UK Box Office August 12th-14th 2022; Nope it wasn’t the weather

1. Nope  – £1,859,337    – NE

Took £720k from Friday 39% of the opening and 10.1% (£187,639) from 50 IMAX cinemas

895^th biggest opening in the UK between Beverly Hills Cop III and Wolf (close to Edge of Tomorrow, Hereditary, Jigsaw and Aliens) and 1,259^th biggest inflation inflated between Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and The Santa Clause 2 (close to The Chronicles of Riddick, The Hills Have Eyes, Zombieland and Sinister); 4.2% of US opening $44,366,910 similar to Us.

53^rd biggest horror opening between Hereditary and Jigsaw (close to The Conjuring, Annabelle: Creation, The First Purge and Dracula Untold) and 84^th biggest inflation-inflated horror between The Hills Have Eyes and Sinister (close to Insidious, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, Evil Dead and Ouija).

Jordan Peele’s third film after Get Out and Us, while Nope received positive reviews (82% on Rotten Tomatoes) audience reaction has been poorer (68% audience score) this has been seen by the film dropping over 50% in its second and third weekends in the US.

Jordan Peele films don’t travel well internationally taking 70% of their BO in the US.

2019’s Us opened £2,766,839 3.7% of US ($71.11m) taking £9,071,603 5.2% of $175.08m; #1 Captain Marvel £3.4m 2^nd week

2017’s Get Out opened £2,160,099 6.5% of US ($33.37m) taking £10,053,463 5.7% of ($176.2m); #1 Beauty and the Beast £19.7m 1^st week

Almost every week a record is broken for the widest opening but these films don’t need to open so wide, as these films would probably take similar BO opening third fewer screens and then more screenings will be much busier. If distributors had faith in their films they wouldn’t feel the need to go as wide as possible as the film would have long legs, but after Nope dropped 50%+ in its second and third weekends in the US despite positive reviews it was likely to do similar in the UK despite little competition next weekend.

Many will blame the disappointing opening on the hot weather but the film would have opened a similar amount if the weekend was a washout.

Much was made in the US that Nope had the biggest opening for an original film in the US but Jordan Peele films have become a brand similar to M. Night Shyamalan and their BO has been similar to those who went to see Get Out will have also seen Us and will also see Nope, but Nope gets an advantage as it opens in IMAX/PLF screens, so would expect it to open bigger than Get Out and Us but it will likely open similar to Get Out.

Exhibitors will blame the weather for Nope opening lower than expected after another weekend with temperatures into the 90s again, but studios have been opening their biggest films of the year in the summer for decades, this weekend over the last 35+ years have seen films including Batman, Waterworld, True Lies, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, American Pie: The Wedding, The Bourne Supremacy, Rush Hour 3, The Meg and Free Guy.  As most films now open day and date in the US it means that August has become a similar slowdown in the UK as the US despite August being a lucrative month for cinemagoing in the UK with many British films opening instead.

Attached to the front of IMAX screenings of Nope will be the trailer of Christopher Nolan’s ensemble Oppenheimer.

Played on 50 IMAX screens in the UK but Vue Printworks Manchester is the only IMAX cinema in the UK that will screen the film in the full 1.43 IMAX format; 49 minutes was shot in IMAX.

• 2. Bullet Train   –  £909,267 – £5,062,175

Took £270k on Friday 30% of the opening

Down 68.7% in its second weekend (down 45% not including previews)

1,025th biggest second weekend between Rocknrolla and Gosford Park (close to The Usual Suspects, Olympus Has Fallen, The King’s Man and 12 Monkeys) and 1,274^th biggest artificially inflated between Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 and Alexander (close to Get Hard, Smokin’ Aces, White House Down and Training Day).

138^th biggest action film between Bad Boys and The Huntsman: Winter’s War (close to John Wick: Chapter Two, Ride Along 2, This Means War and Unstoppable) and 169^th biggest inflation inflated between Pacific Rim: Uprising and Ride Along (close to Skyscraper, White House Down, The Expendables 3 and Atomic Blonde).

Received mixed reviews (57% Rotten Tomatoes) compared to early Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie films thinking it’s far cleverer than it really is and has seen it all before in films like John Wick.

2017’s Atomic Blonde dropped 70% £500,923 #8 (56% without previews) taking £3,063,918 (stayed in top 15 for 2 weeks)

2019’s Hobbs & Shaw dropped 54% £2,938,833 #2 (40% without previews) taking £12,801,580 62.6% of £20,448,914

Comparisons have been made with John Wick

2017’s John Wick: Chapter Two dropped 49% £1,146,520 #4 (42% without previews) and £4,443,479 77% of £5,766,633 65.

2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum dropped 60.2% £1,416,278 #4 (48% without previews) and £6,246,151 65.1% of £9,587,828

2010’s Kick-Ass dropped 69% £1,191,069 #3 and £7,001,080 81% of £11,528,933 (£15,656,097 inflation inflated)

2013’s Kick-Ass 2 dropped 75% £613,817 #7 (59% without previews) and £4,230,695 84% of £5,055,634

2014’s Lucy dropped 37% £1,972,039 #1 and £8,006,914 56.7% of £14,129,734

2003’s Kill Bill Volume 1 dropped 34% £1,786,168 (£3,250,504 inflation inflated) and £6,279,077 54% of £11,453,044 (£21,149,511 inflation inflated); the film never was #1 due to Finding Nemo

2004’s Kill Bill Volume 2 dropped 47% £1,456,152 #1 (38% without previews) (£2,620,425 inflation inflated) £5,602,620 62.1% of £9,024,046 (£16,239,263 inflation inflated)

1,240^th biggest film between The Prince of Egypt and Kick-Ass 2 (close to S.W.A.T, Bad Boys, Good Morning Vietnam and Backdraft) and 1,479^th biggest inflation inflated between The Predator and The Lone Ranger (close to Behind Enemy Lines, White House Down, Gemini Man and The Peacemaker).

