- Dune Part 2 – £9,279,080 – NE
Took £2.81m (19% IMAX) 30.28% Friday; £3.51m 37.83% Saturday; £2.959m 31.89% Sunday.
Took 17.95% from 53 IMAX cinemas with a screen average of £31,346 but that was inflated by the BFI IMAX taking about 10% £160k+ as almost all tickets were sold Fri-Sun for all performances.
Took 71% of the top 5 BO.
The biggest opening in the UK since Barbie (£18,509,236) and 16th biggest opening since cinemas reopened between Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1 and Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse.
119th biggest opening between Doctor Strange and Monsters, Inc. (close to The Da Vinci Code, Logan, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War of the Worlds) and 190th biggest inflated between Hot Fuzz and Kung Fu Panda (close to Avatar, Batman and Robin, The Sixth Sense and Mission: Impossible).
27th widest Warner Bros opening between Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and Wonka (close to Dunkirk, iT, The Matrix Revolutions and The Lego Movie).
199th highest screen average (£13,032) between The Mummy Returns and 300 (close to Avatar, Inception, Clash of the Titans and The Lost World: Jurassic Park).
The opening was 11.4% of the US similar to Barbie, Interstellar, Gravity, The Social Network, Alita: Battle Angel and Beauty and the Beast; Dune was 14.3% including previews 11.62%; without previews similar to Ad Astra, Captain Phillips, War of the Worlds, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1.
Opened in 712 cinemas and 2,087 screens: 20th widest opening between Napoleon and A Haunting In Venice (close to Rocketman, Mary Poppins Returns, Death on the Nile and Jurassic World Dominion). Warner Bros 4th widest opening in the UK after Aquaman 2, Elvis and Barbie.
Took 30.28% of opening from Friday similar to Skyfall, Gravity, Joker, and Oppenheimer.
While Dune Part 2 opened with almost 100% more than Dune Mon/Tues BO has been remarkably similar to Dune taking £1.020 Mon Vs £975k and Tues £1.05 Vs £1.02m so likely to take similar on Wed/Thurs £1.03m and £1.01m. These daily figures are half of Avatar 2 and a third of Top Gun Maverick and similar to Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning. (daily BO is hard to come by so only have a few comparisons).
Online reaction to daily opening figures and the weekend was seen by many as disappointing. Still, it opened exactly as it was expected to and had the first Dune not opened a month after No Time To Die and had all the IMAX/PLF screens it would have opened far more similar to other grown-up sci-fi films.
In 2018 Denis Villeneuve announced plans to adapt Dune into a two-part film series but it wasn’t until October 2021 that the sequel was greenlit by Legendary Pictures, as while the first film performed well internationally its BO for both the US and was much lower than it was expected taking £21.7m in the UK, $108.32m In the US, $293.7m internationally 73.1% of its $402.02m WW, had it not been for COVID Warner Bros would have surely been expected similar global BO as other grownup sci-fi films Interstellar $731.07m; The Martian $631.05m; Gravity $773.03m.
Opened 62% more than 2021’s Dune £5,876,892 (including £1,111,262 previews 18.91%) #1 657 screens: £904k Friday 19% of opening taking £21,701,533; opening was 14.33% of US (11.62% 3-day opening) as films like Dune perform far stronger internationally why the first film opened internationally a month before the US.
2013’s Gravity opened £6,238,375 #1 539 screens taking £32,756,514
2014’s Interstellar opened £5,378,220 #1 574 screens taking £21,173,601
2015’s The Martian opened £6,531,734 #1 582 screens taking £23,589,854
2016’s Arrival opened £2,924,059 #1 561 screens taking £9,144,719
2017’s Blade Runner 2049 opened £6,071,625 #1 634 screens taking £18,918,361
2017’s Logan opened £9,443,363 (including £2,497,845 previews) taking £23,655,614
But with all the media coverage, hype, reviews and buzz surrounding Dube Part 2 is far more than any of these films and closer to 2007’s I am Legend £11,009,365 (£17,266,172 inflated); 2003’s The Matrix Revolutions £8,712,350 (£15,540,949 inflated); 2005’s War of the Worlds £8,644,787 (£14,536,457 inflated); 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes £7,195,773 and 1996’s Independence Day £7,005,905 (£14,996,424 inflated). Comparisons could be made with Avatar: The Way of Water opened with £11,187,562, almost double Avatar’s £6,670,591 but didn’t have legs.
The teaser trailer was shown at CinemaCon in April 2023 receiving rave reactions Variety called it “breathtaking”. A second trailer was released in June 2023.
Dune Part 2 opened in 802 IMAX screens in 81 countries including 12 cinemas in 70mml; it had IMAX fan screenings in 406 screens on Sunday, February 25th in the US many of which were sold out. (taking $2m)
Avatar 2 took 3D BO Europe 81%; Asia 70% and Latin America 65%. In contrast, the first Avatar took only 21% from 2D in the UK despite playing in many more 2D screens than 3D.
