation inflated) and $94.29m (328.5m inflation inflated) 45.1% of $209.39m ($729.4m inflation inflated) and $400.08m ($1.39bn WW inflation inflated)
1977 – Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope took $6.8m ($28.6m inflation inflated) taking $53.77m 17.5% of $307.26m ($1.29bn inflation inflated); $503.01m WW ($2.12bn WW inflation inflated).
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.
14th biggest film in the US between Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Beauty and the Beast
48th biggest film inflation inflated between Beauty and the Beast and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
10th 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 $549,73m total internationally and $1.060bn worldwide;
35th biggest film worldwide between Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and 19th biggest Disney film worldwide.
In the UK it dropped 65% on its 8th week taking £87,000 and £58m total; will finish as the fourth highest-grossing Star Wars title, behind The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and Rogue One.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the 21st biggest film in the UK with a similar box office to Joker few would every predicted these two films would take similar box office.
- Little Women – Sony Pictures
Down 23% in its seventh weekend taking $2.37m and $102.72m
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.
Some have complained that Little Women plotting was complicated as instead of previous versions where they started at the beginning, this version starts at the end and then moves around. I must admit I preferred the 1994 version which started at the beginning and ended at the end.
While Greta Gerwig’s version received much praise did prefer the 1994 version which was practically perfect in every way, from the cast, the plotting to the. stunning score by Thomas Newman. Will of course admit that I’m not the target audience but will also say that it’s not a girls film but it’s also far from an Oscar film and as with Lady Bird both films were overly hyped and weren’t as good as the hype.
With Little Women taking $100m will we see adaptions to Louisa May Alcott sequels Little Men and Jo’s Boy also made as part of an extended universe? (surprised there wasn’t an edit credit scene setting up the next film)
1994’s Little Women took $46.13m ($105m inflation inflated)
706th biggest film in the US between Bambi and The General’s Daughter and 1,309th biggest inflation inflated film between Coyote Ugly and Sideways and 87th biggest Sony Pictures film between Just Go With It and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Took $5.8m from 54 territories and $74.5m and $177m worldwide; the UK $26m; Australia $9.6m; Italy $6.1m; France $5.1m; Spain $5m.
929th biggest film worldwide between The A-Team and Tootsie; 120th biggest Sony Pictures film worldwide between Paul Blart: Mall Cop and Tootsie.
- Jumanji: The Next Level – Sony Pictures
Down 7% in its ninth weekend taking $5.55m and $298.48m
Jumanji: The Next Level took 28.1% less than Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle in its eighth dropped 20.8% taking $7.93m and $377.61m 93.3% of $404.51m and $962.07m worldwide; down xx% $xx Vs $7.93m and total after 9 weeks is xx% less $2xx Vs $377.61m; 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.
89th biggest film in the US between The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and The Twilight Saga: New Moon
219th biggest inflation inflated film between Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and 8th biggest Sony Pictures film between Skyfall and The Amazing Spider-Man.
Took $3.3m from 58 territories and $470m total and $768m worldwide
99th biggest film worldwide between Guardians of the Galaxy and The Da Vinci Code and 10th biggest Sony Pictures film worldwide between Spider-Man 2 and The Da Vinci Code.
UK Box Office Predictions
Opening ahead of half-term holidays Sonic The Hedgehog 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.
Sonic The Hedgehog is expected to 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.
Two months after the remake of Little Women opened have another remake of Emma based on Jane Austen’s classic novel.
Jane Austen’s adaptations on the small and big screen have been hugely popular over the years so it’s 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.
Emma has received positive reviews many have said it’s 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 (the 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.
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).
With the release of Sonic the Hedgehog and having inflated opening Dolittle will drop 50% in its second weekend taking £2m+ with Birds of Prey dropping less, they could be battling out for third.
Parasite was originally going to expand into 275 screens but will instead expand into 400 after the demand distributor received after its Oscar wins, but despite this, it will be battling out with 1917 for fifth and will depend on om how Parasite performs outside London as in its opening weekend many London cinemas sold out many performances but sales were softer away from London, but after Parasite’s Oscar wins that have generated huge media coverage and with strong word of mouth could see it have a stronghold.
Would have made more sense to go to 275 screens this weekend and then expand again the following weekend to 400, but the fear is that the momentum Parasite has now could fade away by then, which is the careful balancing act distributors have to go when choosing how wide to open a film.