• 3         DC League of Super-Pets    – £831,799 – £8,208,504

Took £280k from Friday 34% of the opening

Third weekend

2022’s The Bad Guys dropped 28% £807,369 #6 from 654 screens and £7,587,779 56.3% of £13,478,928

2021’s Space Jam: A New Legacy dropped 8%  £1,286,798 from 634 screens and £6,569,403 51.1% of £12,856,287; took 9.43x opening

2021’s The Croods 2: A New Age up 2% £893,054 from 638 screens and £4,204,385 42.1% of £10m; took 14.36x opening

2018’s Smallfoot £1,577,531 up 10% #4 from 639 screens and £7,691,245 70.3% of £10,932,839

2016’s Storks down 7% £622,261 #7 from 554 screens and £5,236,659 78.1% of £6,703,174

It’s hard to make direct comparisons with other animated films as being DC it won’t play to a similar audience as other animated films, that said The LEGO Batman Movie played across audiences, but that was of course helped by the hugely popular The LEGO Movie opening a couple of years earlier.

The combination of superheroes and pets should have been a winning combination before as has been family films about pets many times before in the UK BO. But the issue was it targeted the same audience as Minions The Rise of Gru, this was also one of the reasons why Lightyear was disappointed at the BO, why release three animated films targetting boys so close to each other?

The problem was also several other animated films that could have been released this summer were sold to streaming sites like Luck which was made by Skydance Productions and due to be released by Paramount but was sold last year to Apple.

While Warner brought forward the release of the film after production delays on Black Adam which was originally due to open at the end of July. What didn’t help DC League of Super-Pets is that it was targeting the same audience as Minions: The Rise of Gru

• 4         Minions: The Rise of Gru  – £755,042    – £38,566,832

Took £260k from Friday 34.3% of weekend BO

Down 32% in its seventh weekend; took £103,777 more than Minions (£1,007,186) and £78,477 less than Despicable Me 3 (£1,189,440) and £178,487 less than Despicable Me 2 (£1,289,450).

4th biggest film of 2022 is The Batman and Jurassic World Dominion; the 7th 2022 release takes £30m+ and the 8th film this year to take £30m+ as in 2022 Spider-Man No Way Home took £44m of its BO 2022.

The 11 Illumination Entertainment films have taken £350m since the first Despicable Me opened in 2010 and £400m worldwide inflation inflated; upcoming Mario opening in April 2023, Migration in June 2023 and Despicable Me 4 July 2024.

82^nd biggest film between Fifty Shades of Grey and Fast & Furious 7 (close to Peter Rabbit, Inside Out, Shrek The Third and Paddington) and 206^th biggest inflation inflated between Tomorrow Never Dies and A View to A Kill (close to Ratatouille, The Secret Life of Pets, Madagascar and Monsters University).

12^th biggest Universal Pictures film between Fifty Shades of Grey and Fast & Furious 7 (close to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Les Miserables, Jurassic World Dominion and Sing 2) and 14^th biggest inflation-inflated Universal Pictures film between The Secret Life of Pets and Ted.

13^th biggest animated film between Inside Out and The Simpsons (close to Finding Dory, Frozen, Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc.) and 33^rd biggest inflation-inflated animated film between The Secret Life of Pets and Madagascar (close to Aladdin, Shark Tale, Madagascar and Ice Age: Continental Drift).

Seventh weekends

2017’s Despicable Me 3 dropped 37% taking £751,380 #5 from 586 screens and £41,630,395 87.6% of £47,562,575; #1 Dunkirk £2,634,839 4th week; #4 The Emoji Movie £1,189,438 2nd week

2015’s Minions dropped 49% taking £516,174 #7 from 559 screens and £41,803,599 87.9% of £47,645,626; #1 Fantastic Four £2,686,176 1st week; #2 Inside Out £1,957,627 3rd week

2013’s Despicable Me 2 dropped 28% taking £922,390 #6 from 500 screens and £40,819,971 86.1% of £47,436,199; #1 Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa £2,175,850 1st week; #6 Monsters University £1,200,912 5th wk.; The Smurfs 2 £1,137,593 2nd wk.; very strong weekend with 7 taking £1m+ and 11 £900k+ showing what a mid-August should be which hasn’t been this year

2010’s Despicable Me dropped 7% taking £241,944 #6 from 487 screens and £19,394,633 98.6% of £19,670,786; #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 1 £8,344,776 2nd week

If Minions: The Rise of Gru holds like Minions and Despicable Me 3 it should take about £45m

• 5. Thor Love and Thunder – £535,839   – £34,562,340   

Took £165k from Friday 31% of weekend BO

Down 42.9% in its sixth weekend; has taken 2.8x opening close to Black Panther x2.9 and Blade Widow x2.7) close to Captain Marvel, Spider-Man: No Way Home (x2.6), Iron Man 2 and Eternals.

Blade Widow, Iron Man 2 and Eternals and stronger than Thor took 2.54x; Thor: The Dark World 2.3x and Thor: Ragnarok 2.5x boosted from summer holidays.

12^th biggest MCU sixth weekend between Shang-Chi and Spider-Man Homecoming (close to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, Thor: Ragnorok, Iron Man 2 and Doctor Strange 2).

Took £42,767 less than Thor: Ragnarok (£578,606) and £370,822 more than Thor: The Dark (£165,017);

20^th biggest comic-book movie in the UK between Men In Black and Spider-Man 3 (close to Captain America: Civil War, Batman Vs Superman, Deadpool 2 and Thor: Ragnarok) and 32^nd biggest inflation inflated between Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1 (close to Hancock, Man of Steel, Superman III and X-Men: The Last Stand).

