- Bob Marley: One Love £6,950,773 – NE
Took £2.67m from previews (Weds/Thurs); £1.82m Weds and £0.86m Thurs (38.6%)
Took £1.27m 18.27% Friday; £1.76m 35.64% Saturday; £1.18m 16.98% Sunday.
185th biggest between The Girl on the Train and King Kong (close to Inside Out, Aladdin (2019), La La Land and Mamma Mia!) and 287th biggest inflated between Fast Five and Hotel Transylvania 2 (close to Michael Jackson’s This Is It, Back to the Future Part II, Sweeney Todd and Fifty Shades Freed).
10th biggest opening in the last 52 weeks between Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny and Fast X and the 20th biggest opening since lockdown between Dial Of Destiny and Black Widow; of course, impossible to make any direct comparisons as One Love had two days of previews during half-term.
Had the biggest opening day (Weds) for a music biopic in the UK ahead of Bohemian Rhapsody (Weds) £1.64m; Rocketman (Weds) £738k and (Friday) £1.29m.
38th widest opening playing in 688 cinemas similar to Toy Story 4 (close to Dumbo, See How They Run, I Wanna Dance With Somebody and Ticket To Paradise); Bohemian Rhapsody 659 screens
Other recent music biopics openings include.
2023’s Wanna Dance With Somebody £3,325,458 #2 687 screens taking £11,383,690
2006’s Walk the Line £1,111,142 #2 198 screens taking £9,737,493
2022’s Elvis opened £4,023,572 #1 740 screens; £1.25m (31.1%) Fri; £1.45m (36%) Sat £1.29m (36%) Sun; taking £27,492,430; had long legs staying in top 5 for 7 weeks and top 10 for 11 weeks.
2019’s Rocketman opened £5,381,904 #2 705 screens (including £1,360,606 from three days of previews) taking £23,502,881: top 5 for 5 weeks and top 10 for 7 weeks
2017’s The Greatest Showman opened £4,754,049 (£2,178,902 previews) taking £49,592,940.
2018’s A Star Is Born £4,100,196 (£952,000 previews) taking £30,309,667.
2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody £9,530,463 (£3,054,530 previews) taking £55,376,188.
Bob Marley: One Life directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, previously directed 2021’s King Richard opened £540,878 taking £1.5m.
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, butParamount pushed its release a month last September after dated Mean Girls in January.
Delaying the film by a month allowed it to have a much longer promotion tour starting with the world premiere in Jamaica on January 23rd and ending on February 6th in Los Angeles on what would have been his 79th birthday, this allowed the film to generate much more media coverage and its title made it the perfect Valentine’s Day film. One Love also benefited from its target female audience seeing the trailer before films like Anyone But You and Wonka. While UK audiences love their musicals and with all the doom and gloom in the news it’s the perfect film to see in the cinema.
With extended openings of Bob Marley: One Love and Madame Web and a strong half-term hold for Migration the top 10 was the 10th biggest over the last 52 weeks and the 20th biggest since cinemas reopened in July 2020.
The weekend was only down 0.5% on the same weekend last year when Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania opened with £8,834,435, as while comic-book films cannibalize the market the three films (Bob Marley: One Love, Madame Web and Migration) play across different demographics and are films that help each other find wider audiences. This was similarly the case over the Chinese Lunar New Year last week when 8 films opened, and they shared $1.1bn. It was also the reason why Top Gun Maverick, Barbie, Oppenheimer and Wonka performed so strongly.
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, and 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.
Sony Pictures announced plans on Tuesday to make four Beatles directed by Sam Mendes about Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr set for release in 2027. The big question is who they will cast as the Fab Four.
- 2. Migration – £2,764,151 – £13,592,505
Up 11.9% in the third weekend
Took £1m 36.18% (up 238.98% £295k) Friday; £0.98m 35.64% Saturday (down 16.53% £1.18m) Saturday; £0.78m 28.18% (28.18% drop £993k) Sunday.
125th biggest third weekend between Captain America: Civil War and The Hangover Part II (close to Mamma Mia!, Shrek, The Lion King (1994) and Fantastic Beasts 2) and 251st biggest inflated between Evita and Spider-Man 2 (close to Nanny McPhee, Billy Elliot, Finding Dory and Despicable Me 2)
20th biggest animated third weekend between Shrek and The Lion King (1994) (close to Sing 2, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Despicable Me and Chicken Run) and 36th biggest inflated between Lilo & Stitch and Minions: The Rise of Gru (close to The Croods, Madagascar, Antz and The Lego Movie 2).