With an ensemble cast playing across young and old, male and female audiences including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Javier Bardem, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh and Christopher Walken nothing has been left to chance for the film also having two huge premieres including London last week and New York this week with Zendaya getting much media coverage from the dresses she wore at both premieres. There were reports that the cast didn’t like each other during the press tour, but this could be just a way to generate more media coverage as seen with the negativity during the Don’t Worry Darling press tour all media coverage helps unless it’s towards the film.
As with films like Avatar and Gravity taking 80%+ of BO from 3D/IMAX Dune Part 2 will take similar from IMAX/PLF, sales in IMAX cinemas have been extraordinarily strong almost all tickets were sold Fri-Sun at BFI IMAX sold out and sales are strong for screenings over the following weeks. IMAX/PLF advance bookings are over-indexing box office expectations, as these formats all come from surcharges of over double the industry average. Looking at cinemas like Vue Westfield the majority of tickets were sold for PLF screens compared to standard.
BFI IMAX has become the home of films for directors like Denis Villeneuve, James Cameron and Christopher Nolan. Oppenheimer took £207,677 at the BFI IMAX over its opening weekend, the third highest for the cinema ahead of 2009’s Avatar but less than 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi (BFI IMAX has dropped prices since they took over control of the cinema from Odeon). As with Oppenheimer BFI IMAX is one of only a handful of cinemas in the world showing it in 70MM IMAX.
Ticket prices were higher for Dune Part 2, so it likely took more than Oppenheimer at the BFI IMAX £69k on Friday and about £210k for the weekend.
In 2012 The Dark Knight Rises sold £1m+ in advance of opening selling over 60,000 seats and 43 screenings sold out, beating 2009’s Avatar’s 607,000 sales for 47,000 tickets; The Dark Knight Rises also broke BFI IMAX records for highest first-day sales (24,754 tickets taking £409,838) and the highest first-week sales ever (38,658 tickets grossing £634,013). Prices are over a third more than they were in 2012 so would be interesting to see how Dune Part 2 compares to cinema data is rarely available, but it will surely be the #1 cinema in the UK for Dune Part 2 despite many multiplexes showing the film dozens more times daily.
Dune opened In 49 IMAX cinemas £1.1m 19% of the opening (No Time To Die took 8%); opened in 668 cinemas and 1,331 screens. Dune Part 2 will open in 700+ cinemas and 1,500+ screens but 80%+ of its opening will be taken from 50+ IMAX screens and 250+ PLF. Normally blockbusters take about 40% of their opening from IMAX/PLF screens.
The industry never learned in July 1989 UIP boss Chris Hedges said he ‘believes that the release of the major films is having a positive effect on each other’. This was after Indiana Jones 3 had the biggest-ever opening in the UK and Licence to Kill had a small drop.
- 2. Bob Marley: One Love – £1,351,557 – £13,760,796
Down 43.4% in its third weekend
Took £351k 26% (-46.66% £658k) Friday; £636k 47.1% (-38.9% £1.04m) Saturday; £364k 27% (-47.2% £689k) Sunday.
421st biggest third weekend between Turbo and Beauty and the Beast (1992) (close to Jurassic Park 3, Jumanji, Into the Woods and Oz: The Great and Powerful) and 702nd biggest inflated between Daddy Day Care and Paranorman (close to Parenthood, The Firm, Bird on a Wire and Pretty Woman).
16th biggest second weekend in the last 52 weeks between Migration and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and the 40th biggest second weekend since lockdown between Migration and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.
Other recent music biopics’ third weekends include.
2023’s I Wanna Dance with Somebody dropped 20% £1,103,064 #4 and £8,203,259 of £11,383,690
2006’s Walk the Line dropped 16% £958,306 #4 and £4,864,122 of £9,737,493
2022’s Elvis dropped 55% £1,325,853 #3 and £13,802,061 of £27,492,430; had long legs staying in the top 5 for 7 weeks and top 10 for 11 weeks.
2019’s Rocketman dropped 12% £2,166,839 #3 and £16,051,346 of £23,502,881: top 5 for 5 weeks and top 10 for 7 weeks
2017’s The Greatest Showman dropped 11% £2,142,337 #4 and £13,537,211 of £49,592,940.
2018’s A Star Is Born dropped 6% £2,883,000 #1 and £14,874,834 of £30,309,667.
2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody dropped 20% £4,559,647 #2 and £28,907,411 of £55,376,188.
Mean Girls and Wonka were musicals not marketed as musicals while Bob Marley: One Love has been marketed as a music biopic like Elvis and Rocketman but doesn’t include many music scenes apart from montages.
Dating is a major reason why a film is a hit as seen with Top Gun Maverick but then the opposite happened with Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1, One Love was originally due to be released on January 12, but Paramount pushed its release a month last September after dated Mean Girls in January.
The next musician biopic Back to Black about Amy Winehouse opens in April and then Micheal (Micheal Jackson) currently shooting and due for release in April 2025. Ridley Scott has signed up to direct a Bee Gees biopic after Paramount bosses were “blown away” by the footage they saw of Scott’s Gladiator 2, but as David Zaslav said The Flash was one of the greatest superhero movies he has ever seen. Tom Cruise also said it was “everything you want in a movie; you have to take these comments as premiere reactions with a pinch of salt.
