Top 5 Breakdown

1. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – £5,622,755  – £22,043,790  

Down 54.3% in its second weekend; taking 39.3% less than 2016’s Fantastic Beasts (£8,892,489) The Crimes of Grindelwald had tougher competition in its second weekend with The Grinch holding strongly but Fantastic Beasts had limited competition while also received better reviews and stronger word of mouth.

50^th biggest second weekend between Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Spider-Man 3 and has become 12^thbiggest 2018 release in the UK and Warner Bros second biggest film after A Star Is Born and 115^th biggest inflated opening between The Day After Tomorrow and Notting Hill

8^th biggest Harry Potter film second weekend ahead of The Half-Blood Prince and Prisoner of Azkaban but both had extensive previews.

Had Warner Bros 14^th biggest second weekend between The Lego Movie and Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies and the 24^th biggest inflated second weekend between I am Legend and Inception

Had the seventh biggest second weekend of the year after Avengers Infinity War, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, Black Panther, Incredibles 2 and Bohemian Rhapsody

After 10 days on release The Crimes of Grindelwald has taken about 25% less than Philosopher’s Stone, the Goblet of Fire, The Chamber of Secrets, The Order of the Phoenix and Fantastic Beasts; 30%+ of Prisoner of Azkaban, The Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 50% less than Deathly Hallows Part 2.

The Crimes of Grindelwald had the sixth biggest opening week of the year after Avengers Infinity War, Black Panther, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, Jurassic World 2 and Deadpool 2 (all apart from Mamma Mia 2 openings were inflated with previews while Mamma Mia 2 benefited from the weekend summer holidays began).

While being part of the Harry Potter Universe the audience for Fantastic Beasts films are very different to the Harry Potter films as they already had the inbuilt fanbase who read the books and younger characters they can connect with. While the events that feature in the Fantastic Beasts films will lead right up to Philosopher’s Stone it is now 21 years ago since the first book was published and the tweens that saw the films.

While Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them opened up the story The Crimes of Grindelwald had a lot of exposition settling up events that will play out in the upcoming films  

Some have compared The Crimes of Grindelwald to Star Wars: Attack of the Clones as plot-wise they are similar, and they are also second parts of prequels and were extensions of universes created by one-person JK Rowling and George Lucas.

Fans know where Fantastic Beasts will end up as they knew to watch the Star Wars prequels, but Attack of the Clones is the middle film but will be two more Fantastic Beasts that will lead up to the big battle in the final film.

At the start of the year most would have expected Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom would both take £50m+ at the box office; Jurassic World 2 is currently sixth taking £41.5m (35% less than Jurassic World) and Fantastic Beasts 2 will probably also take about 35% less than Fantastic Beasts taking about £38m.

Fantastic Beasts 2 is Warner Bros 34^th biggest film between Wonder Woman and The Hangover and their 34^th inflation inflated between Wonder Woman and 300.

After Warner Bros had a very disappointing first 6 months of the year taking  £48.1m (7.6%) the fifth biggest distributor in the UK down 39.52% from 2017 ( £79.53m). They have had a huge turnaround since with their 19 2018 films taking £147.25m to date with their last 11 films taking over £100m having 5 films taking over £10m since Ocean’s Eight in June. The Meg, The Nun, A Star Is Born, Smallfoot and Fantastic Beasts 2. Their only slight disappointment after its huge success in the US was Crazy Rich Asians which was always going to be a harder sell in the UK made harder when they brought its release forward.

Warner Bros finally film of the year is their only DC Universe film released this year and first since Justice League, Aquaman received its world premiere in London on Monday ahead of its release in two weeks’ time, buzz has been much more positive.

The nine Wizarding World Extended Universe films have taken over £515m at the UK box office over the last 17 years (£770m 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)

Jurassic Park 5 films almost £200m (£310m inflation inflated)

2. The Grinch – £3,283,072  – £14,079,595

Down 15.9% in its third weekend; as with Paddington 2 last year The Grinch is holding strong at the weekend but then drops below Bohemian Rhapsody during weekdays. After strongly the past two weeks will drop heavier this weekend with Ralph Breaks the internet opening that will also be limited to weekends for the next few weeks.

Had the seventh biggest third weekend of 2018 after Peter Rabbit (£5,610,556); Avengers: Infinity War (£5,706,170); Incredibles 2 (£5,146,128); Bohemian Rhapsody £4,559,647; Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (£4,121,275). Black Panther (£3,736,954) and above Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom £3,249,227

Currently, 73^rd biggest animated film in the UK between Puss in Boots and Kung Fu Panda 3 and 94^th biggest inflation inflated aminated film between Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 and Bee Movie

The eight Illumination Entertainment films have taken almost £250m at the UK box office since 2010 their next is The Secret Life of Pets 2 opening in May 2019 which will see them going head to with Pixar for the first time with Toy Story 4 opening less than a month later.