7th biggest Illumination third weekend (out of 14) between Sing 2 (£3,203,950) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (£2,663,816) close to Despicable Me (£2,581,073) Sing (£2,325,281) and Despicable Me 2 (£2,225,543).
Illumination’s 14 animated films have taken over £435m in the UK since 2010 and £480m inflated with Despicable Me 4 set for release in June.
As seen with previous second weekends of February half terms including 2023’s Puss In Boots: The Last Wish up 3% (£3,170,746) with Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania #1 (£8,834,435); 2022’s Sing 2 down 2% (£3,155,692) with Uncharted #1 (£3,775,360); 2019’s The LEGO Movie 2 (2,472,489) #1 and Instant Family (£2,469,853) #2; 2018’s Coco up 15% (£1,400,000) #5 and Early Man up 2% (£1,154,533) #6 Black Panther #1 £17.7m; 2015’s Big Hero 6 up 40% £2,581,806 #2 and Fifty Shades of Grey #1 £4,597,092 and 2014’s The Lego Movie down 1% £5,978,904 #1 with Mr. Peabody and Sherman #2 £1,698,483 and Tinker Bell and the Pirate Fairy #3 £1,207,245.
92nd biggest animated film between Shaun The Sheep Movie and Mr Peabody and Sherman (close to Puss in Boots, Kung Fu Panda 3, The Bad Guys and Chicken Little) and 122nd biggest inflated between The Bad Guys and The Jungle Book (re-release) (close to The Princess And The Frog, Bee Movie, Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Cat in the Hat).
497th biggest between Sense and Sensibility and Mr Peabody and Sherman (close to True Lies, The Devil Wears Prada, Jumanji and Crocodile Dundee II) and 848th biggest inflated between 50 First Dates and The Jungle Book (re-release) (close to Turner & Hooch, The Jewel on The Nile, Bird on a Wire and Mousehunt).
- 3. Madame Web – £2,273,544 – NE
Included £0.934 from previews (Weds/Thurs) Weds £0.597/ Thurs £0.337m (41.09%)
Took £477k 20.99% Friday; £564k 24.02% Saturday; £316k 13.9% Sunday.
734th biggest opening between Four Christmases and Ad Astra (close to Speed, District 9, Starship Troopers and What Lies Beneath) and 1,186th biggest inflated between Moonwalker and Star Trek V The Undiscovered Country (close to Memphis Belle, Unstoppable, Conspiracy Theory and Super Mario Brothers (1993).
Opened in 575 cinemas 635th widest opening similar to Terminator: Dark Fate (close to Justice League, Suicide Squad and Man of Steel).
91st biggest comic-book opening Shazam! Fury Of The Gods and Batman (close to Fantastic Four (2015), Green Lantern, The Mask and Daredevil) and the 100th biggest inflated between The Green Hornet and Super Mario Brothers (1993) (close to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990),.Dick Tracy, Superman IV and Spawn).
Opened lower than 2022’s Morbius £3,254,830 #2 638 screens taking £6,439,100 and 2023’s The Marvels £3,465,783 #1 662 screens taking £7,204,734.
But better than other female-led comic-book films 2005’s Elektra £791,914 (£1,331,626 inflated) 291 screens taking £1,303,703 (£2,192,214 inflated); 2004’s Catwoman £557,583 #5 381 screens taking £1,158,075; 2020’s Wonder Woman 1984 £846,435 #1 214 screens taking £1,584,340.
Madame Web stars Dakota Johnson in her fifth film over the last 9 years opening over Valentine’s Day also starring Sydney Sweeney who has recently had huge success in Anyone But You taking £10,835,651 over 8 weeks, took £320,966 #9 from 386 screens over the weekend including 2 extra minutes.
The Madame Web press tour generated a narrative of Dakota Johnson hating the film, for an interview with Entertainment Weekly she said, “I’ve never really done a movie where you are on a bluescreen, and fake explosions is going off, and someone’s going, ‘Explosion!’ and you act like there’s an explosion. That to me was absolutely psychotic. I was like, ‘I don’t know if this is going to be good at all! I hope that I did an OK job!’ But I trusted [director S.J. Clarkson]. She works so hard, and she has not taken her eyes off this movie since we started.” Which saw articles saying Dakota Johnson hated the film. There was a similar conspiracy theory the cast of Dune Part 2 didn’t like each other because of the way the cast interacted with each other during the press tour. But actors hate press tours as they are asked the same questions a hundred times so interviewers try to get them to say something different but have gents and PR close by to stop this from happening.