491st biggest between Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) and True Lies (close to Flash Gordon, Yesterday, The Devil Wears Prada and Sense and Sensibility) and 836th biggest inflated between Look Who’s Talking Too and Saw III (close to A Beautiful Mind, LA Confidential, The Social Network and The Jewel on The Nile).
- 3. Wicked Little Letters – £1,172,890 -£4,259,564
Dropped 28.6% in the second weekend.
£330k 28.2% (-23.3% £430k) Friday; £515k 43.9% (-14.3% £601k) Saturday; £327k 27.9% (-46.5% £611k) Sunday.
889th biggest second weekend between Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and The Polar Express (close to Indecent Proposal, Le Man’s 66, Crocodile Dundee and Emma (2020) and 1,411th biggest inflated between Defiance and Mr Popper’s Penguins (close to The Prince of Tides, The Ugly Truth, Lion and Cruel Intentions).
33rd biggest second weekend over the last 52 weeks between Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and The Nun 2 (close to One Life, A Haunting In Venice, Anyone but You and Poor Things).
As with many other films targetting grey pound audiences, it took as much Mon-Thurs £1,443,897 as Fri-Sun £1,642,777 as older audiences prefer going to the cinema during the week and it probably climbed into #2 for many weekdays.
Some Grey Pound second weekends include.
2023’s One Life dropped 62% (28% without previews) £1,246,292 #4 716 screens and £5,857,289 of £9,859,749
2012’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel took £2,342,095 up 5.4% and £7,014,101 34.5% of £7,014,101; took £4.79m in its opening 7 days including £2.57m Mon-Thurs
2015’s The Lady in the Van took £1,609,943 down 28.6% and £6,437,140 50.8% of £12,660,028; took £4.82m in its opening week Mon-Thurs.
2015’s The Second-Best Marigold Hotel took £1,957,256 down 48.1% and £8,640,646 55.47% of £15,575,797; took £6.69m in its opening 7 days taking £3m Mon-Thurs.
While other recent British grey-pound films’ second weekends include 2022’s Living down 26.3% £493,618 and £1,735,421 of £3,804,018; The Lost King dropped 46.8% £195,942 and £880,109 of £1,281,757; Mrs Harris Goes To Paris dropped 36.2% £514,977 and £2,245,532 of £4,982,330; The Duke dropped 31.3% £682,096 and £2,740,233 of £5,283,515; The Great Escaper dropped 10% £536,243 #6 631 screens and £1,959,847 of £5,318,899; 2022’s See How They Run dropped 15% £984,779 #1 717 screens and £2,831,230 of £4,858,629; 2018’s The Guernsey Literary and Potato up 18% £968,681 #2 544 screens and £3,034,623 of £5,937,280.
It plays to an older demographic who prefers going to the cinema during the week rather than the weekend. The problem with both is they won’t film audiences rush out to see over the weekend. Exhibitors always talk about the need for more films to be released but it is not more films they want but the right kind of films as they should be supporting films like Wicked Little Letters and give them a chance to find their audience as similar feel-good British films 20+ years ago would.
1,579th biggest between In The Heights and The Sweeney (close to Edward Scissorhands, Eat Pray Love, Bewitched and Father of the Bride 2) and 2,101st inflated biggest between Their Finest and Smokin’ Aces (close to Frantic, Jaws – The Revenge, Peggy Sue Got Married and Steel Magnolias).
Premiered at the Toronto Film Festival receiving poor reviews has similarities to last year’s See How They Run as it’s not as outrageous as it believes it is, but British critics have been far more positive, and the film generated much media coverage with its British cast including Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley
Blueprint Pictures produced the film they also produced All of Us Strangers but financed by Studiocanal (as The Mercy and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society). After opening £443 less than The Banshees Of Inisherin it took £97,431 less in its second weekend (£1,172,890 Vs £1,270,321.
If the UK had a film industry films like Wicked Little Lies would be fully financed by British film companies. Highlighting again the failure of BFI/National Lottery over the last 25+ years as there’s no infrastructure in the UK for the film industry to be self-sufficient as has been the case for almost 50 years despite BO and award success of many films since.
- 4. Migration £961,524 – £17,590,513
Down 35.5% in the fifth weekend
£70k 7.3% (-76.8% £302k) Friday; £526k 54.7% (-16.2% £628k) Saturday; £365k 38% (-34.7% £559k) Sunday
188th biggest fifth weekend between Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted and Cats and Dogs (close to Meet the Parents, The Santa Clause 3, La La Land and Downton Abbey) and 368th biggest inflated between Iron Man and 12 Years A Slave (close to Elf, Hot Shots, School of Rock and Batman and Robin)
45th biggest animated fifth weekend between Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted and Cats and Dogs (close to The Lego Movie, Shrek, Toy Story and Puss in Boots) and 67th biggest inflated between Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon 2 (close to Antz, The Simpsons, Incredibles and Cars).