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

Other Dr. Seuss adaptations include

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax in July 2012 took £375,710 down 56% and £5,962,519 taking £7,017,256

Horton Hears a Who opened in March 2008 took £561,214 down 40% and £6,548,519 taking £8,350,015

The Cat in the Hat in April 2004 took £780,754 down 12% and £6,313,021 taking £7,500,297

3. Bohemian Rhapsody – £2,211,454 – £39,003,704  

Down 26.8% in its fifth weekend; had the third biggest fifth weekend of the year slightly behind Incredibles 2 (£2,354,530)

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (£2,241,507) and only the fourth film to take more than £2m in its fifth weekend this year; the three other films that did all benefited from school holidays.

Becoming 20h Century Fox’s 6^th biggest film in the UK between The Greatest Showman and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and the 16^th biggest inflation inflated between Borat and Doctor Dolittle;

Is the fifth biggest musical between Les Miserables and La La Land and the 10^th biggest inflation inflated between Chicago and Hairspray

Will shortly become the 64^th film to take over £40m at the box office (20^th Century Fox’s 6^th) Has become the 114^th biggest film in the UK and is currently 66^th biggest between Inside Out and Fast & Furious 7: 101^st  inflation inflated biggest film in the UK between Captain America: Civil War and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Has become the seventh biggest film of the year (8^th including The Greatest Showman took over £43m in 2018) will overtake Peter Rabbit and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom by the end of next weekend

Comparisons are

Musicals fifth weekends

2008’s Mamma Mia! took £2,803,272 down 12% and £39,168,064 57.3% of £68,162,804

2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again took £2,241,507 down 37% £54,523,054 83.5% of £65,222,094

2017’s The Greatest Showman took £2,042,450 down 3% and £19,965,506 42.3% of £47,200,000

2013’s Les Miserables took £1,640,857 down 41% £33,456,340 81.9% of £40,818,299

La La Land took £949,283 down 48% and £26,497,599 88.8% of £29,816,588

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

The film’s soundtrack climbed up to #5 (The Greatest Showman #4 48^th week) with Queen’s The Platinum Collection up to #12 Greatest Hits #38 and A Night At the Opera #57

4. Robin Hood – £1,330,387   – NE

Took £330,000 from two days of previews Wednesday/Thursday

In the early 90s were two Robin Hood films in development based at 20th Century Fox and Morgan Creek Productions; 20th Century Fox film had John McTiernan attached to direct, but the script wasn’t ready while Morgan Creek signed Kevin Reynolds to direct and Kevin Costner soon signed up to star in what became Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

John McTiernan left the 20th Century Fox Robin Hood replaced by John Irvin with Patrick Bergin in the lead the film had a limited cinema release in the UK going straight to TV in the US.

More recently Russell Crowe starred as Robin Hood in Ridley Scott’s film opened in May 2010 with £5,750,332 taking £15,381,416 and $321.66m worldwide.

Was originally set for March 23rd release but in November 2016 was delayed to November 2018

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword opened May 2017 with £2,501,993 (including £577,954 previews) taking £4,879,366

King Arthur opened July 2004 with £1,908,084 taking £6,804,952

Has received poor reviews 14% Rotten Tomatoes much worse than King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (31%)

Comparisons have been made with 2017’s Assassin’s Creed opened with £5,285,064 over a 6-day opening weekend (£3,371,311 previews) weekend box office of £1,913,753

Trailers reminded me of the 1999 film Plunket & Macleane opened in April 1999 with £760,281;

Since The Hunger Games franchise ended in 2015 Lionsgate have been searching for their next franchise but both Power Rangers last year and Robin Hood won’t develop into a series of films they were hoping.

Taron Egerton was asked about his Billionaire Boys Club co-star Kevin Spacey, the film’s release was shelved after allegations of sexual misconduct were made against him, that generating much media coverage. “It’s weird because he and I had stayed in touch; he had asked me to socialize.” While he didn’t see him, Egerton “didn’t avoid” him, either. “I get texts like that from lots of actors I have worked with.” He said Spacey was an “audacious flirt,” added, “When it all kicked off, I don’t think I was particularly surprised by it. It’s such a tricky, complicated and weird thing. It’s almost Greek [tragedy], isn’t it? He’s just gone now. Gone.”

