| Date | |
|---|---|
| Author | Tom Linay |
The Weekend Round-up
It was a close run thing this weekend, but The LEGO Batman Movie came out on top, thanks to previews. The animated comedy kicked off its run with £7.9m, which included £2.4m from previews last weekend. That’s pretty similar to the figure that The LEGO Movie kicked off with almost exactly three years ago. That film opened with £8.1m, which included £2.2m from previews.
Fifty Shades Darker may have opened in second, but it had comfortably the biggest Friday to Sunday total, kicking off its run with £7.6m, which only includes £301 from previews. It was never going to challenge the first film’s record £13.6m opening, but it’s still the second biggest opening weekend of all time for an 18-cert film.
Sing had another good weekend, falling 39% to £2.3m. That brings its total to £18.2m and the half-term holiday this week will see it sail past the £20m mark.
T2 Trainspotting added £1.4m in fourth and now sits on £13.5m.
La La Land completed the top five, adding £949k, which brings its total to £26.5m. After picking up the big awards at the BAFTAs on Sunday, it should see a boost this week, before the Oscars on the 26 February.
Outside of the top five, Lion had yet another great weekend, falling just 13% to 753k. It’s still performing strongly in midweek showings and is now up to £6.4m.
The Space Between Us opened in 10th with £258k and Bollywood title Jolly LLB 2 opened in 12th with £138k.
Denzel Washington and Viola Davis drama, Fences, opened in 14th with £103k. That was from just 21 screens and resulted in the third highest screen average of the weekend. It bodes well for its expansion this coming weekend.
Overall the box office was up 59% from last weekend and down 12% from the same weekend last year, when the top four films were Deadpool, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, Zoolander 2 and Dad’s Army.
Next Weekend
John Wick Chapter 2 is the sequel to one of the greatest action films of the last few years. The legendary Keanu Reeves once again stars as Wick, a man who you definitely do not want to piss off.
The Great Wall stars Matt Damon as a European mercenary searching for black powder who becomes embroiled in the defence of the Great Wall of China against a horde of monstrous creatures. It has so far taken over $170m in China.
Moonlight is the best film of this year’s awards season and one of the best American films of the last few years. It’s a timeless story of human self-discovery and connection, chronicling the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighbourhood of Miami. It’s nominated for eight Oscars.
Hidden Figures is the inspirational true story of a team of African-American women mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the US space program. It’s nominated for three Oscars, including Best Picture and is a genuine crowd-pleasing triumph.
The Founder is the story of Ray Kroc, a salesman who turned two brothers' innovative fast food eatery, McDonald's, into one of the biggest restaurant businesses in the world with a combination of ambition, persistence, and ruthlessness. While it didn’t get the awards recognition it was hoping for, Michael Keaton reportedly gives a terrific performance.
The Buzz
A Dog’s Purpose is an adaptation of W. Bruce Cameron’s novel about a dog that looks to discover his purpose in life over the course of several lifetimes and owners. It came out in the US a few weeks ago and while it was dogged with controversy, over the treatment of an animal on set, it has so far grossed a respectable $42.5m. Critics haven’t been kind though, with it achieving a score of 43 on Metacritic. Despite that, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch gave it full marks, reporting that ‘anyone who has ever loved or said goodbye to a pet will be able to relate to this heartfelt story’. Indiewire weren’t so kind though, saying ‘what is the meaning of life? Are we here for a reason? Is there a point to any of this? We may never know, but knowing this movie exists may bring some viewers one step closer to giving up on the whole damn thing.’ It’s in cinemas on 14 April.
Across The Pond
The LEGO Batman Movie topped the box office in the US too, kicking off its run with $53m. Fifty Shades Darker opened in second with $46.6m, which is a fair bit less than the $85.1m the first film opened with but still a solid start. John Wick: Chapter Two opened in third with $30.4m, which is more than doubled its predecessor’s opening. Split fell to fourth but still added another $9.5m for a new cume of $112.5m. Hidden Figures completed the top five, adding $8m for a terrific cume of $131.5m.