11th biggest Illumination fourth weekend (out of 14) between Despicable Me (£1,089,160) and The Secret Life of Pets 2 (£480,072) close to Super Mario Bros and The Secret Life of Pets.
Illumination’s 14 animated films have taken £440m in the UK since 2010 and over £480m inflated with Despicable Me 4 set for release in June.
The 12th biggest Illumination film after 5 weeks will shortly overtake Despicable Me (£18,171,850) and The Secret Life Of Pets 2 (£17,609,425) and ahead of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax and Hop.
73rd biggest animated film between Bolt and Tarzan (close to The Lego Movie: The Second Part, Coco, Ralph Breaks The Internet and How to Train Your Dragon) and 101st biggest inflated between The Little Mermaid (1990) and Flushed Away (close to Mulan, Rio 2, Flushed Away and Jungle Book (1993 re-issue).
352nd biggest between Bean and I, Robot (close to Stuart Little, Last Christmas, The Mummy (1999) and The Mask) and 638th biggest inflated between The Village and Red Dragon (close to Good Morning Vietnam, Free Guy, Lost in Translation and Alvin and the Chipmunks).
£49k 19.9% (-67.1% £149k) Friday; £123k 50% (-53.4% £264k) Saturday; £74k 30.1% (-60.8% £189k) Sunday.
Down 59% in its third weekend
1,580th biggest third weekend between Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (close to Die Hard, Top Gun, Sunshine and Eight Legged Freaks) and 1,626th biggest inflated between Eagle Eye and Knock at the Cabin (close to Past Lives, Godzilla Minus One, The Black Phone and Last Night in Soho).
104th biggest comic-book third weekend between Morbius and Blade: Trinity (close to X-Men: Dark Phoenix (£333,279); Superman IV (£280,335); Fantastic Four (2015) (£249,205) and Morbius (£247,627).
Third weekends
Morbius dropped 66% £247,627 #10 418 screens and £5,885,258 of £6,439,100 and 2023’s The Marvels dropped 61% £485,099 #5 556 screens and £6,564,315 of £7,204,734.
1,669th biggest between Dirty Dancing and Bird on a Wire (close to Legends of the Fall, Daylight, Coyote Ugly and Live and Let Die) and 2,185th biggest inflated between Living and Secret Window (close to Three Fugitives, True Romance, Spawn and Seven Psychopaths).
104th biggest comic-book film between Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1995) and Superman IV (close to Daredevil, Blue Beetle, Hellboy (2004) and Super Mario Brothers (1993) ahead of both female comic-book films Elektra and Catwoman.
Madame Web has a lot in common with Argylle as both are too busy trying to set up what follows next, they forgot to get there they needed audiences to want to be part of the first film. Argylle dropped 45% £544,846 555 screens and £5,046,902.
When a male-led comic book film underperforms it’s due to comic book fatigue, but when a female-led comic book film it’s not the writers or director it’s the fault of the actors as has been the case with Madam Web, Dakota Johnson has been castigated for the film. She responded to the criticism in a recent interview with Bustle saying “Sometimes in this industry, you sign on to something, and it’s one thing and then as you’re making it, it becomes a completely different thing, and you’re like, Wait, what? But it was a real learning experience, and of course, it’s not nice to be a part of something that’s ripped to shreds, but I can’t say that I don’t understand.” … “It was definitely an experience for me to make that movie. I had never done anything like it before. I probably will never do anything like it again because I don’t make sense in that world. And I know that now. ”.. “I haven’t actually seen the movie. I probably won’t. I don’t know when I’ll see it. Someday […] Did you see the movie? I haven’t. You know more about it than me.”
It has been speculated that Dakota believed the film was to be part of the MCU rather than a Sony Pictures film as when she was cast for the film, she tagged Marvel Studios on Instagram. Dakota Johnson gets the criticism, but Sydney Sweeney can laugh it off with a monologue on Saturday Night Live. Or is it because Sydney as Pamela Anderson (Barb Wire) has big boobs?
When Sony Pictures acquired Spider-Man rights from Marvel in 1999 for $10m they also acquired rights for associated characters in his universe including Mary Jane Watson, Harry Osborn, and Green Goblin. Venom, Carnage and Morbius. (was similar to the 20th Century Fox’s 1994 $2.6m deal to acquire X-Men rights).
After the enormous success of MCU Sony and 20th Century Fox wanted to build their own comic-book universes, the only problem was these associated characters weren’t as well known as the Avengers. It wasn’t then a surprise that these spinoffs including Daredevil, Elektra, Morbius and Venom didn’t come close to the critical and box office success of Spider-Man and X-Men films.
Marvel has had similar issues with films like Eternals and The Marvels and only has one new MCU film (Thunderbolts) over their next slate instead have two sequels (Deadpool & Wolverine and Captain America: Brave New World), two reboots (The Fantastic Four and Blade) and two Avengers films despite having over 80,000 characters in the Marvel Multiverse.
Also opened.
- Lisa Frankenstein – Universal Pictures
£91,537 #11 from 326 screens
The screenplay was written by Diablo Cody who had massive success with Oscar-winning Juno but all of her films since have struggled to find a wide audience.