While those comments generated much online coverage its unlikely, they were responsible for the poor performance as the damage was done with the trailer.

After Lionsgate had huge success in 2017 thanks mostly to La La Land taking £30m 2018 has been disappointing apart from A Simple Favour taking £5.1m all other films underwhelmed; in 2017 Lionsgate took £76.38m but 2018 will be down over 70% to about £20m.

it’s a similar story for Studiocanal as they are down almost 50% from last year which highlighting the struggles independent distributors have in this tentpole marketplace as its their films that get cannibalized the most; but eOne will be up from last year but that’s mostly thanks to The Post and The House With a Clock in Its Walls two studio films from their Amblin output deal.

 Taron Egerton will next be seen in Dexter Fletcher’s Elton John biopic Rocketman opens next May.

5. Nativity Rocks! – £834,414 – NE  

The fourth part of the British family Christmas comedy Nativity film series which gave incredibly taken almost £22m at the UK box office despite being panned by critics.

The Grinch holding surprisingly strong likely ate into Nativity Rocks! Opening but as with the previous three films won’t last long in the top 5 but will likely perform well over the next month taking more than The Nutcracker and the Four Realms even with the arrival of Ralph Breaks the Internet this weekend.

Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey? Opened November 2014 #4 with £1,800,419 taking £7,493,403

Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger! Opened November 2012 with £1,614,675 taking £9,119,219

Nativity opened November 2009 with £794,314 taking £5,176,563

As often happens now with films that distributors normally expect critics to hate, they don’t press screen, for Nativity Rocks! Instead held Sunday morning family screening on November 4^th and UK premiere in Coventry last week.  

It used to be very rare when a distributor decided not to press screen a film, 20 years ago Warner Bros didn’t screen film remake of The Avengers which generated pages of newspaper articles from critics angered they weren’t given the opportunity to review them ahead of release and that they had to pay to see it.

If a distributor has a film, they know critics won’t like there is little point in screening the film to them, they might as well make some money from the critics who make a point to see all the films.  

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £15,238,185 down 32.8% from last weekend £22,674,299      

The weekend admissions  1,936,237 down 31.8% from last weekend average ticket up 3.87% from last year’s £7.49 to £7.87 for 2018;

17 films opened at weekend taking £2,337,037; Robin Hood 56.9% (£1,330,387): Nativity Rocks 35.7% (£834,414); The Girl In The Spider’s Web 23.8% (£557,403); remaining 13 films shared 7.3% (£172,236): Top three took 72.9x% (£11,117,281) of the top 10; Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 36.9%; The Grinch 21.5%: Bohemian Rhapsody 14.5%

The weekend was down 10.9% from 2017 (£17,120,343): Daddy’s Home 2 £4,919,051; Frozen (RE) £1,115,689; Battle of the Sexes £552,521; Suburbicon £231,412; The Star £204,497; #1 Daddy’s Home 2 (1st week)  

Up 6.1% from 2016: (£14,354,042): Allied (£1,331,919); Bad Santa 2 (£799,156); A United Kingdom (£618,652); Paterson (£169,911); Almost Christmas (£60,991); #1 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2^nd week)

Down 19.1% from 2015; (£18,825,730); The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 £11,255,566; The Dressmaker (£235,968); The Perfect Guy (£102,924); Love (£43,321); True Romance (Re: 2015) (£19,066); #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 (1^st week)

Down 22.5% from 2014: (£19,671,148); The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (£12,654,109); Il Barbiere di Siviglia – Met Opera 2014 (£211,402); Get on Up (£110,417); My Old Lady (£110,044); The Homesman (£62,384); No Good Deed (£40,583); #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (1^st week)

Down 22.7% from 2013: (£19,719,142); The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (£12,189,733); Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor (£1,798,629); The Family (£444,659); Andre Rieu: Home for Christmas 2013 and Live Tour of Andre’s Castle (£290,173); Blue is the Warmest Colour (£142,077); Parkland (£114,321); #1 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (1^st week)

Up 2.4% from 2012 (£14,870,977); Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger! (£1,614,675); Silver Linings Playbook (£1,260,979); Gambit (£689,042); End of Watch (£618,546); Lawrence of Arabia (re: 2012) (£18,431); #1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2 (2^nd week)

Up 44.4% from 2011 (£10,545,613): My Week with Marilyn (£749,819); 50/50 (£410,251); Dream House (£304,239); Moneyball (£230,848); The Deep Blue Sea (£108,767); #1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2^nd week)   

Up 23.1% from 2010: (£12,372,683): Unstoppable (£1,714,871); London Boulevard (£577,2240); The American (£411,707); The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (£219,259); Machete (£90,423);#1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2^nd week)