For all the criticism DC have deservedly received for most of their recent DC Universe the one thing they did do right is their female superhero film Wonder Woman (didn’t learn anything from it as seen by the awful sequel Wonder Woman 1984).
Despite all the critical acclaim and huge BO success of MCU, they have been far too to slow launch films that didn’t feature rich arrogant white males took 10 years and 18 films for Black Panther (was originally planned as one of the first 10 MCU films when Marvel first announced slate) 11 years and 21 films for Captain Marvel and 13 years and 24 years for Black Widow despite her character being in 2010’s Iron Man 2 (Black Widow should have been made in 2014 instead Scarlett Johansson made Lucy).
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 huge success of the 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.
Sony Pictures started development on a Madame Web in 2019; while Sony received huge success with the Spider-Man spinoff Venom last year’s Morbius was a box office and critical flop. It is Sony Pictures’ first female med comic-book film and has been described as a Sony Pictures version of Doctor Strange. It’s surprising after meeting several A-listers for the lead role they cast Dakota Johnson as it will be her first leading role since starring in the 50 Shades of Grey trilogies.
It was originally dated July 7, 2023, October 6, 2023, and then February 16, 2024; Reaction to the first trailer released in November was poor.
Sony Pictures was offered all Marvel rights in 1999 for $25m but only brought Spider-Man as comic-book films in the late 90s were in the decline it was two years after Batman & Robin was a box office disappointment it was a huge gamble for Sony Pictures to make a Spider-Man film as it was for 20th Century Fox to make X-Men. The success of both films gave Marvel the ability to raise $525m to produce a slate of films starting with Iron Man released in 2008 and then saw Disney acquire Marvel a year later for $4bn.
- 4. Argylle £544,846 – £5,046,902
Down 45.2% in its third weekend
Took £236k Friday 29.78% (dropped 22.86%); £159k Saturday 44.3% (dropped 46.44% £450k); £141k 25.92% (dropped 42.47% 332k) Sunday.
1,099th biggest third weekend between Miss Congeniality 2 and Scary Movie 4 (close to Layer Cake, LA Confidential, Game Night and Maverick) and 1,393rd biggest inflated between Unstoppable and The Matrix: Resurrections (close to Kangaroo Jack, Baywatch, This Means War and Get Smart).
As 2022’s The Lost City Argylle is inspired by Romancing the Stone, Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) is the writer of a fictional spy Agent Argylle which becomes reality, similar to Joan Wilder (Romancing the Stone).
Matthew Vaughn previously directed The Kingsman trilogy, X-Men First Class, Kick-Ass, Stardust and Layer Cake and he also produced three Guy Ritchie films Lock Stock, Snatch and Swept Away.
Matthew Vaughn films third weekends
2015’s Kingsman: The Secret Service dropped 26% £1,605,942 #4 509 screens and £10,883,927 of £16,440,885
2017’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle dropped 49% £2,112,966 #2 600 screens and £19,458,871 of £24,883,225
2011’s X-Men: First Class dropped 49% £1,219,141 and £12,403,399 of £15,027,740
2007’s Stardust dropped 34% £1,417,085 #3 448 screens and £9,502,123 of £14,855,712.
2004’s Layer Cake dropped 26% £547,934 #5 301 screens and £3,385,670 of £4,447,859
2010’s Kick-Ass dropped 23% £910,453 #4 424 screens and £9,040,664 of £11,601,334
Other similar films include.
2022’s Bullet Train dropped 7% £837,799 #2 601 screens and £6,876,142 of £10,766,199
2015’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. dropped 28% £658,399 #6 466 screens and £5,020,176 of £6,455,363
2022’s The Lost City dropped 12% £1,204,261 #3 610 screens and £7,406,098 of £10,606,648
1993’s Last Action Hero dropped 42% £298,505 (£741,148 inflated) and £2,727,708 of £3,580,336 (£8,889,495)
1,395th biggest between Cabin in the Woods and Birdman (close to Bad Boys, Kick-Ass 2, Fight Club and Rocknrolla) and 1,934th biggest inflated between Sneakers and Baby’s Day Out (close to The Rocketeer, Final Analysis, The Abyss and Galaxy Quest).
Up 3.4% in its eleventh weekend as often the Christmas family film has seen an increase over the half-term holidays, as these films.
2018’s Paddington 2 up 225% in 14th w/e £209,301 #16 from 398 screens and £41,854,062 of £42,643,286.
2018’s The Greatest Showman up 4% in 9th w/e £2,000,922 #2 from 554 screens and £33,563,952 of £49,592,940
2015’s Paddington up 36% in 13th w/e £283,485 #12 from 329 screens and £36,950,556 of £37,965,541.