2018’s Tully opened £138,674 #8 200 screens taking £494,438
2015’s Ricki and the Flash opened £220,032 #14 357 screens
2011’s Young Adult opened £137,736 #17 157 screens
2009’s Jennifer’s Body opened £736,535 #7 from 314 screens taking £1,196,718
2008’s Juno opened £2,002,120 #2 363 screens taking £9,240,584
Zelda Williams directed it the daughter of actor Robin Williams
UK box office in detail
The weekend’s top 10 box office took £13,609,322 up 69.2% from last weekend’s £8,042,310: 1,718,349 admissions up 72.5% from 995,929 admissions.
11th biggest weekend of the last 52 weeks between 11 August 2023 #1 Barbie £4,428,044 (31.77%) and 08 December 2023 #1 Wonka £8,904,750 (66.56%)
31st biggest since cinemas reopened out of 172 weeks between 11 February 2022 #1 Uncharted £4,705,948 (34.41%) and 08 December 2023 #1 Wonka £8,904,750 (66.56%)
316th biggest top 10 of the last 21 years (out of 1,144) between 17 February 2012 #1 The Woman in Black £3,501,601 (25.72%) and 12 August 2016 #1 Suicide Squad £4,241,508 31.21%) and 587th biggest inflated between 18 April 2003 #1 Johnny English £2,529,665 (33.33%) and 29 August 2003 #1 The Pirates of the Caribbean £2,037,014 (26.88%)
The top 3 took (£11,803,527) 86.7% of the top 10; Dune Part 2 68.37% (£9,279,080); Bob Marley: One Love 9.96% (£1,351,557); Wicked Little Letters 8.64% (£1,172,890)
80th highest #1 percentage (68.18%) between 12 November 2004 Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (68.2%) and 13 July 2018 Incredibles 2 (67.96%)
210th biggest admissions #1 (1,171,601) between 16 February 2007 #1 Hot Fuzz (1,171,911) and 27 December 2019 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (1,168,286)
Up 24.7% from 2023; (£10,910,653); Creed III (£5,003,452); Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba to the Swordsmith Village (£567,638); #1 Creed III £5,003,452 1st week 645 screens (45.86% of top 10)
Down 23.4% from 2022 (£17,731,345); The Batman (£13,531,854); The Godfather: Part II (Re: 2022) (£45,151); #1 The Batman £13,531,854 1st week 706 screens (76.3% of top 10)
2021; Lockdown 2
Down 47.1% 2020 (£9,249,289); The Invisible Man (£2,163,798); Dark Waters (£860,942); Portrait of a Lady on Fire (£229,678); Agrippina – Met Opera 2020 (£216,109); Downhill (£188,720); True History of the Kelly Gang (£85,847); #1 The Invisible Man £2,163,798 1st week 580 screens (23.4% of top 10)
Up 60.3% from 2019: (£8,486,971); Fighting with My Family (£2,022,174); The Aftermath (£595,657); La Fille Du Regiment – Met Opera 2019 (£240,965); Alien (40th Anniversary) (£129,245); What They Had (£16,686); #1 Fighting with My Family £2,022,174 1st week 573 screens (23.8% of top 10)
Up 19.4% from 2018; (£11,400,044); Red Sparrow (£1,843,124); Game Night (£1,094,478); Monster Family (£126,235); A Fantastic Woman (£98,445); The Flames of Paris – Bolshoi 2018 (£74,391); #1 Black Panther £3,736,954 3rd week 599 screens 46% drop (32.8% of top 10)
Down 15.8% from 2017: (£16,157,614); Logan (£9,443,363); Viceroy’s House (£921,309); Fist Fight (£400,112); Trespass Against Us (£32,569); #1 Logan £9,443,363 1st week 602 screens (58.4% of top 10)
Up 45.8% from 2016: (£9,333,112); London Has Fallen (£3,229,675); Hail, Caesar! (£1,520,788); Manon Lescaut – Met Opera 2016 (£279,586); The Other Side of the Door (£262,955); The Choice (£139,669); Truth (£26,701); #1 London Has Fallen (£3,229,675 1st week
Up 10.6% from 2015; (£12,304,244); The Second-Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (£3,771,852); Focus (£1,910,245); The Boy Next Door (£406,174); It Follows (£371,142); Catch Me Daddy (£37,679); #1 The Second-Best Exotic Marigold Hotel £3,771,852 1st week 589 screens (30.6% of top 10)
Up 14.7% from 2014: (£11,864,224); Non-Stop (£2,652,364); Ride Along (£1,420,992); The Book Thief (expansion) (£1,370,649); Prince Igor – Metropolitan Opera 2014 (£259,667); Nymphomaniac Part 2 (£15,354); Unforgiven (£4,778); #1 The Lego Movie £3,266,594 3rd week 549 screens 45% drop (27.5% of top 10)
Up 74.7% from 2013: (£7,788,702); Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (£1,502,782); Safe Haven (£812,460); Broken City (£499,283); Arbitrage (£402,873); Stoker (£367,509); #1 Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters £1,502,782 1st week 404 screens (19.3% of top 10)