Down 25.1% from 2009 (£20,336,403); The Twilight Saga: New Moon (£11,683,158); A Serious Man (£321,114); The Informant! (£179,612); Glorious 39 (£7,654); #1 The Twilight Saga: New Moon (1 week)

Up 105.44% from 2008 (£7,416,989); Body of Lies (£991,979); My Best Friend’s Girl (£911,355); Quarantine (£387,994); Waltz with Bashir (£113,087); Choke (£59,330); Blindness (£38,609); #1 Quantum of Solace (4^th week)

Up 126.3% from 2007 (£6,731,904); The Darjeeling Limited (£435,198); August Rush (£359,564); Shrooms (£313,758); Sleuth (£165,788); Rescue Dawn (£89,988); Blade Runner – Director’s Cut (£15,580); #1 American Gangster (2^nd week)

Up 6.8% from 2006; (£14,267,385); The Santa Clause 3 (£1,274,774); Tenacious D (£922,574); Jackass 2 (£735,274); Pan’s Labyrinth (£298,432); Hollywoodland (£65,735); #1 Casino Royale (2^nd week)

Up 1.4% from 2005 (£15,013,252); Flight Plan (£1,694,350); Exorcism of Emily Rose (£1,346,732); Mrs. Henderson Presents (£752,394); The Transporter 2 (£414,400); #1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2^nd week)

Up 48.1% from 2004 (£9,011,036): After the Sunset (£664,214); The Manchurian Candidate (£624,441); Taxi (£540,581); The Incredibles platform 1 screen (£81,307); #1 Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2^nd week)

Up 69.1% from 2003 (£10,075,451); Love Actually (£6,657,479); Master and Commander platform 1 screen(£61,056); Steal (£23,372); #1 Love Actually (1^st week)

Down 16.3% from 2002 (£18,217,586): Die Another Day (£9,122,344); Anita & Me (£453,613); He Loves Me He Loves Me Not (£32,917); #1 Die Another Day (1^st week)

Up 31.5% from 2001 (£11,583,257); Spy Game (£1,019,847); The Heist (£100,229); Baby Boy (£47,144); Me Without You (£45,532); #1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2nd week)

Next weekend in 2017: (£9,864,139); Wonder (£1,240,245); The Man Who Invented Christmas (£168,137); The Nutcracker – Bolshoi 2017 (Ballet) (£160,421); Happy End (£135,682); The Disaster Artist (£130,238); #1 Paddington 2 (1 week) 3^rd week #1

Also opened

• The Girl in the Spider’s Web: A New Dragon Tattoo Story – Sony Pictures

Opened with £557,403 from 439 screens

Taking £170,000 from previews Wednesday/Thursday

As with its US opening a few weeks ago the Dragon Tattoo  peed with a fraction of  the first film 2011’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo £4,325,594 (including £2,758,364 previews) taking £11,640,666 and $232.61m worldwide.

Many took issue with the trailers revealing the plot of the trailer which features many of the key sequences as the trailer also made it feel like a female James Bond with Mission Impossible plot of stealing data.

• Assassination Nation – Universal Pictures

Opened with £70,891 from 140 screens

Despite receiving positive reviews failed to find an audience as so many of these films fail to do and will be out of cinemas far too quickly.

• Nobody’s Fool – Paramount Pictures

Opened with £70,703 from 128 screens

After underwhelming in the US a couple of weeks ago had a pointless theatrical release one week and out.

UK Box Office Top 10

US Box office

• Ralph Breaks the Internet – Disney

Opens with $56.23m and $84.75m; received 86% Rotten Tomatoes and A- CinemaScore

Disney now have the 9 biggest Thanksgiving  3-day openings and four of the biggest 5-day opening; ahead of Moana $82m; Coco $79.2m and their previous Thanksgiving 5-day record opener Frozen $93.6m.  

The biggest 5-day Thanksgiving opening was 2013’s Hunger Games: Catching Fire opening with $109.9m

Many were expecting Ralph Breaks the Internet to have the biggest 3-day Thanksgiving opening but was fourth after Frozen, To Story 2 and Moana opened two years ago with $56.63m

Ralph Breaks the Internet marks 13th time Disney has topped the box office in 2018, more than any  other studio; Disney 12; Warner Bros 9; Universal 9; Sony 8; Fox 4; Paramount 4;

Ralph Breaks the Internet will likely stay #1 for two weeks and then Mary Poppins Returns another two weeks

Wreck-It Ralph opened in November 2012 with $49.1m taking $189.42m and $471.22m worldwide.