108^th biggest in the UK (136th to take £30m+) between Ice Age III and Up (close to Die Another Day, Inception, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Spider-Man 3) and 244^th biggest inflation inflated between Three Men and a Little Lady and Wall·E (close to Forrest Gump, Sherlock Holmes, Pretty Woman and The Fugitive).

5th biggest 2022 between Jurassic World: Dominion and Jurassic World Dominion

The 29 MCU films have taken £985m since 2008 (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will see MCU take over £1bn in the UK) and over £1.2bn inflation inflated.

After 6 weeks has taken over 90% of BO and will take about £37m 10th biggest MCU film similar to Captain Marvel, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Iron Man 3 and Captain America: Civil War, but after the huge BO of Spider-Man No Way Home and Doctor Strange 2 taking £42m, £40m must be the minimum expected for an MCU film now

Sixth weekends

2017’s Thor:Ragnorok dropped 4% £578,606 #6 375 screens taking £30,194,221 97.6% of £30,936,228 #1 Paddington 2 £2,883,617 4th week second weekend #1 split over 4 weeks

2013’s Thor: The Dark World dropped 61% £165,017 #9 244 screens taking £19,572,482 97.4% of £20.1m; #1 Frozen £4,704,940 1st week

2011’s Thor dropped 82% £59,994 #10 141 screens taking £13,849,095 99.9% of £13,854,712; #1 X-Men: First Class £5,438,386 1st week

After 6 weeks Thor: Love and Thunder is the 12^th biggest MCU film between Iron Man 3 and Spider-Man: Far From Home (close to Captain America: Civil War, Iron Man 3, Captain Marvel, Thor: Ragnarok and Spider-Man Homecoming).

Having a 45-day theatrical window (as was Doctor Strange 2) expected to be released on Disney+ on August 23^rd. Showing again that 45-day windows have no impact on films people want to see in cinemas, but what it does mean is that there isn’t a gap between the end of theatrical release, normally week 7 and then the VOD release date.

Cinema News

Comic-book movies, while good for boosting BO, aren’t healthy for cinema-going as they cannibalise BO and due to that rival studios are weary to open major releases in the weeks afterwards. The current BO slowdown started on July 15 the week after Thor Love and Thunder, there have been similar slowdowns in the weeks after other MCU films as rivals keep their distance. Compared this to three weeks after Doctor Strange 2 Top Gun Maverick opened May 27 was the start of a run of 6 strong weeks before Thor Love and Thunder opened 7 weeks later. This was because alongside Top Gun Maverick there was a mix of other films targeting all demographics and success as they helped each other find audiences with Baz Luhrman’s Elvis taking almost £24m. 

This of course was the issue with Tenet touted as the saviour of cinema in the summer of 2020 despite all other films being delayed as exhibitors believed Christopher Nolan’s delusions of grandeur that he could save cinema all on his own despite all his other films all being successful as they opened in a crowded marketplace. Tenet needed other films to play against as it was never going to be big or strong enough to do it alone.

Cineworld saw their share price drop by 40% blaming a poor upcoming slate for soft admissions despite the last year heralding the 2022 slate, that said everyone has known that from August to November the slate was softer than in previous years so in knowing this sure industry needs to find ways to get audiences into cinemas during the slowdown. Exhibitors do behave like little children, always blaming others for their failing as they are always looking at the short-term with their actions as they look for easy options. 

While there might not be many must-see movies over the next few months there are still many others that deserve to be seen in cinemas and it’s down to exhibitors to work with studios to get audiences into cinemas to see them as the thing about movies is as William Goldman famously said ‘Nobody knows anything…… Not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what’s going to work. Every time out it’s a guess and, if you’re lucky, an educated one.’ This is especially true being the 25th anniversary of the opening of The Full Monty in two weeks’ time and the 11th anniversary of The Inbetweeners Movie next week neither film was expected to be the success they became but audiences came to see them and returned repeatedly. While it’s unlikely there will ever be another The Full Monty, we shouldn’t write off the film’s opening between now and Black Panther: Wakanda as there could be films there that could surprise, and they need help to find their audience.

Something that has been missing from cinema for the last decade as films don’t get the chance to find their audience anymore, they have wider and wider openings and if they don’t find their audience in the opening weekend their release gets cut back immediately.

Had the second lowest week 32 top 10 of the last 21 years only 2020 affected with COVID and 2002 by 1% took more highlighting how soft BO has been in August and is unlikely to improve much for the last two weekends of the month. Summer started very strongly in May and June but the slowdown started the week after Thor Love and Thunder as there weren’t the must-see films that are normally released as the big summer films were front-loaded. Normally late July and August are strong in the UK due to the summer holidays but as the majority of films are day and date with the US there weren’t films in July and August. This has allowed over the last 20+ years British films to find success as the marketplace isn’t as crowded.

10- days after the Black Panther sequel opens is tyhe start of the Qatar World Cup the first time the World Cup isn’t in the summer and previous World Cup’s have had an impact on cinema and only need to see the stats to realise the same will happen this year.

3.572 billion people over 50% of the world’s population saw some of Russia 2018 with 191 million watching each game worldwide and 1.12bn watched the World Cup Final worldwide with 26.5m in the UK with England games watched by up to 20m. The two major releases during the World Cup are Black Panther 2 and Avatar 2 (opening 3 days before the Final) both targeting the same audience of males under 35 who will be watching the World Cup Final.

Normally studios have opened films early during the World Cup as Edge of Tomorrow and Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom or are delayed as Transformers: Age of Extinction and Ant-Man and the Wasp, but that’s not possible this time. The films that will perform well during the World Cup will be Strange World and Matilda.

Looking longer term wnhat will have a massive impact on cinema will be the Los Angeles World Cup in 2026 from June 8th to July 3rd, the US previously held the World Cup in 1994 but football has become much more popular over the years since , so will be interesting to see what studios do as being in Los Angeles they won’t be able to aviod it. While those deates are prime cinemagoing weeks. Internationally films can be held back to later in July as they have done in previous years.

