It’s the weekend before Valentine’s Day, and surely there were more than a few pre-love day dates at the multiplex, but it seems audiences were more in the mood for action, than kinky romance.
As predicted, “The Lego Batman Movie” won the weekend, but with $55.6 million, it’s a shade under the $60 million bow Warner Bros. was expecting. Even more, despite opening on two hundred more screens, the brick built superhero movie opened under the $69 million launch of “The Lego Movie.” It’s perhaps an indication to the studio that the more niche driven entries in the Lego franchise may play to a slightly smaller crowd, and you can bet that WB will adjust their outlook for the upcoming “The Lego Ninjago Movie.” All that being said, family movies have much longer legs than most, and ‘Batman’ should still rack up a sizable haul by time it wraps up. Lionsgate‘s forthcoming “Rock Dog” isn’t likely to pose much of a threat…
…But the studio will be very happy with the $30 million debut of “John Wick: Chapter 2.” It’s more than double the figure that “John Wick” opened to three years ago, and the movie is already on the way to well surpassing the $43 million domestic total of the first film. For Keanu Reeves, ‘Chapter 2’ represents the fifth best opening weekend of his career, which has certainly been brightly rejuvenated by the unapologetically b-movie franchise. An official announcement for ‘Chapter 3’ feels inevitable.
Over at Universal, the studio is likely wincing a bit at the $46 million debut for “Fifty Shades Darker.” Sure, it’s enough to put the movie in second place for the weekend, but it’s $40 million off the mark of what “Fifty Shades Of Grey” opened with. It’s worth remembering that ‘Grey’ did ultimately did 70% of its global box office overseas, and that scenario is playing out again. Abroad, ‘Darker’ brought in $100.1 million, adding up to a 68%/32% split for the film’s $146.9 million total weekend haul. And yes, “Fifty Shades Freed” is coming for next year. It’s already in post-production, but at this rate, the audience left to watch the final instalment will be a fraction of the ticket buyers who showed up for ‘Grey’ in 2015.
In limited release, the Oscar shorts did modest business with $660,000 from 184 screens, while “A United Kingdom” earned $70,000 in a quartet of cinemas. In box office milestones boosted by Oscar buzz, “La La Land” has done steady and consistent business. Who woulda thunk a modern musical would nearly hit $300 million worldwide? At $294 million globally, expect “La La Land” to eclipse that number and ascend even higher once it sweeps at the Oscars later this month.
1. “The Lego Batman Movie” — $55.6 million
2. “Fifty Shades Darker” — $46.7 million
3. “John Wick: Chapter Two” — $30 million
4. “Split” — $9.3 million ($112.2 mil.)
5. “Hidden Figures” — $8 million ($131.4 mil.)
6. “A Dog’s Purpose” — $7.3 million ($42.5 mil.)
7. “Rings” — $5.8 milion ($21.4 mil.)
8. “La La Land” — $5 million ($126 mil.)
9. “Lion” — $4 million ($30.3 mil.)
10. “The Space Between Us” — $1.7 million ($6.5 mil.)