Opened with $41.5m from 18 territories (taking $19.5m from China) and $126m worldwide; expands in more territories over the next few weeks and into January and February.

• Creed 2 – MGM

Opened with $35.57m and $56m over 5-day weekend; received 83% Rotten Tomatoes and A CinemaScore

Creed 2 took $3.6m from Tuesday previews 64% more than Creed ($1.4m) and Quantum of Solace $2.5m; Blade Runner 2049 $3.5m; Kingsman: The Golden Circle $3.4m and close to  Mad Max: Fury Road $3.7m.

Had the biggest live-action 5-day Thanksgiving opening ahead of 2008’s Four Christmases $46m;

Over the weekend headlines were all about Ralph Breaks the Internet opening but Creed 2 opening was far more impressive opening with $14m more than original despite many critics saying it wasn’t as good as Creed (received 73% Rotten Tomatoes compared with 95% for Creed)

Creed opened November 2016 with $29.6m taking $109.76m and $173.56m

• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – Warner Bros  

Down 52.7% in its second weekend taking $29.37m and $116.55m

After opening with 18% less than the first Fantastic Beasts film its total box office is now 25.2% down due to being the second part of a film series, mixed reviews and being in the middle of Ralph Breaks the Internet and The Grinch

Fantastic Beasts dropped only 39.4% taking $45.63m over Thanksgiving weekend 2016 #2 to Moana opening with $56.63m.  

Took $83.7m in its second weekend internationally from 80 territories and $322.6m total and $439.7m worldwide 7.2% down from the first Fantastic Beasts taking $473.7m after 10 days globally in 2016.

The sequel had tougher competition than the first film having only Moana with both The Grinch and Ralph Breaks The Internet starting its international rollout along with far more mixed reviews and suffering from second part syndrome; #243 biggest film worldwide between Terminator: Genisys and The Greatest Showman

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them took $814m

• Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch – Universal Pictures 

Down 21.2% in its third weekend taking $30.39m and $180.49m  

Thanksgiving weekend saw The Grinch hold strongly despite the arrival of Ralph Breaks the Internet currently it’s performing similar to Despicable Me but how it holds in its fourth weekend will depend on if it has a chance to take $300m+.

The Grinch is holding similar to How the Grinch Stole Christmas despite opening 18 years later.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas in November 2000 dropped 48% in its third weekend with $27.09m and $171.99m taking $260.04m and $345.1m worldwide 

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax in March 2012 took $22.76m in its third weekend and $121.72m taking $214.03m and $358.8m worldwide

Previous Illumination Entertainment (not Despicable Me films)

The Secret Life of Pets in July 2016 dropped 41.8% with $29.6m and $260.98m and $368.3m and $875.4m worldwide

Sing in December 2016 increased 51.1% with $20.7m and $215.51m taking $270.3m and $634.1m worldwide

While the first Despicable Me in July 2010 dropped 27.8% with $23.69m taking $161.28 and $251,.5m and $543.1m worldwide

Took $7.6m from 33 territories and $35.3m total and $215.8m worldwide; still has many more international territories to open over the next few weeks.

Dr. Seuss’ films don’t perform as strongly international 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

• Instant Family – Paramount Pictures

Dropped 15.1% in its second weekend taking $12.1m and  $35.56m

Second weekends

In December 2015 Daddy’s Home took $219.2m and $93.89, taking $150.35m and $243m worldwide

In November 2017 Daddy’s Home 2 took $14.43m and $50,.21m taking $104.02m and $181m worldwide

After receiving positive reviews it was being compared with 1989’s Parenthood opened with took $9.67m and $30.32m taking $100.04m

2005’s Yours, Mine and Ours took $9.25m and $34.42m taking $53.31m;

Instant Family opens internationally in January/February facing tough competition from family films How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and The LEGO Movie 2.

• Bohemian Rhapsody – 20th Century Fox

Dropped 12.7% in its fourth weekend taking $14m and $152.15m; despite losing almost 900 screens dropped only 12.7%

Bohemian Rhapsody is 20^th Century Fox’s second-biggest film of 2018 and 51^st in the US between Trolls and War for the Planet of the Apes.

Bohemian Rhapsody is holding similar to The Greatest Showman which took £6.44m in its eighth weekend down 16.3% and $146.57m taking $174.34m; having already overtaken its global box office depending on how Bohemian Rhapsody over the next weeks could top The Greatest Showman.