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £6,488,377 down 25.8% from last weekend’s £8,741,052

910^th biggest top 10 of the last 21 years (out of 1,061) between 01 April 2011 #1 HOP £1,392,740 (21.5% of top 10) and 10 September 2021 #1 Shang-Chi £3,583,848 (55.2% of top 10) and 1,013^th biggest inflation inflated between 23 July 2021 #1 Black Widow £1,410,288 (23.2% of top 10) and 02 July 2021 #1 Fast & Furious 9 £2,681,393 (44.8% of top 10)

The weekend admissions were 796,088 down 23.7% from last week’s 1,044,114

Have increased the average ticket price from £7.52 to £8.07 up 7.44% due to the UKCA website reporting admissions for June 2022 11.86m while CinemaScore reported BO for June was £95.8m and to get the average ticket price divide BO by admissions. Being a 7.4% increase makes it impossible to make any direct comparisons with any other films released pre-pandemic.

Top 3 took £3,600,400 55.5% of the top 10; Nope 28.7% (£1,859,337); Bullet Train 14% (£909,264); DC League of Super-Pets 12.8% (£831,799);

Down 27% from 2021 (£8,885,507); Free Guy (£2,477,891); The Paw Patrol Movie (£2,410,496); Don’t Breathe 2 (£349,702); The Courier (£339,020); #1 Free Guy £2,477,891 1st week from 627 screens  (27.9% of top 10)

Up 691.5% from 2020 (£819,747); Inception (10th Anniversary) (£207,675); Pinocchio (£108,626); Babyteeth (£38,977); The Fast And The Furious (Re: 2020) (£8,306); #1 Inception (10th Anniversary) £207,675 1st weekend 313 screens (20.8% of top 10)

Down 48.6% from 2019 (£12,630,683); Blinded by the Light (£966,095); Playmobil (£376,296); Bring the Soul: The Movie (Concert) (£237,537); The Art of Racing in the Rain (£197,009); #1 The Lion King £4,366,824 down 16% 4th week 714 screens

Down 60.5% from 2018: (£16,439,374); The Meg (£3,651,111); The Darkest Minds (£388,325); Dog Days (£59,223); Heathers (30th Anniversary) (£43,462); Pope Francis – A Man of His Word (£21,593); #1 The Meg £3,651,111 1st week 499 screens (22.2% of top 10)

Down 39.1% from 2017: (£10,664,274); Annabelle: Creation (£1,960,203); Atomic Blonde (£1,686,430); The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature (£354,276); A Ghost Story (£133,899); Overdrive (£60,043); Step (£5,039); #1 Dunkirk £2,634,839 4th week 677 screens 43% drop (24.7% of top 10)

Down 52.5% from 2016: (£13,670,811); Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (£1,068,522); Pete’s Dragon (£844,090); Nerve (£803,457); The Shallows (£800,963); Wiener-Dog (£86,423); #1 Suicide Squad £4,241,508 2nd week 587 screens 62% drop (31.1% of the top 10)

Down 42.4% from 2015; (£11,265,417); Pixels (£2,660,772); The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (£1,448,298); Trainwreck (£931,981); Absolutely Anything (£487,147); Mistress America (£164,691); Precinct Seven Five (£21,441); #1 Pixels £2,660,772 1st week 511 screens (23.6% of top 10)

Down 44.3% from 2014: (£11,641,259); The Expendables 3 (£1,689,927); Hector and the Search for Happiness (£240,222); The Rover (£73,696); Blood Ties (£20,258); #1 The Inbetweeners 2 £4,309,832 2nd week 509 screens 66% drop (37.1% of top 10)

Down 55.3% from 2013: (£14,517,689); Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (£2,175,850); Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (£2,137,835); Grown Ups 2 (£2,075,831); The Lone Ranger (£1,342,196); Barbie Mariposa & The Fairy Princess (£33,161); #1 Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa £2,175,850 1st week 441 screens (14.9% of top 10)

Down 24.1% from 2012 (£8,544,393); Step-Up 4: Miami Heat (£680,052); Offender (£74,154); The Lodger (Re: 2012) (£30,131); 360 (£25,834); The Dinosaur Project (£7,586); #1 Ted £3,174,766 2nd week 513 screens 66% drop (37.1% of top 10)

Down 59.9% from 2011 (£16,161,288); Rise of the Planet of the Apes (£5,835,140); The Smurfs (£3,778,085); The Devil’s Double (£318,512);  #1 Rise of the Planet of the Apes £5,835,140 1st week 488 screens

Down 48.3% from 2010: (£12,550,727); The Last Airbender (£1,653,776); The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (£1,140,532); Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (£288,544); The Secret in Their Eyes (£85,467); Black Dynamite (£6,400); #1 Toy Story 3 £4,666,021 4th week 569 screens 32% drop (25.2% of top 10)

Down 21.3% from 2009; (£8,247,544); The Time Traveller’s Wife (£1,410,333); Aliens in the Attic (£1,323,575); Bandslam (£628,957); A Perfect Getaway (£418,703); Imagine That (£109,722); #1 The Time Traveller’s Wife £1,410,333 1st week 425 screens (17.1% of top 10)

Down 57.7% from 2008; (£15,353,692); The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (£4,434,650); Make it Happen (£505,820); The Fox and the Child (£132,441); Elegy (£71,274); Death Defying Acts (£3,977); CJ7 (£437); #1 The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor £4,434,650 1st week 477 screens (28.8% of top 10)

Down 34% from 2007:(£9,824,857); Rush Hour 3 (£2,731,998); Surf’s Up (£601,289); License to Wed (£268,016); Waitress (£105,910); The Walker (£44,623); #1 Rush Hour 3 £2,731,998 1st week 359 screens (27.8% of top 10)