2014’s Frozen up 55% in 12th w/e £422,129 #10 from 399 screens and £38,565,069 of £43,303,944
2020’s Frozen 2 up 10% in 14th w/e £163,411 #14 from 297 and £53,549,035
Eleventh weekends Ronald Dahl films
2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory dropped 64% £76,796 #14 297 screens and £37,220,731 of £ 37,354,584
2023’s Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical dropped 34% £166,476 #11 501 screens and £27,042,407 of £28,004,564
February half-term is normally a very lucrative week for cinema but there used to be several major children films opening ahead of half-term over the last decade but this year there was only one which is why Wonka saw a much bigger increase despite being available to watch at home.
25th biggest film between LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring and LOTR: The Return of the King (close to Toy Story 4, Jurassic World, Joker and Oppenheimer) and 58th biggest inflated between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Indiana Jones …The Crystal Skull (close to Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End, Bohemian Rhapsody and The Simpsons).
While Barbie was nominated for Best British Film at the BAFTAs Warner surprisingly didn’t submit it despite both films being made at Leavesden Studios and produced by David Heyman. Barbie didn’t win Best British Film at the BAFTAs instead Best Foreign Film also won Best British Film which sums up the state of the British film industry over the last 40 years despite other ‘British’ films like Poor Things and British director Christopher Nolan winning Best Director and Film.
Despite millions of lottery funding over the last 25+ years and award wins for many films made in the UK the British Film industry isn’t as self-sufficient as it used to be 40+ years ago now these British films need outside finance from the US to be made or the likes of Barbie and Wonka are only being made in the UK due to the 25% tax relief. If another country were to offer a higher rate as Malta did with Gladiator 2 would studios still make these films in the UK, US studios have booked many UK studios for the next few years but if the tax relief ended would they still make all these films here?
UK box office in detail
The weekend’s top 10 box office took £14,740,526 up 102.6% from last weekend’s £7,274,501: 1,887,266 admissions up 97.6% from 954,883 admissions.
10th biggest weekend of the last 52 weeks between 17 February 2023 #1 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania £8,834,435 (59.61%) and 11 August 2023 #1 Barbie £4,428,044 (31.77%)
24th biggest since cinemas reopened out of 170 weeks between 29 October 2021 #1 No Time To Die £3,514,308 (23.84%) and 17 June 2022 #1 Jurassic World: Dominion £5,717,882 (39.64%)
242nd biggest top 10 of the last 21 years (out of 1,142) between 29 October 2021 #1 No Time To Die £3,514,308 (23.84%) and 17 May 2002 #1 Star Wars Ep II Attack of the Clones £11,386,209 (77.31%) and 504th biggest inflated between 11 January 2008 #1 I Am Legend £2,051,372 (21.33%) and 30 January 2004 #1 Scary Movie 3 £1,894,077 (22.81%)
The top 3 took (£11,988,468) 81.3% of the top 10; Bob Marley: One Love 47.15% (£6,950,773); Migration 18.75% (£2,764,151); Madame Web 15.42% (£2,273,544)
303rd highest #1 percentage (47.15%) between 26 May 2006 X-Men: The Last Stand (47.26%) and 21 October 2022 Black Adam (47.06%)
326th biggest admissions #1 (877,623) between 13 September 2002 Signs (878,255) and 18 July 2008 Mamma Mia! (877,136)
Down 0.5% from 2023; (£14,821,149); Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (£8,834,435); Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (£141,454); The Son (£48,251); #1 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania £8,834,435 1st week 676 screens (59.61% of top 10)
Up 26.4% from 2022 (£11,663,829); Dog (£822,123); #1 Uncharted £3,775,360 2nd week 19% drop 630 screens (32.37% of top 10)
2021; Lockdown 2
Down 10.9% 2020 (£16,539,141); Sonic The Hedgehog (£4,733,768); Emma (£1,635,797); Ghost (30th Anniversary) (£78,805); The Lost Boys (Re: 2020) (£61,613); #1 Sonic The Hedgehog £4,733,768 1st week 619 screens (28.6% of the top 10)
Up 32.6% from 2019: (£11,116,499); Instant Family (£2,469,853); Happy Death Day 2U (£735,454); The Kid Who Would be King (£666,749); A Private War (£223,438); Notting Hill (20th Anniversary) (£1,125); #1 The LEGO Movie 2 £2,472,489 2nd week 652 screens 38% drop (22.2% of top 10)