Took $38m from 78 territories $20,2m total and $472m worldwide; #256h biggest film worldwide between San Andreas and Wreck-It Ralph becoming 20^th Century Fox’s 38^th biggest film worldwide

Over the weekend Bohemian Rhapsody has overtaken The Greatest Showman $435m; few could have possibly predicted a year ago these two films would take over $1bn worldwide combined; also overtaking Mrs. Doubtfire, Les Miserables,         La La Land, Gladiator, Pretty Woman

• Robin Hood – Lionsgate

Opens with $9.19m and $14.29m over 5 days; received 11% Rotten Tomatoes and B CinemaScore

2010’s Robin Hood received B- and 41% Rotten Tomatoes; 1991’s Robin Hood Prince of Thieves received A- and 51% Rotten Tomatoes

Despite the poor performance of Robin Hood there are still rumoured to be six other Robin Hood films in development.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword opened May 2017 with $15.37m taking $39.17m and $148.67m worldwide

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves opened in June 1991 with $25.62m taking $165.49m and 4390.43m worldwide

First Knight opened July 1995 with $10.85m taking $37.6m and $127.6m worldwide

Robin Hood opened May 2010 with $36.06m taking $105.26m and $321.66m worldwide

King Arthur opened in July 2004 with $15.19m taking $51.88m and $203.45m worldwide

Opened with $8.7m from 33 territories; As Lionsgate don’t distribute directly in many territories sales brought in 60-65% of the $100m budget.

• Widows – 20^th Century Fox

---

• The Nutcracker and the Four Realms – Disney

Dropped 41.6% in its fourth weekend taking $2.78m and $49.18m; currently Disney’s #237 biggest film in the US between Old Dogs and Return to Never Land

The film has dropped over 2,000 screens over the last two weeks dropping out of the top 10 after only three weeks. Will likely lose more screens this weekend dropping heavier as while it dropped 41.6% would have dropped more had it not been Thanksgiving weekend.

For a Christmas film as The Nutcracker, the 16-week theatrical window hurts far more as it won’t be available to be released on home entertainment until the end of January and few people want to see a Christmas film a month after Christmas.

Recently Universal Pictures and Warner Bros said discussions over shortening theatrical windows again next year, Disney was the one studio opposing them but made no sense as their films might take more money, but they are still front-loaded within the first six weeks of release. Few films play in cinemas now for the full 16 weeks only Oscar nominees’ ad The Greatest Showman have in recent years, even Black Panther took 90% of its box office in its first 6 weeks. If exhibitors want distributors to keep to the 16-week theatrical window, then exhibitors must keep the films on wide release for much longer.

Disney would have benefited from having a shorter window as could have released The Nutcracker in mid-December on home entertainment rather than having to wait a year.

Was always a surprise Disney dated three family films between November-December as since 2014 they have released two an animated film in November ahead of Thanksgiving and another just before Christmas. Next year Disney was going to have three films also Noelle, Frozen and Star Wars IX before they moved Noelle to premiere on their streaming service Disney+.

Family adventure films used to be what Disney was famous for but have had many expensive flops including Tomorrowland and A Wrinkle in Time; Disney released the first teaser trailer for long in development Artemis Fowl another family adventure film and only original film they have set for release next year.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms has taken and $80.1m internationally and $129.2m worldwide barely passing its $120m budget with global marketing up to $100m With of rentals about $50m it’s a big failure for Disney but of course with Disney’s global box office in 2018 to top $7.5bn and probably $9bn in 2019 it’s a loss they can easily swallow unlike rival studios.

• A Star is Born – Warner Bros

Dropped 29.8% in its eighth weekend taking $3.01m and $191m; despite losing over 800 screens held strongly.

A Star is Born has become Warner Bros 40^th biggest film in the US between The Exorcist and Dunkirk

Has overtaken final BO of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again $120.63m; La La Land  $151,101,803; Les Miserables $148,809,770; The Great Gatsby $144,840,419; Mamma Mia! $144,130,063, Chicago $170.68m, The Greatest Showman $174,340,174 and Dunkirk $188,045,546

While it might have not matched the box office of other early October Oscar contenders 2015’s The Martian and 2013’s Gravity that was due to opening against Venom

8^th weekends

2015’s The Martian $3.79m down 43.4% and $213.1m of $228,433,663  

2013’s Gravity $3.2m down 47.4% and $245.4m of $274.09m 

A Star is Born has overtaken Crazy Rich Asians becoming Warner Bros biggest film in the US in 2018 (will take over $200m); Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald was expected to be their biggest film of the year but A Star Is Born could beat it now.