Down 23.9% from 2006; (£8,521,761); Monster House (£1,030,305); Nacho Libre (£993,948); Lady in the Water (£452,744); #1 Cars £1,340,219 3rd week (2 weeks #1) 498 screens 27% drop (15.7% of top 10)

Down 23.3% from 2005 (£8,464,617); The Island (£1,481,647); Crash (£818,604); The Perfect Catch (£272,285); The Bad News Bears (£45,514); #1 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory £2,886,352 3rd week 523 screens 35% drop (34.1% of top 10)

Down 29.5% from 2004 (£9,205,066); The Bourne Supremacy (£2,720,016); Catwoman (£557,583); Yu-Gi-Oh (£112,980); #1 The Bourne Supremacy £2,720,016 1st week 418 screens (29.5% of top 10)

Down 38.4% from 2003 (£10,523,339); American Pie: The Wedding (£4,151,788); Freddy vs. Jason (£785,870); #1 American Pie: The Wedding £4,151,788 1st 426 screens (39.4% of top 10)

Up 1% from 2002 (£6,423,296); The Sum Of All Fears (£1,144,501); Spy Kids 2 (£1,069,090); #1 Men In Black 2 £3,106,105 3rd week 489 screens 55% drop (21.8% of top 10)

Down 32.5% from 2001 (£9,615,584); The Parole Officer (£902,028); Help! I am a Fish (£81,908); #1 Cats and Dogs £2,813,072 2nd week 453 screens 24% drop (29.2% of top 10);

Next weekend 2021 (£7,486,527); People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan (£896,992); Snake Eyes (£542,265); The Night House (£315,610); Reminiscence (£260,272); Around The World In 80 Days (£120,726); Pig (£47,976); #1 Free Guy £2,267,660 2^nd week 11% drop 652 screens (30.3% of top 10)

US Box Office

• Bullet Train – Sony Pictures

Dropped 55% in its second weekend taking $13.4m and $54.48m

803^rd biggest second weekend between Hannah Montana: The Movie and Freddy vs. Jason (close to John Carter, The Expendables 2, Training Day and Fury.

Comparable second weekend drops Nope 58%; Minions: The Rise of Gru 57%; Ambulance 53%; The Lost City 52% and Scream 59%

1,638^th biggest between Three Billboards Outside and Horrible Bosses 2; 2,543^rd biggest inflation inflated between Savages and My Favourite Year; 218^th biggest Sony Pictures between Starship Troopers and Evil Dead; 23^rd biggest 2022 film between Jackass Forever and Death on the Nile.

Weekend BO was $66m the lowest of the summer and the lowest since April 29^th and the next two weekends will be similar to last year’s $59.07m and $57.6m with weekend BO not likely to top last year until November 11^th in 11 weeks when Black Adam opens.

Second weekends

2017’s Atomic Blonde dropped 55.4% taking $8.15m and $34.03m of $51.68m 51.7% of global BO $100.01m

2019’s Hobbs & Shaw dropped 57.9% taking $25.26m and $108.37m of $173.95m 22.9% of the global $759.05m

Brad Pitt’s films have taken almost $2bn in the US and $5.08bn worldwide

2005’s Mr and Mrs Smith dropped 48.3% taking $26.03m and $96.69m of $186.33m 38.2% of global $487.28m

And ensembles including the Ocean Eleven trilogy, Inglourious Basterds, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Interview with the Vampire, The Big Short, Sleepers and The Lost City (cameo)

2014’s Kingsman: Secret Service -49.3% $18.34m and $67.92m of $128.26m 51% of global $414.35m

2014’s John Wick -44.5% $7.9m and $27.53m of $43.03m 50% of global $86.08m

2017’s John Wick: Chapter Two -46.7% $16.21m and $58.4m of $92.02m 53.6% of global $171.54m

2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum -56.7% $24.58m and $101.22m of $171.01m 52.3% of global $327.28m

2010’s Kick-Ass -52.9% $9.34m and $34.7m of $48.07m 50% of global $96.18m

2013’s Kick-Ass 2 -67.2% $4.37m of $22.52m of $28.79m 47.4% of global $60.79m

2014’s Lucy -58.4% $18.25m and $79.53m of $126.6m 27.6% of the global $458.86m

2003’s Kill Bill Part 1 -43.7% $12.5m and $43.3m of $70.09m 58.7% of global $180.9m

2004’s Kill Bill Part 2 -59.4% $10.4m and $43m of $66.2m 43% of global $154.11m

Took $17m (dropped 40%) from 61 territories $60m total and $114.5m worldwide; taken $6.4m worldwide from IMAX; totals UK $6m; France $3.1m Mexico $5.4m; Australia $4.1m; Saudi Arabia $3.6m; Spain $3.6m.

• DC League of Super-Pets – Warner Bros

Dropped 37% in its third weekend taking $7m and $58.18m

163^rd biggest animated film between Anastasia and The Boss Baby: Family Business; 1,990^th biggest film between Frequency and Medicine Man; 1,506^th biggest inflation inflated between Ali and Without a Paddle; 21^st biggest 2022 between Dog and Jackass Forever; 245^th biggest Warner Bros film between Tomb Raider and Demolition Man.

Third weekends

The Bad Guys dropped 41% taking $9.57m and $57.37m of and $96.67m and $245.67m worldwide

2001’s Cats and Dogs dropped 43.4% taking $6.81m and $72.42m of $93.38m and $200.68m worldwide

2016’s Storks dropped 38.5% taking $18.29m and $49.96m of $72.67m and $183.38m worldwide

2017’s The LEGO Ninjago Movie dropped 39.9% taking $7m and $44.07m of $59.36m and $123.16m worldwide

2018’s Smallfoot dropped 37% taking $9.06m and $57.37m of $83.31m and $214.11 worldwide

Took $7.7m (dropped 38%) taking $51.4m internationally from 69 territories and $109.7m worldwide; UK $9.9m; Mexico $5.5m and France $4m; Spain $2.9m 

189^th biggest animation film worldwide between Hoodwinked and Planet 51; 1,584^th biggest film worldwide between Sideways and Porky’s; 28^th biggest 2022 worldwide between Nope and Everything Everywhere All At Once; 240^th biggest Warner film worldwide between The Dukes of Hazzard and Fool’s Gold.