Down 49.4% from 2018; (£29,122,391); Black Panther (£17,700,000); The Shape of Water (£2,466,217); Father Figures (£250,465); Lady Bird (limited) (£184,254); #1 Black Panther £17,700,000 1st week 585 screens (60.8% of top 10)
Down 18.4% from 2017: (£18,070,709); John Wick: Chapter Two (£2,232,055); The Great Wall (£1,646,516); Hidden Figures (£1,448,214); Moonlight (£621,836); Fences (expansion) (£378,351); Moulin Rouge! (Secret Cinema 2017) (£376,900); The Founder (£231,716); Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical (£107,496); #1 The LEGO Batman Movie £4,435,521 2nd week 618 screens 44% drop (24.5% of top 10)
Down 9.1% from 2016: (£16,221,692); How To Be Single (£1,876,539); Triple 9 (£812,619); The Finest Hours (£247,643); #1 Deadpool £5,694,280 2nd week 571 screens 59% drop (35.1% of top 10)
Down 33.2% from 2015; (£22,051,391); Fifty Shades of Grey (£13,550,290); Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots (£687,417); Love is Strange (£99,755); Grease Sing-along (Re: 2015) (£10,694); #1 Fifty Shades of Grey £13,550,290 1st week 586 screens (61.4% of top 10)
Down 16.5% from 2014: (£17,643,201); The Lego Movie (£8,051,140); The Monuments Men (£1,616,625); Tinker Bell and the Pirate Fairy (£966,920); Cuban Fury (£966,276); Endless Love (£744,867); Her (£449,307); The Book Thief (limited) (£16,795); Sleepless in Seattle (Re: 2014) (£19,492); #1 The Lego Movie £8,051,140 1st week 547 screens (45.6% of top 10)
Down 2.3% from 2013: (£15,084,507); A Good Day to Die Hard (£4,551,116); This is 40 (£1,229,352); Beautiful Creatures (£1,109,167); Sammy’s Great Escape (£519,049); #1 A Good Day to Die Hard £4,551,116 1st week 484 screens (30.2% of top 10)
Up 8.3% from 2012 (£13,615,154); Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (£1,340,000); Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (£372,205); #1 The Woman in Black £3,501,601 2nd week 433 screens 11% up (25% of top 10)
Down 15.7% from 2011 (£17,491,609); Paul (£5,517,121); Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (£1,433,778); Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (£820,592); Inside Job (£70,375); #1 Paul £5,517,121 1st week 429 screens (31.5% of top 10)
Up 19.4% from 2010: (£12,339,641); The Lovely Bones (£1,637,579); Solomon Kane (£611,886); Crazy Heart (£102,917); #1 Avatar £2,817,009 10th week (9 weeks #1 with week gap) 391 screens (22.8% of top 10)
Up 16.8% from 2009; (£12,615,837); Confessions of a Shopaholic (£2,846,622); Push (£625,300); Gran Torino (£332,877); Che: Part Two (£92,320); Cadillac Records (£16,093); #1 Bolt £3,006,050 2nd week 494 screens 45% drop (23.8% of top 10)
Up 50.1% from 2008; (£9,817,133); Jumper (£3,068,803); The Bucket List (£602,248); There Will Be Blood – expansion (£540,472); All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (£103,084); #1 Jumper £3,068,803 1st week 406 screens (32.2% of top 10)
Up 12.8% from 2007: (£13,071,799); Hot Fuzz (£5,918,149); Because I Said So (£400,987); The Science of Sleep (£130,139); Casablanca (re:06) (£29,446); #1 Hot Fuzz £5,918,149 1st week 427 screens (45.3% of top 10)
Up 68.7% from 2006; (£8,740,291); Casanova (£550,775); Aeon Flux (£512,426); Good Night, and Good Luck (£405,200); #1 Chicken Little £2,184,760 2nd week 515 screens 31% drop (25% of top 10)
Up 47.7% from 2005 (£9,981,514); Shall We Dance? (£1,080,140); Are We There Yet? (£887,814); In Good Company (£594,316); #1 Meet the Fockers £1,893,131 4th week 454 screens 36 drops (18.9% of top 10)
Up 58.1% from 2004 (£9,322,973); Cheaper by the Dozen (£1,817,148); The Haunted Mansion (£1,677,927); Looney Tunes: Back in Action (£926,447); Tooth (£209,049); #1 Cheaper by the Dozen £1,817,148 1st week 364 screens (19.5% of top 10)
Up 40.4% from 2003 (£10,500,986); Daredevil (£1,953,136); Treasure Planet (£888,084); The Hours (£616,573); Undercover Brother (£235,527); #1 Two Weeks’ Notice £2,189,331 2nd week 416 screens 17% drop (20.8% of top 10)
Down 1.4% from 2002 (£14,947,751); Ocean’s Eleven (£5,095,062); Ali (limited) (£125,573); #1 Monsters, Inc. £5,757,712 2nd week 504 screens 37% drop (38.5% of top 10)
2023 Next week: (£8,869,711); Cocaine Bear (£1,581,128); What’s Love Got To Do With It? (£1,082,163); #1 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania £3,049,939 2nd week 65% drop 681 screens (34.39% of top 10)
US Box Office
- Bob Marley: One Love – Paramount Pictures
Opened $28.65m and $52m over 6 days) received mixed reviews (37% Rotten Tomatoes) and A CinemaScore
Similar to UK openings weekend BO has been extended making comparisons difficult that said they still report Fri-Sun BO separately to extended openings unlike UK openings.