Has become the 10^th biggest film in the US

After a disappointing first five months of the year with only one $100m+ film Ready Player One, five of their last six films have taken over $100m with a strong buzz from Aquaman will end the year strongly. Disney is way ahead as #1 studio in the US with 28% shares and almost $3bn, Warner Bros are battling it out with Universal Pictures to be #2 studio currently ahead by $31m.

Warner Bros start 2019 also strongly with The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part opening in February (trailer was released last week). Warner Bros also have Rebel Wilson comedy Isn’t It Romantic opening in February which could be going direct to Netflix internationally.

Took $3.5m from 64 territories and $162.4m total and $353.4m worldwide; #373 biggest film worldwide between Rain Man and The Great Gatsby;

Despite critical acclaim A Star Is Born hasn’t performed as strongly internationally as Bohemian Rhapsody, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and The Greatest Showman taking 54% of its box office in the US compared to 33% for Bohemian Rhapsody; 31% Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and 40% The Greatest Showman.

• The Front Runner – Sony Pictures

Expanded into 807 screens up 738.8% taking $ 632,139 and $1.07m total

Denzel Washington received Best Actor Oscar nomination for Roman J. Israel, Esq despite the film underwhelming at the box office and Hugh Jackman could also receive a Best Actor nomination in The Front Runner after receiving critical acclaim for his performance.  

• The Boy Erased – Focus Features

Up 14.1% in its fourth weekend adding 263 screens taking $1.51m and $4.54m

• Green Book – Universal Pictures

Expanded into 1,063 screens up 1,616.9% taking $5.5m and $7.86m; received 81% Rotten Tomatoes and A+ CinemaScore

As with the Front Runner had a disappointing platform opening despite receiving positive reviews (90% Rotten Tomatoes)

• The Favourite – Fox Searchlight

Opens with $422,410  from 4 screens having the best limited release platform release of the year.

The Favourite has received critical acclaim since receiving its world premiere in August at the world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and since screened at many film festivals.

The film started development as The Balance of Power was developed at the UK Film Council from 2003 despite having Film Four attached to the film it still needed Fox Searchlight to get on board for the film to be made,

26 years after lottery handouts started British Film Industry should be able to self-fund these films without US/French funding? While Film Four have produced many Oscar contenders over recent years they still needed financing from studios for the films to be made.  

Yorgos Lanthimos previous films The Killing of a Sacred Deer opened on platform release with $115,120 and took $2,291,901 expanding to only 238 screens; The Lobster opened also on a platform with $190,252 and took $9,077,245 expanding to only 560 screens;

UK Box Office Predictions

While have been several Pixar sequels Ralph Breaks the Internet is Disney’s first animated classic sequel and as buses wait 81 years for one and then get two in two years with Frozen 2 out next November.

Disney used to open their Thanksgiving animated film in early February as they did with Wreck-It Ralph in February 2013 and this year with Coco which meant it was away from Paddington 2 but then meant it opened against Sing and Early Man; Disney still delay their summer animated film from mid-June to mid-July but next year due to releasing The Lion King open Toy Story 4 day and date with the US in June.

In 2016  Moana opened with £2,214,898 against third weekend of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them £4,494,727

In 2015 The Good Dinosaur opened with £2,926,448 against the second weekend of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 £4,534,464

In 2014 Paddington opened with £5,125,519 against the second weekend of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 £4,908,192

Wreck-It Ralph opened in February 2013 with £4,526,380 taking £23,607,542 and $471.22m worldwide

Pixar sequels Finding Dory opened in July 2016 with £8,122,075 and Incredibles 2 in July 2018 with £9,650,000

Incredibles and Coco opened with 9% of their US openings (The Grinch took 11%) would see Ralph Breaks the Internet open between £5.1m-£6.2m similar opening to 2008’s Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa £6,342,997 and Sing, The Secret Life of Pets and The Lego Movie opening box office without previews.

Creed opened in January 2016 with £2,221,758 taking £5,684,690; Creed 2 opened with 20% more than the first film last weekend in the US if it was to do similar in the UK would open with £2.6m+. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald dropping about 50% in its third weekend taking £2.8m would see it just squeeze ahead of Creed 2.

The Grinch held strongly over its second and third weekend, but Ralph Breaks the Internet will squeeze its box office taking about £2m+

Bohemian Rhapsody will drop down to fifth in its sixth weekend taking about £1.3m the same week The Greatest Showman reached #1 taking £2,201,523 and £23,226,869; Bohemian Rhapsody will be 20^th Century Fox’s sixth biggest film behind The Greatest Showman.