Up 26.2% from 2012 (£10,782,506); This Means War (£1,821,698); Project X (£561,655); Wanderlust (£490,592); Hunky Dory (£31,930); #1 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel £2,342,095 2nd week 1st #1 509 screens 5% up (21.7% of top 10)
Up 46.8% from 2011 (£9,268,880); Rango (£1,638,613); The Adjustment Bureau (£1,395,715); Unknown (£1,356,345); Ironclad (£52,470); The Tempest (£8,445); #1 Rango £1,638,613 1st 470 screens (17.7% of top 10)
Down 8.1% from 2010: (£14,805,412); Alice in Wonderland (£10,555,220); Legion (£212,328); Case 39 (£183,088); Ondine (£102,138); #1 Alice in Wonderland £10,555,220 1st week 533 screens (71.3% of top 10)
Up 26.2% from 2009; (£10,781,295); Watchmen (£3,243,001); The Young Victoria (£1,016,053); The Secret of Kells (£25,657); #1 Watchmen £3,243,001 1st week 419 screens (30.1% of top 10)
Up 103.8% from 2008; (£6,676,677); The Bank Job (£951,013); Semi-Pro (£774,698); The Accidental Husband (£703,631); Untraceable (£549,524); Margot at the Wedding (£33,958); #1 The Bank Job £951,013 1st week 324 screens (14.2% of top 10)
Up 68.5% from 2007: (£8,075,563); Ghost Rider (£1,851,897); The Illusionist (£675,293); Material Girls (£300,962); Freedom Writers (£233,382); #1 Hot Fuzz £2,219,655 3rd week 441 screens 33% drop (27.5% of top 10)
Up 112.9% from 2006; (£6,392,804); Syriana (£864,796); The Weatherman (£406,217); Last Holiday (£399,524); The Matador (£335,017); Kidulthood (£100,056); #1 Date Movie £1,057,768 2nd week 356 screens 18% drop (16.5% of top 10)
Up 202.7% from 2005 (£4,495,350); Boogeyman (£788,439); The Flight of the Phoenix (£292,012); Harold & Kumar Get the Munchies (£284,050); #1 Boogeyman £788,439 1st week 318 screens (17.5% of top 10)
Up 101.1% from 2004 (£6,768,162); Along Came Polly (£2,252,808); The Missing (£497,573); House of Sand and Fog (£132,163); #1 Along Came Polly £2,252,808 1st week 385 screens (33.3% of top 10)
Up 62.4% from 2003 (£8,381,722); Jackass: The Movie (£1,314,740); Analyze That (£575,278); Solaris (£313,804); Adaptation (£238,958); #1 The Ring £1,692,154 2nd week 398 screens 23% drop (20.2% of top 10)
Up 38.1% from 2002 (£9,851,530); A Beautiful Mind (expansion) (£1,226,446); The Mothman Prophecies (£762,516); The Shipping News (limited) (£96,694); #1 Ocean’s Eleven £2,623,689 2-week #1 split 3rd week 437 screens 27% drop (26.6% of top 10)
2023 Next week: (£10,426,415); Scream VI (£3,043,922); 65 (£1,270,409); Champions (£376,816); Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey (£10,115); #1 Scream VI £3,043,922 1st week 627 screen (29.2% of top 10)
US Box Office
- Dune Part 2 -Warner Bros
Opened $81.5m; received critical acclaim (94% Rotten Tomatoes) and A CinemaScore (A- Dune)
EnTelligence said it had 5.2m admissions average ticket price $15.73; EntTelligence said most saw Due Part 2 between 5pm- 8pm (33%); 1pm-5pm (31%), 8pm+ (19%); before 1pm (17%); standard format ($13.94) premium average price $17.43)
Ahead of the opening, Dune Part 2 was expected to open with about $90m but from Friday it dropped to $72m-$75m.
Took $12m from Thursday midnights (including $2m from IMAX fan previews)
IMAX took 23% $18.5m from about 100 IMAX cinemas; PLF 22%; Dune took 50% from IMAX/PLF with IMAX $9m.22.5% for the weekend.
Advance sales were $18m, which normally means a $100m+ opening.
Dune took $5.1m from Thursday previews including 30% $1.5m from 402 IMAX cinemas.
112th biggest opening between Despicable Me 2 and Oppenheimer (close to X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Solo: A Star Wars Story, I Am Legend and Avatar).
Warner delayed the release of Dune Part 2 to March in August last year after the actor’s strike would have meant talent wouldn’t be able to promote the film and despite being the sequel to Dune its ensemble cast was going to be key to attracting a wider audience. Had Dune Part 2 opened in November would Wonka have been as big, both may star Timothée Chalamet but as with Scarlett Johansson with MCU films he wasn’t the reason why the majority of cinemagoers went to see both of them.