Took 20% from PLF screens.
Took $14m on Wednesday (Valentine’s Day) dropping 73% $3.85m on Thursday; previous biggest Valentine’s Day BO 2012’s The Vow ($11.5m)
One Love advance sales were outselling Madame Web by over 2 to 1 ahead of the opening which was expected given the negativity surrounding Madame Web and having One Love in the title of a film opening on Valentine’s Day.
Ahead of opening One Love was expected to open between $30m- $35m over 6 days.
668th biggest opening between Murder on the Orient Express and Titanic (close to Dark Shadows, Creed, Hairspray and Mamma Mia!)
2023’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody opened $4.7m taking $23.7m and $59.8m worldwide
2015’s Straight Outta Compton opened $60.2m taking $161.19m and $201.63m worldwide
2005’s Walk the Line opened $22.34m taking $119.51m and $186.79m worldwide
2022’s Elvis opened $31.21m taking $151.04m and $288.67m worldwide
2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody opened $51.06m taking $216.66m and $910.8m worldwide
2019’s Rocketman opened $25.72m taking $96.36m and $195.32m worldwide
2004’s Ray opened $20.03m taking $75.3m and $123.97m worldwide
Opened with $29m from 47 territories; UK $9.3m; France $5.5m; Australia $2m; Germany $1.8m; Brazil $1.8m.
- Madame Web – Sony Pictures
Opened $15.33m ($26m over 6 days); received poor reviews (14% Rotten Tomatoes) and C+ CinemaScore.
Took 35% off IMAX/PLF screens; (IMAX $3.1m)
Took $6m from Valentine’s Day and $2.2m on Thursday.
Madame Web starred Sydney Sweeney with almost 20m followers and had 424m views cross TikTok, Instagram, X and Facebook and YouTube.
It’s the fifth film over the last 9 years starring Dakota Johnson opening over Valentine’s Day weekend; 2015’s 50 Shades of Grey opened $85.17m taking $166.16m and $569.65m WW; 2016’s How to Be Single opened $17.87m taking $46.84m and $112.54m WW; 2017’s Fifty Shades Darker opened $46.6m taking $114.58m and $381.54m WW and 2018’s Fifty Shades Freed opened $38.56m taking $100.4m and $371.98m WW.
Madame Web had a budget of $80m far less than other recent comic-book movies.
Ahead of opening Madame Web was expected to open between $22m- $25m over 6 days.
While female comic-book films Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel have been huge hits their follow-ups haven’t; 2020’s Wonder Woman 1984 opened $16.7m taking $46.8m and $169.6m worldwide; 2023’s The Marvels opened $46.11m taking $84.5m and $206.08m worldwide.
Other Female-led comic-book films include.
2004’s Catwoman opened $16.72m taking $40.2m and $82.4m worldwide
2005’s Elektra opened $12.8m taking $24.4m and $56.99m worldwide
While other Spider-Man spinoffs
2022’s Morbius opened $39m taking $73.86m and $167.46m
2018’s Venom opened $80.25m taking $213.51m and $856.08m worldwide
2021’s Venom 2 opened $90.03m taking $213.55m and $506.86m worldwide
Opened with $25.7m from 61 territories; UK $2.9m; Mexico $2.9m; France $1.6m; Australia $1.5m; Germany $1.5m.
- Argylle – Universal Pictures
Dropped 22% in the third weekend $4.88m #3 and $36.63m.
2,441st biggest between The Nativity Story and The Fly; 3,704th biggest inflated between Arthur 2: On the Rocks and The Covenant; 448th biggest action film between The Dead Pool and The King’s Man; 318th biggest Universal Pictures film between Undercover Brother and Out of Sight.