Opening in the UK

• Ralph Breaks The Internet – Disney

Sequel to 2012 Wreck-It Ralph and Walt Disney’s 57th animated feature-length film featuring voices of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, Alfred Molina, Alan Tudyk, Ed O’Neill and directed by Rich Moore and Phil Johnston; had its world premiere in Los Angeles on November 6, 2018.

After the first film featured many cameos and references to computer games the sequel brings together many Disney properties from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel and The Muppets from Mickey Mouse to Rocket Raccoon (features 434 individual characters)

Many critics have highlighted what happens when seemingly strong men feel weak and threatened to turn them into their worse selves. Animated films are for children, but Pixar films play on multiple levels as is the case with Ralph Breaks the Internet with a lot of the humour is aimed at older audiences.

Reviews have also compared it to The Lego Movie and Who Framed Roger Rabbit that brought characters from different universes along with The Emoji Movie and Ready Player One.

The teaser trailer was released in February; the second trailer released in June with the Daft Punk song Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger and final trailer was released in September with the song Never Gonna Give You Up”.

Wreck-It Ralph opened in February 2013 with £4,526,380 taking £23,607,542 and $471.22m worldwide.

• Creed 2 – Warner Bros

Sports drama sequel and the eighth part of the Rocky film series starring Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby, Andre Ward, and Phylicia Rashad and directed by Steven Caple Jr., and written by Sylvester Stallone.

Creed opened in January 2016 with £2,221,758 taking £5,684,690 and $173.56m worldwide; was directed by Ryan Coogler who this year directed Black Panther who was originally attached to direct the sequel but due to scheduling conflicts with Black Panther only returns as executive producer.

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

Received mixed reviews 73% Rotten Tomatoes compared with 95% for Creed as with many sequels it’s missing what made the first film special and plays more like a Rocky sequel.

• The Possession of Hannah Grace – Sony Pictures

Supernatural horror starring Shay Mitchell, Kirby Johnson, Stana Katic, Grey Damon, and Nick Thune and directed by Diederik Van Rooijen; was originally titled Cadaver

• Disobedience – Curzon

Drama starring Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, and Alessandro Nivola and directed by Sebastián Lelio based on the novel of the same name by Naomi Alderman; had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2017 and was released in the US in April 2018; received positive reviews with critics praising the performances of Weisz, McAdams and Nivola; Curzon Artificial Eye acquired UK rights in May 2017

The film was filmed in North London but was surprisingly absent from the London Film Festival in 2017 or 2018 receiving its UK premiere at the Jewish Film Festival in November 2017.

Opens in selective cinemas and on VOD via Curzon Home Cinema

• Roma – Netflix

Drama starring Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Marco Graf, Daniela Demesa, Enoc Leaño and Daniel Valtierra and written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón he also co-produced, co-edited and photographed the film was filmed in 70mm, black and white and in the Spanish language; Netflix acquired distribution rights in April 2018

Had its world premiere at the Venice  Film Festival winning the Golden Lion and receiving critical acclaim 99% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Also was screened at Telluride, Toronto, Orcas Island, San Sebastián, New York, New Orleans and London Film Festivals.

Netflix originally planned to release the film directly to their streaming service but decided to give the film a two-week theatrical release in November ahead of its release on Netflix December 14^th. Will be released in Curzon cinemas and selective independent cinemas but as in the US won’t play in major chains as they won’t screen films having a short theatrical window.

• Mowgli – Netflix

Fantasy adventure starring Rohan Chand, Matthew Rhys and Freida Pinto and voices of  Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Naomie Harris and Andy Serkis also directed the film.

Warner Bros started developing a new version of Jungle Book in 2012 with Steve Kloves, Ron Howard and Alejandro González Iñárritu all attached to direct before Andy Serkis was signed in March 2014, the film started shooting in March 2015.

The problem for Warner Bros Disney announced plans of a live-action re-imagination of The Jungle Book animated film in July 2013 and was a year ahead with releasing their film in April 2016 taking £46.2m in the UK and almost $1bn worldwide.

Was originally called Jungle Book: Origins with an October 2016 release, was delayed to October 2017 and then just before the release of Disney’s version was delayed to October 2018. The first trailer was released in May 2018 but then in July was announced Netflix had acquired world rights. On November 7^th Netflix released a new trailer and new title Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and announced would have a short theatrical release before its release on Netflix on December 7^th.

Opening in the US

• The Possession of Hannah Grace – Sony Pictures

• Head Full of Honey – Warner Bros

Drama starring Nick Nolte, Matt Dillon, Emily Mortimer, Sophia Lane Nolte, Jacqueline Bisset, Eric Roberts and Claire Forlani and directed by Til Schweiger; it is a US remake of the 2014 German film.