Opening Wednesday The Call of the Wind will be a hard sell against much tougher competition was surprising its release date was moved to February as was Spies in Disguise moved from January to December, almost like Disney want these Fox films to fail….
Opening in UK Next Week
- The Call Of The Wild – 20th Century Fox/Disney
Adventure film starring Harrison Ford, Dan Stevens, Omar Sy, Karen Gillan, Bradley Whitford and Colin Woodell and directed by Chris Sanders, based on the Jack London 1903 novel and Twentieth Century Pictures’ previous 1935 film adaptation.
The original 1935 film was the last film released by 20th Century Studios before merging with Fox to become 20th Century Fox and the remake is the first film to be released 20th Century Studios.
In the 90s Disney made many of these animal adventure films including Iron Will, Eight Below, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey,
But the problem with The Call Of The Wild is the film has a hefty budget $109m and these films are now much harder sells to audiences despite the casting of Harrison Ford, the one positive is that the trailer was playing for the past couple of months with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
- Brahms: The Boy II – Entertainment Film Distributors
Supernatural horror sequel to the 2016 film The Boy starring Katie Holmes, Ralph Ineson, Owain Yeoman, and Christopher Convery and directed by William Brent Bellr.
2016’s The Boy opened March 2016 with £726,003 taking £2,409,921
Horror films have so far underperformed at the box office this year, but The Turning and The Grudge weren’t expected to find an audience
- Greed – Sony Pictures
Comedy starring Steve Coogan, David Mitchell, Isla Fisher, Shirley Henderson, Asa Butterfield, Dinita Gohil, Shanina Shaik and Sarah Solemani and written and directed by Michael Winterbottom.
Received world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival receiving mixed reviews (where Sony Pictures acquired rights) and received its UK premiere at the London Film Festival.
Last Michael Winterbottom film to have a theatrical release was 2014’s The Face of an Angel opening with £36,912 from 37 screens and 2013’s The Look of Love opening with £208,557 from 140 screens taking
- Like A Boss – Paramount Pictures
Comedy starring Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Coolidge, Natasha Rothwell, Billy Porter, and Salma Hayek and directed by Miguel Arteta.
Received poor reviews (21% Rotten Tomatoes) opened in the US last month opening with $10.01m taking $21.55m
Likely to open similar to last years What Men Want with £836,612 taking £2,785,973
Opening in US Next Week
- Emma – Focus Features
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; received positive reviews (91% Rotten Tomatoes).
Jane Austen’s adaptations on the small and big screen have been hugely popular over the years so it’s no surprise we have another adaptation of Emma 25 years after also having another adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women as even with original films studios are looking for an inbuilt audience.
While Emma has received positive reviews many have said it’s 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 (the 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.
Over the years there have been many adaptations of Jane Austen novels on the big and small screen including 1995’s Persuasion (took $5.26m); and 1999’s Mansfield Park (took $4.77m).
1995’s Sense & Sensibility opened on platform $721,341 slowly expanding over 10 weeks taking $43.18m taking $134.58m
1996’s Emma opened on platform $240,649 slowly expanding over 7 weeks taking $22.32m
2005’s Pride & Prejudice opened on platform $2.8m expanding over 4 weeks taking $38.4m and $121.6m worldwide
Also having modernised version of Emma with 1995’s Clueless (opened $10.61m taking $56.63m; 2001’s Bridget Jones’s Diary and 2013’s Austenland modern-day versions of Pride & Prejudice
The success of Little Women (opening with $16.75m taking $103m to date and $170m worldwide will help Emma’s box office performance.
- The Call Of The Wild – 20th Century Fox/Disney
The film was tracking to open between $15m-$20m but could be boosted by the trailer being played before Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
1993’s Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey opened $8.11m taking $41.83m
1994’s Iron Will opened $5.31m taking $21.1m
2005’s Because of Winn-Dixie opened $10.2m taking $32.64m
2006’s Eight Below opened $20.18m taking $81.61m
- Brahms: The Boy II – STX Entertainment
2016’s The Boy opened with $10.77m taking $35.81m and $64.18m worldwide
Expected to open between $7m and $12m but horrors so far this year have underperformed, and this is a sequel to The Boy which received mixed reviews and has been delayed over 6 months as was originally set to be released in July and December 2019.