• Nope – Universal Pictures

Dropped 37% in its fourth weekend taking $5.36m and $107.58m

923^rd biggest 4^th weekend between Robin Hood and Bugsy (close to Edge of Tomorrow, The Black Phone, X-Men: Apocalypse and Waterworld).

682^nd biggest film between Baby Driver and A League of Their Own; 1,267^th biggest inflation inflated between Halloween: H2O and White Nights; 19^th biggest horror between Paranormal Activity and Interview with the Vampire; 100^th biggest Universal Pictures film between Hop and Robin Hood; 11^th biggest 2022 film between Lightyear and The Lost City.

Universal Pictures on Sunday became the first studio since 2019 to top $3bn worldwide (taking $1.76bn internationally) from 11 films including Jurassic World: Dominion taking $974.5m worldwide; Minions: The Rise of Gru $790.4m; The Bad Guys $245m; The Black Phone $152.7m; Nope $114m; Downton Abbey: A New Era $92m; The Northman $68.7m and Ambulance $51.3m;

Get Out $4.5m budget, Us $20m and Nope $68m, Us made a $119m profit and Get Out $124.8m, Nope will make far less profit than the other two films.

EntTelligence reported the average ticket price of $13.21

Fourth weekends

2017’s Get Out dropped 35.2% taking $13.43m and $133.3m 75.7% of $176.19m and $255.74m worldwide

2019’s Us dropped 50.6% taking $6.81m and $163.36m 93.3% of $175.08m and $255.18m worldwide

Jordan Peele films don’t travel well taking 70% of their global BO in the US and that will be likely for Nope.

Opened with $6.3m from 19 territories showing again that Jordon Peele films don’t travel internationally and Nope wasn’t helped opening three weeks after the US allowing spoilers to ruin the “twist” hidden from the trailers talking $113.9m worldwide; UK $2.15m; Australia $1.25m; France $1.12m; will open in more territories over the next few weeks

• Thor: Love and Thunder – Disney

Dropped 33% in the sixth weekend taking $5.31m and $325.39m

272^nd 6^th biggest weekend between Armageddon and The Big Short (close to Suicide Squad, Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man: Far from Home and Deadpool 2).

76^th biggest film between It and Suicide Squad (overtaking Thor: Ragnarok #85 $315m and Iron Man 2 #86 $312.4m; 193^rd inflation inflated between Deadpool 2 and The Santa Clause; 6th biggest 2022 film between Minions: The Rise of Gru and Sonic the Hedgehog 2; 25th biggest comic-book film between Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad; 32^nd biggest Disney film between Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok.

Sixth weekends

2017’s Thor Ragnarok dropped 36.6% taking $6.27m #5 and $301.13m 95.6% of $315.06m; $538.91m internationally (63.1%) and $853.97m worldwide; #1 Coco $18.45m 3^rd wk.

2013’s Thor: The Dark World dropped 41.4% taking $2.82m #5 and $198.24m 96.2% of $206.3m; $438.42m internationally 68% and $644.78m worldwide; #1 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug $73.64m 1^st wk.

2011’s Thor dropped 42.7% taking $2.43m #9 and $173.6m 95.9% of $181.03m; $238.29m internationally 60% and $449.32m worldwide; #1 Super 8 $35.45m 1st wk.

Took $6.2m (down 46%) from 48 territories and $394.8m and $720.2m worldwide; UK $41.8m;  Australia $29.3m; Mexico $28.3m; Korea $22.6m; Brazil $21.8m.

125^th biggest worldwide between The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Captain America: The Winter Soldier; 6^th biggest 2022 worldwide between The Batman and Fantastic Beasts 3; 31^st biggest comic-book film between Suicide Squad and Captain America: The Winter Soldier; 41^st biggest Disney film worldwide between The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

• Minions: The Rise of Guru

Dropped 30% in the seventh weekend taking $4.89m and $343.81m

180^th biggest 7^th weekend between The Proposal and Deadpool (close to Elf, Cars, Stuart Little and Up).

13^th biggest animated film between Inside Out and Zootopia; 62^nd biggest film between American Sniper and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers; 170^th biggest inflation inflated between Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I and Night at the Museum; 9^th biggest Universal Pictures film between Furious 7 and Minions (overtaking Despicable Me 3 #14 and Despicable Me #17)

EntTelligence had the highest average ticket price for an animated movie at $12.82; Lightyear ($12.45), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ($11.76), The Bad Guys ($11.32) and Sing 2 ($10.69).

Despicable Me franchise has taken over $4bn worldwide since the first film was released in 2010

Seventh weekends

2015’s Minions dropped 25.6% $3.82m #9 and $320.08m 95.2% of $336.04m and $1.15bn worldwide 71% $823.39m internationally; #1 Straight Outta Compton $60.2m 1^st w/e

2017’s Despicable Me 3 dropped 42.4% $3.12m #12 and $247.73m 93.6% of $264.62m and $1.03bn worldwide 74% $770.17m internationally; #1 The Dark Tower $19.15m 1^st week

2013’s Despicable Me 2 dropped 33.9% $3.9m #11 and $346.1m 94.1% of $368.06m and $970.76m worldwide 62% internationally $602.7m; #1 Elysium $29.8m 1^st wk.