Third weekends
2014’s Kingsman: The Secret Service dropped 35.2% $11.88m and $85.82m of $128.26m and $415.15m WW
2017’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle dropped 48.8% $8.67m and $80.53m of $100.23m and $410.9m WW
2021’s The King’s Man dropped 29.4% $3.22m and $25.04m of $37.17m and $125.9m WW
2022’s Bullet Train dropped 40.1% $8.02m and $69.01m of $103.36m and $240.6m WW
2022’s The Lost City dropped 38.6% $9.02m and $68.71m of $105.34m and $192.9m WW
2015’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E. dropped 39.4% $4.43m and $34.14m of $45.44m and $110.04m WW
2010’s Kick-Ass dropped 51.7% $4.51m and $42.22m of $48.07m and $96.83m WW
Took $4.2m from 81 territories $40m total and $77.55m worldwide.
2,241st biggest worldwide between Out of Sight and Kubo and the Two Strings; 515th biggest action film worldwide between Windtalkers and Money Train; 277th biggest Universal Pictures between Out of Sight and Candyman.
- Wonka – Warner Bros
Up 15% in its tenth weekend taking $3.51m #6 and $209.35m.
71st biggest tenth weekend between Finding Nemo and Minions: The Rise of Gru (close to As Good as It Gets, Sister Act, The Greatest Showman and Barbie)
210th biggest between It: Chapter Two and 300; 583rd inflated between Patriot Games and American Pie; 8th biggest 2023 between Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and John Wick: Chapter 4; 5th biggest musical between Sing and Coco; 39th biggest Warner Bros between It: Chapter Two and 300.
Took $7.8m from 74 territories $395.1m total and $605m worldwide; UK $78.7m; France $30.6m; Mexico $27.3m; Australia $25.8m; Germany $24.7m.
186th worldwide between Quantum of Solace and Men in Black; 9th biggest 2023 worldwide between Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and The Little Mermaid; 6th biggest musical worldwide between Sing and Mamma Mia! (overtaking Les Misérables $435.4m; La La Land $435.2m; The Greatest Showman $429.9m and close to 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s $474.96m worldwide; 29th biggest Warner Bros worldwide between Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Hangover Part II.
- Migration – Universal Pictures
Up 30% in the ninth weekend $3.82m #4 and $114.09m
97th biggest ninth weekend between Meet the Parents and Barbie (close to Aladdin (2019), The Little Mermaid (1989), Frozen II and Steel Magnolias).
104th biggest animation between Lightyear and Bolt; 637th biggest between Green Lantern and Notting Hill; 1,396th inflated between The Rocketeer and Poltergeist II: The Other Side; 22nd biggest 2023 between Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Scream VI; 93rd biggest Universal Pictures between 8 Mile and Notting Hill.
Eighth weekends
2022’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish dropped 4.3% $5.33m and $166.15m of $185,53m and $481.07m worldwide
2021’s Sing 2 dropped 7.3% $2.84m and $147.36m of $162.72m and $408.4m
The 13 Illumination Entertainment films have taken $3.84bn in the US and $9.69bn worldwide.
Took $7m from 79 territories $140m total and $256.74m worldwide.
115th biggest animation worldwide between Robots and The Bad Guys; 664th worldwide between Annabelle and Rush Hour 3; 88th biggest Universal Pictures between Erin Brockovich and Us.
- Anyone But You – Sony Pictures
Down 9% in its ninth weekend $2.4m #8 taking $84.7m.
235th biggest ninth weekend between Hoodwinked and Sense and Sensibility (close to Gone Girl, Field of Dreams, Stand by Me and Bohemian Rhapsody).
977th biggest between Aliens and Open Season; 1,942nd biggest inflated between Can’t Buy Me Love and Step Up 2 the Streets; 30th biggest 2023 between The Nun II and The Marvels; 36th biggest rom-com between Along Came Polly and While You Were Sleeping (close to The Ugly Truth, Failure to Launch, What Happens in Vegas and Yesterday); 127th biggest Sony Pictures between Fury and Open Season.
Other rom coms
It’s been called a sorta sequel to 1997’s My Best Friend’s Wedding dropped 26.8% $1.61m and $116.08m of $127.12m and $299.28m worldwide) as it features Dermot Mulroney and Rachel Griffiths as parents of Sydney Sweeney (aged 26). The film has been compared to Much Ado About Nothing and 1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You took $38.17m and $53.47m worldwide.
Will Gluck’s films took $565m in the US and $1.06bn worldwide.