The first trailer was played with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Fast X. The second trailer played with Mission Impossible 7, Oppenheimer, and Meg 2. Trailer 3 played with Aquaman 2
Seen by Dune Part 2 opening exactly as tracking predicted several weeks ago, as it used to be films would open ahead of tracking as they found a wider audience. How it holds over the coming weeks will be interesting while IMAX cinemas are booked up for screenings over the coming weeks how will it hold for non-cinephiles?
What I do find interesting is that it opened $50k more than Oppenheimer’s $82.45m as its audience is similar the difference is the lack of Barbie to expand its audience.
2021’s Dune opened $40.1m taking $108.89m and $433.79m worldwide
2010’s Inception opened $62.78m ($83.79m) taking $292.58m and $839.03m worldwide
2023’s Oppenheimer opened $82.45m taking $329.01m and $957.59m worldwide
2013’s Gravity opened $55.78m ($72.25m) taking $274.09m and $773.03m worldwide
2014’s Interstellar opened $47.51m ($61.23m) taking $188.02m and $731.07m worldwide
2015’s The Martian opened $54.3m ($67.83m) taking $228.43m and $630.62m worldwide
2016’s Arrival opened $24.07m ($29.3m) taking $100.54m and $203.38m worldwide
2017’s Blade Runner 2049 opened $32.75m ($38.44m) and $92.07m and $267.68m worldwide
The first Dune took 50% from IMAX/PLF and the sequel will take more, it was tracking to open with $65m+ but with 60%+ of BO from premium formats, an opening up to $90m is more likely similar to 2017’s Logan $88m (Thurs previews $9.5m/$33m Friday; Dunkirk took $5.5m/$19.7m; Dune $5.1m/$17.5m; Oppenheimer $10.5m/$33m.
Visual cinematic films including Oppenheimer, Interstellar, Gravity, Prometheus and Inception are comparable titles, while Tenet Dune Part 2 will have all IMAX/PLF/Dolby screens which Oppenheimer never had as Barbie had some PLF screens.
Oppenheimer opened $82.45m; Gravity $55.78m/ $72.25m; Prometheus $51.05m/$67.53m; Inception $62.78m/$83.79m; Interstellar $47.51m/$61.23m.
The second weekend drop is always far more interesting than the opening weekend as it will have a similar drop to Oppenheimer down 45% taking $45m this will see Kung Fu Panda 4 open #1 with $50m.
Impossible to compare international BO with the first film as it had a staggered opening in 24 territories taking $36.8m and $3.6m from 142 IMAX cinemas, 10% of the total weekend opening with $25k per screen average.
Opened with $97m from 71 territories and $178.5m worldwide; opened in 809 IMAX screens in 81 countries including 12 cinemas in 70mm taking $32.2m taking $13.7m internationally from IMAX; UK $11.8m; France $9.6m. Germany $9.1m; S. Korea $6.9m; Australia $6m; Italy $3.9m; Mexico $3.9m; Spain $3.5m; Poland $2.7m; Taiwan $2.6m; Holland $2.5m; Sweden $2m.
50% of Dune’s global box office came from IMAX, PLF, 4DX and Dolby Cinema taking $29.1m globally from IMAX; Impossible to compare international BO with the first film as it had a staggered opening in 24 territories taking $36.8m and $3.6m from 142 IMAX cinemas 10% of the total weekend opening.
- Bob Marley: One Love – Paramount Pictures
Dropped 45% in the third weekend $7.43m #2 and $82.77m.
1,022nd biggest between Monster-in-Law and Are We There Yet? 2,001st biggest inflated between Las Vegas and Shine; 33rd biggest based on real live events between Valkyrie and The Post; 135th biggest Paramount Pictures between Charlotte’s Web and Days of Thunder.
Biopics third weekends
2015’s Straight Outta Compton dropped 50.2% $13.13m and $134.01m of $161.19m and $201.63m worldwide
2005’s Walk the Line dropped 50.4% $9.53m and $68.29m of $119.51m and $186.79m worldwide
2022’s Elvis dropped 39.4% $11;18m and $91.3m of $151.04m and $288.67m worldwide
2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody dropped 48.6% $16.04m and $128.22m of $216.66m and $910.8m worldwide
2019’s Rocketman dropped 31.8% $9.42m and $66.76m of $96.36m and $195.32m worldwide
2004’s Ray dropped 38.4% $8.41m and $52.52m of $75.3m and $123.97m worldwide
Took $8.8m from 56 territories $63.3m total and $146.1m worldwide; UK $17.3m; France $12.7m; Germany $4.2m; Brazil $4m; Australia $3.7m.
1,313th biggest worldwide between Evil Dead Rise (2023) and Red Sparrow; 6th biggest worldwide between Dune: Part Two and The Beekeeper; 51st biggest based on real events between Cool Runnings and The Exorcism of Emily Rose; 149th biggest Paramount Pictures between No Strings Attached and Blades of Glory.
- Madame Web – Sony Pictures
Dropped 45.9% in the third weekend $3.16m #5 and $40.4m.
2,289th biggest between The Water Horse and The Master of Disguise; 3,550th biggest inflated between Entourage and The Foreigner; 6th biggest 2024 between Argylle and Night Swim; 109th biggest comic-book between Wonder Woman 1984 and Catwoman (close to The Fantastic Four (2015), Blade: Trinity, Elektra and The New Mutants); 304th biggest Sony Pictures between The Water Horse and The Master of Disguise.