2010’s Despicable Me dropped 33.1% $4.6m #11 and $231.05m 91.8% of $251.55m and $543.15m worldwide 53% internationally $291.6m; #1 The Expendables $34.82m 1^st w/e

The 12 Illumination Entertainment films have taken over $3bn in the US and over $7.8bn

Took $10.8m (down 32%) from 80 territories and $446.6m and $790.4m worldwide; UK $46m; Mexico $38m; Australia $28.7m; Brazil $28.3m; Germany $27.8m; Japan $20m;

20^th biggest animated film worldwide between Coco and Shrek Forever After (Minions $1.15bn #4; Despicable Me 3 $1.03bn #7; Despicable Me 2 $975m #11; 97^th biggest film worldwide between Spider-Man 2 and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; 5^th biggest 2022 film between Doctor Strange 2 and The Batman; 14^th biggest Universal Pictures film worldwide between E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Fast and Furious 6; Minions #5; Despicable Me 3 #7; Despicable Me 2 #9; The Secret Life of Pets #10.

• Top Gun: Maverick – Paramount Pictures

Up 2% in 12^th-weekend #2 taking $7.15m and $673.82m

Added 421 screens exhibitors but returned to only a couple of IMAX screens due to the re-release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial playing in 398 IMAX cinemas. As there are also IMAX re-releases of Spider-Man No Way Home, Jaws, Star Wars: Rogue One and Avatar over the next month it’s unlikely Top Gun Maverick will also.

16% have seen the film more than once in the cinema and 4% have seen it more than 4 times or more.

9^th biggest 12^th weekend between The King’s Speech and Frozen (4^th biggest not having platform opening);1986’s Top Gun #47 (between The Imitation Game and Traffic) took $3.47m ($8.5m inflation inflated) $107.75m ($273m inflation inflated) 61% of $176.8m ($450m inflation inflated)

7^th biggest film between Avengers: Infinity War and Titanic; 21^st biggest inflation inflated between The Dark Knight and Grease.

Much was made about Top Gun Maverick overtaking Titanic but it’s impossible to compare the two films as Titanic was released 25 years ago when the industry average ticket price was half of what it is now $4.59 Vs $9.18 but the real price is a third of what it is now. The average price for Top Gun Maverick was closed to $15 due to a large percentage of BO from IMAX/PLF/4DX/ScreenX so Titanic inflation inflated would be about $2bn.

Universal Pictures has now overtaken Paramount Pictures as the #1 studio in the US taking 23.4% and $1.18bn; Paramount #2 22.3% $1.13bn; Disney #3 17% $862m (with Black Panther 2 and Avatar 2 still to be released Disney could take upwards of $2bn for the year); #4 Warner Bros 13.3% $677m; #5 Sony Pictures 12.1% $615m.

Paramount’s 2023 slate is probably their strongest for more than a decade with Transformers: Rise of the Beats, Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1, Scream 6 and Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie.

Tom Cruise’s 42 films have taken $5.1bn in the US and $12.1bn worldwide;

Took $8.4m (down 18%) taking $704.2m and $1,378n from 64 territories; the UK $97.2m; Japan $827m; Australia $61.6m; Korea $62.8m; France $52.8m, 13^th biggest film worldwide between Avengers: Age of Ultron and Black Panther; 2^nd biggest Paramount Pictures film between Titanic ($2.2bn) and Transformers: Dark of the Moon ($1.12bn)

Has taken $102m+ IMAX worldwide and $50m worldwide from 4DX ($11m from the US)

Top Gun Maverick is the 50^th film to take $1bn+ since Jurassic Park in 1993; its Paramount’s first $1bn+ film globally since 2014’s Transformers: Age of Extinction (inflated with China BO)

• war

Opened with $1.07m from 389 IMAX screens

To celebrate the film’s 40^th anniversary E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has been released for the first time in IMAX as Jaws will be also re-released in IMAX. Exhibitors charged regular IMAX prices for the film which will of course limit its audience from seeing it in the cinema to mostly those who have subscription cinema services. About 50,000 people saw the film over the opening weekend from 398 screens averaging 128 people per screen.

When E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Jaws have first released both films were released in selective cinemas in 70mm cinemas didn’t charge more to see the film in the format despite it being more costly for exhibitors to screen as needed more staff. While the cinemas that showed the film were much bigger venues with many screens bigger than many of the fake IMAX screens both films will be screened in.

• Bodies Bodies Bodies – A24

Up 1,334% adding 1,279 screens taking $3.25m and $3.57m total

The female-led slasher black comedy has received positive reviews (85% Rotten Tomatoes critic score and 90% audience score) since premiering at South By Southwest in March. It has been described as Scream for the Zoomer Generation and was inspired by Heathers.

A24 have had a very strong 2022 taking almost $100m this year similar to Focus Features and 20^th Century Studios releasing 7 films this year with Everything Everywhere All at Once taking $69.6m in the US and $100.7m worldwide. A24 films have strong marketing campaigns giving audiences an alternative to the majority of the films being released by studios, showing that audiences do want different things to the sequels, remakes, reboots and comic-book movies.

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies follows on from slasher spoof X opening with $427m in March taking $11.76m and Everything Everywhere taking $6m on wide release after several weeks on the platform. Strong word of mouth and a lack of any competition should see Bodies, Bodies, Bodies expand further over the coming weeks and hold strongly.

Often films perform very strongly on platform but then expand too quickly and struggle to find a mainstream audience.

Sony Pictures will release it in the UK on 9^th September.

UK Box Office Top 10

UK Box Office Preview

In 2019 Fisherman’s Friends opened #2 with £1,154,865 from 506 screens behind the second weekend of Captain Marvel £6,643,217 holding strongly in its second weekend taking £972,996 #3 down 16% from 537 screens and £3,361,336 45.4% of £7,380,488 (6.4x opening) and £629,247 in its third weekend taking £4,842,734 staying in the top 10 for 4 weeks.