2010’s Easy A took $58.4m and $76.2m worldwide; 2011’s Friends with Benefits $55.8m and $146.59m worldwide; 2014’s Annie $85.91m and $139.82m worldwide; 2018’s Peter Rabbit took $115.23m and $346.72m worldwide and 2021’s Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway $40.5m and $150.97m worldwide
Took $7.8m from 50 territories total $104.2m and $189.3m worldwide; Australia $13.7m; UK $12.6m; Germany $10.3m; Mexico $6.8m; Italy $5.6m.
976th biggest worldwide between Mr. Poppers’ Penguins and The X Files: Fight the Future; 40th biggest 2023 between The Marvels and Insidious: The Red Door; 36th biggest rom-com between 50 First Dates and While You Were Sleeping (close to The Ugly Truth, Two Weeks’ Notice, He’s Just Not That Into You and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days); 126th biggest Sony Pictures between The Equalizer 2 and In the Line of Fire.
UK Box Office Top 10
UK Box Office Preview
Bob Marley: One Love will drop about 60% in its second weekend taking £2.4m-£2.8m down 30% not including previews.
After half-term inflated BO for Migration over the last two weeks its fourth weekend will drop about 40% due to a big drop off on Friday; taking £1.5m-£1.8m.
Madame Web will drop about 70% in its second weekend similar to Mobius’s drop of 77% taking £600k-£800k.
As all other films are likely to drop off Demon Slayer could open similar to previous 2023’s Kimetsu No Yaiba £567,638 #6 from 240 screens and Wicked Little Letters could find an audience as the British cast including Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley and Timothy Spall could spark some interest. While NT Live’s Vanya has encore screenings over the weekend after its shows on Thursday. BAFTA winners Poor Things and The Zone of Interest will see increases but will they be enough to squeeze back into the top 10? BAFTA and Oscar winners used to get a big BO boost.
Opening in two weeks
- Drive-Away Dolls – Universal Pictures
Comedy road film starring Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp, and Matt Damon and directed by Ethan Coen. It’s the first film Ethan Coen has made without his brother and the script was written by Ethan’s wife.
Ethan and his wife first pitched the film in the early 00s as Drive-Away Dykes with a tone similar to 1970s exploitation romance films Selma Blair, Holly Hunter, Christina Applegate, and Chloë Sevign were attached over the years and in 2022 it was announced Ethan would direct the film and be his first without his brother Joel.
It was originally due to be released in September but was delayed to March due to the SAG/WGA strike, had it opened in September it would have surely premiered at Venice or Toronto Film Festivals.
The trailers make it look like a Lesbian Thelma & Louise; it has a tight 84-minute running time.
It’s the 40th anniversary of Blood Simple the first film made by the Coen Brothers in 1984.
It’s the first cinema release from Coen’s since 2016’s Hail, Caesar! As their last film 2018’s The Ballad of Buster Scruggs was made for Netflix.
Recent Coen Brothers films include.
2016’s Hail, Caesar! Opened £1,520,788 #2 484 screens taking £4,608,681.
2013’s Inside Llewyn Davis opened £718,401 #6 206 screens taking £2,062,657
2011’s True Grit opened £1,823,254 #4 372 screens taking £7,949,078
But Drive Away Dolls looks quirkier similar to their earlier films.
1996’s Fargo opened £141,165 59 screens (£302,169 inflated) taking £1,522,639 (£3,259,271 inflated)
1998’s The Big Lebowski opened £126,360 64 screens (£248,330 inflated) taking £1,541,122 (£3,028,706 inflated)
2000’s O Brother, Where Art Thou? Opened £563,900 132 screens (£1,078,765 inflated) taking £2,232,468 (£4,270,808 inflated)
While 1991’s Thelma & Louise opened £374,093 from 193 screens (£977,827 inflated) taking £3,161,118 (£8,262,724 inflated)
- Fight Club (25th Anniversary) – Park Circus
Thriller starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf and Jared Leto and directed by David Fincher based on the 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk.
It was originally due for release in July 1999, but 20th Century Fox bosses didn’t like the film after seeing early footage and its release date was delayed several times from July 1999 to October opening $11.03m #1 taking $37.03m and $101.2m worldwide. Like many adult dramas, it performed far stronger internationally than in the US and was made by Fox 2000 they produced many original films for the studio but sadly closed immediately after Disney acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019.
The film premiered at Venice Film Festival receiving positive reviews, but some were concerned that it would incite copycat behaviour as seen after the opening of A Clockwork Orange in the UK seeing the film being banned in the UK for decades.
1999’s Fight Club opened £1,177,219 from 322 screens (£2,214,626 inflated) taking £5,018,967 (£9,441,857 inflated)
cigarette burns and missed changeovers 