While female comic-book films Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel have been huge hits their follow-ups haven’t; 2020’s Wonder Woman 1984 dropped 67.5% $5.42m and $28.43m of $46.8m and $169.6m worldwide; 2023’s The Marvels dropped 78.1% $10.12m and $64.94m of $84.5m and $206.08m worldwide.
Other Female-led comic-book films include.
2004’s Catwoman dropped 55% $2.9m and $36.06m of $40.2m and $82.4m worldwide
2005’s Elektra dropped 64.4% $1.41m and $23m of $24.4m and $56.99m worldwide
While other Spider-Man spinoffs
2022’s Morbius dropped 53.6% $4.73m and $65.14m of $73.86m and $167.46m
2018’s Venom dropped 48.5% $18.04m and $171.06m of $213.51m and $856.08m worldwide
2021’s Venom 2 dropped 48% $16.5m and $168.07m of $213.55m and $506.86m worldwide
Took $5m from 65 territories $50.6m total and $91m worldwide.
1,980th biggest worldwide between Romeo Must Die and Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones; 10th biggest 2024 between Argylle and Night Swim; 107th biggest comic book between TMNT and Sky High (close to Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Blade, Catwoman and Elektra); 251st biggest Sony Pictures between Secret Window and The Karate Kid (1984).
UK Box Office Top 10
UK Box Office Preview
With no major releases until Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire opens in two weeks’ time Dune Part 2 will hold #1 for the next two weeks, the only question is how much it will drop. IMAX bookings will remain strong over the next two weeks with many shows sold out or close, but the question is how they will hold in standard formats.
2013’s Gravity down 22% £4,838,152 #1 571 screens and £14,711,488 of £32,756,514
2014’s Interstellar down 29% £3,777,804 #1 576 screens £12,131,990 of £21,173,601
2015’s The Martian down 40% £3,854,809 #1 582 screens and £13,211,096 of £23,589,854
2017’s Blade Runner 2049 down 48% £3,098,872 #2 653 screens and £12,184,828 of £18,918,361
2017’s Logan down 59% £3,858,463 #2 602 screens and £16,855,344 of £23,655,614
2023’s Oppenheimer down 24% £8,222,657 #2 694 screens and £27,657,602 of £57,810,965
2009’s Avatar down 55% £3,828,123 #2 503 screens and £18,404,659 of £93,442,625
2017’s Dunkirk down 17% £8,235,532 #1 663 screens and £27,017,724 of £56,797,955
2021’s Dune down 43% £3,312,159 #2 689 screens and £13,214,527 of £22,424,573
Seeing Dune Part 2 has taken less than half of Oppenheimer Mon/Tues and similar to 2021’s Dune the sequel will have a similar second weekend drop to Dune.
The new releases will struggle to find an audience with Blumhouse’s Imaginary likely to open similar to Night Swim’s £590,691 #9 420 screens taking £1,294,132.
While the holdovers will have similar drops to what they did last weekend.
Opening in two weeks
- Kung Fu Panda 4 – Universal Pictures
The fourth instalment of the Dreamworks animated martial arts comedy featuring voices of Jack Black, Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman, Bryan Cranston and Ian McShane and directed by Mike Mitchell.
In 2010 Jeffrey Katzenberg said that there were plans for six films in the series. In August 2022 Dreamworks Animation confirmed Kung Fu Panda 4 was in production with details released at CinemaCon 2023. The trailer was released in December and viewed over 142m times in the first 24 hours, more than The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Sing 2 and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Kung Fu Panda is planned to start a new trilogy.
2008’s Kung Fu Panda opened £6,069,679 (including £1,689,313 previews) £9,244,588 inflated taking £19,634,723 (£29,905,193 inflated)
2011’s Kung Fu Panda 2 opened £6,188,897 (including £3,120,000 previews) £8,088,459 inflated taking £16,199,968 (£21,172,235 inflated)
2016’s Kung Fu Panda 3 opened £4,771,131 (including £1,589,446 previews) £5,099,508 inflated taking £13,993,060 (£14,956,145 inflated)
38 Dreamworks Animation films have taken over £710m and almost £1bn inflated.
- Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire – Warner Bros
The fifth film of the MonsterVerse and sequel to 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong and the fifth US Godzilla film starring Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, and Fala Chen and directed by Adam Wingard.
2014’s Godzilla opened £6,385,483 (including £1,185,844 previews) £7,525,748 inflated taking £17,074,621 (£20,123,660 inflated)
2017’s Kong: Skull Island opened £6,230,997 (including £615,360 previews) taking £15,616,015
2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters opened £3,507,717 #2 taking £6,901,606
2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong opened £3,507,717 (including £1,200,503 previews) taking £6,779,991
The trailer looks like it’s going to be the stupidest film of the year and the stupidest since Godzilla vs. Kong when (spoiler) cola can saved the day.
cigarette burns and missed changeovers 