Somehow, the $1.23 billion grossed worldwide by “Avatar: Fire & Ash” so far is disappointing to numerous media pundits, but the James Cameron blockbuster still pulled off a fourth straight no. 1 at the U.S. box office this weekend. The 20th Century Studios release pulled in another $21.3 million for $342.5 million domestic so far. Its reign at the top spot is expected to end next weekend when Nia DaCosta’s “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” drops for the extended Martin Luther King Day Weekend.
READ MORE: 16 Films To See In January: “28 Years Later 2,” “The RIP,” “Send Help”
More intriguing was the battle for no. 2, where “Primate” came out on top with $11.3 million, and“The Housemaid” was right behind with $11.2 million. The final ranking will not be determined until actuals are released tomorrow.
The Paramount Pictures horror release has pulled in $13.4 million global so far, off a $21 million production budget. Horror films tend to flame out quickly, and the B- CinemaScore for this Johannes Roberts thriller isn’t necessarily a good sign. That being said, the movie has a shot at breaking even in theaters.
Paul Feig’s “The Housemaid” continued its remarkable run with a U.S. tally of $94.1 million and a worldwide gross of $192 million so far. Lionsgate has already announced a sequel from Feig and star Sydney Sweeney for sometime in 2027. Whether Amanda Seyfried will return or make a cameo remains to be seen.
Continuing an absolutely incredible run is “Zootopia 2.” The Walt Disney Animation Studios wonder pulled in another $10 million for $378.8 million domestic and $1.65 billion global. At this point, a final worldwide tally of over $1.8 billion is not out of the question.
Arriving in fifth, somewhat under pre-release projections, was “Greenland 2: Migration” with $8.5 million. Lionsgate is distributing the STX Entertainment and Anton Capital Management-financed thriller, a rare sequel for a film that went directly to VOD because of the 2020 COVID pandemic. “Migration” is not getting a worldwide release and will drop on streaming services directly in some territories, such as Canada.
Among other releases, “Marty Supreme” hit $70 million domestic, “Anaconda” crossed the $100 million mark at $110 million to date, “Song Sung Blue” sang to $31 million in the U.S., and the animated holiday faith play “David” is at the $75 million mark. “Hamnet” hit $17 million worldwide after a stellar $4.2 million this weekend in the U.K. alone.
Bradley Cooper’s “Is This Thing On?” expanded to 1,475 theaters for $2.4 million and an OK $1,627 per screen. Its current domestic gross is now at $3.5 million.
New movies opening on Friday include the aforementioned “28 Days Later: The Bone Temple,” “Dead Man’s Wire,” and a scheduled wide expansion for “Hamnet.”
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