As with all of the Entertainment Film releases Fisherman’s Friends: One and All has received strong marketing and media coverage being a British film. If audience reaction is similar to the first film the lack of major releases could see it stay #1 for several weeks as Run, Fat Boy, Run also did in September 2007 during a similar quiet BO period, the film opened with £2,010,250 taking 41.4% of BO after 10 days 5.4x opening and £10,888,980 staying #1 four 4 weeks (taking £1,543,836 2^nd weekend; £1,206,177 3^rd weekend and £988,788 4^th.

But can the magic strike twice, the film’s release date has moved many times was going to open in April and then September before moving to August while Entertainment Films advertised the film very early in July 2021 on the back of The Sunday Times Culture after they delayed the release on The Green Knight days before it was due to be released In the UK.

Reviews have been positive saying if you enjoyed the first film then will enjoy the sequel as it’s more of the same continuing the story from where the first film ended.

Mid to late August has been a very lucrative time to release a British comedy as the marketplace is less crowded due to a slowdown in US releases and this August is the 25th anniversary of the biggest feel-good British comedy The Full Monty.

Entertainment Film Distributors had huge success opening two Inbetweeners movies in August; 2011’s The Inbetweeners Movie opened £13,216,736 taking £45,030,412 (£60,040,549 inflation inflated) and 2014’s The Inbetweeners Movie 2 opened £12,538,114 taking £33,386,962 (£40,143,847 inflation inflated).

While Sunshine on Leith opened #3 with £770,239 from 400 screens in October 2013, down only 5% in its second-weekend #2 taking £732,296 from 426 screens and £2,165,216 taking £4,550,851.

Entertainment Films always heavily market their films and over the last 30 years have regularly invested in making British films alongside acquiring films and are the one British independent distributor that has managed to outlast so many others over the last 40 years. So many companies have opened UK operations over the years often spending huge on acquiring a film in the hope they can crack the UK market but there have been so many casualties along the way the latest being STX closing UK operations only 5 years after opening.

As with the US the next 11 weeks until Black Adam opens at the end of October will see UK BO very soft, last weekend was the lowest third lowest first weekend in August for 21 years only last year and 2020 were the worst and it won’t get much better over the next few weeks. After all the positivity of May and June, July normally is a very strong month but has been soft exhibitors will blame the hot weather but that’s just an excuse as summer has always been the time when studios open their biggest films.

Dragon Ball films have become popular over the years Several Dragon Ball films have been released over the last decade but after the strong BO of Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba-The Movie: Mugen Train in May 2021 (£693,081 including £389,220 from previews) #4 from 336 screens (10 days after cinemas reopened) taking £1,357,821.

Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO will have the widest opening to date and will play in many IMAX cinemas in the UK.

Jujutsu Kaisen 0 opened with £825,529  in March while 2003’s Spirited Away took £919,307 after opening #13 with £152,504 from 51 screens (didn’t expand further).

As with Paw Patrol films over recent years with 2015’s Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ released by National Amusements opening #11 taking £151,087 from 74 screens and National Amusements released several Anime films in 2017; 2019’s Dragon Ball Super: Broly opened #7 with £851,508 from 188 screens.

2020’s re-release of Akira opened #3 with £201,124 from 109 screens only weeks after UK cinemas reopened after the first lockdown, its re-release had been planned to have a 300+ opening but Cineworld/Picturehouse closed their 127 cinemas days before it was to open.

While National Amusements released Belle in February 2020 opened #9 with £152,287 from 147 screens.

Even with cooler wetter weather Nope will drop 50% in its second weekend as audience reaction has been far more mixed than critics taking £800k-£900k

DC League of Super-Pets and Minions: The Rise of Gru will have the smallest drops between 20%-30% taking £600k-£700k

With Bullet Train and Thor Love and Thunder dropping 50%

It will be another £6m+ top 10 weekend as last weekend and next weekend when Beast and The Invitation opens neither are likely to find a wide audience.

UK BO is likely to be very soft until September 16^th with the release of Ticket To Paradise starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts, they have starred in many films together but the last Money Monster struggled to find an audience. The film is surprisingly opening a month earlier in the UK than in the US and is directed by Ol Parker previously directed Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and it feels like it’s a very similar film but without the singing.

Opening next week

Trailers for both Beast and The Invitation have the “only in cinemas” tag which normally means both will be out of cinemas within a week.

• Beast – Universal Pictures

Thriller starring Idris Elba, Sharlto Copley, Iyana Halley, and Leah Sava Jeffries and directed by Baltasar Kormákur.

Idris Elba recently starred in Thor Love and Thunder and voiced Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and starred in many studio films but never opened a film despite huge success with the TV series Luther over the last decade (Netflix will release a Luther film later this year). Idris Elba has been fans’ favourite to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond for the last few years.

He directed 2018’s Yardie opened £438,088 #13 from 225 screens taking £1,136,320

1996’s The Ghost and the Darkness

2019’s Crawl opened £458,796 from 483 screens taking £1,060,836

Opening 20 years since the similarly themed Lake Placid opened with £931,472 taking £3,493,960 and B- movies like Anaconda

Similar animal-human horror films include

1999’s Deep Blue Sea opened £1,946,454 taking £8,087,585

2004’s Open Water opened £1,970,176 taking £4,818,915

2010’s Piranha 3D opened £1,325,324 taking £4,466,428

2016’s Don’t Breathe opened £1,028,938 taking £3,719,221

2016’s The Shallows opened £800,963 taking £1,723,386

2017’s 47 Meters Down opened £637,964 taking £1,326,136

2017’s The Mountain Between Us opened £777,646 taking £2,360,660

2018’s Adrift opened £405,240 taking £1,267,325

Likely to be front-loaded out of cinemas within a few weeks, the only reason why it could stay in the chart longer is the lack of wide releases over the next month.

Beast opened with $4.7m from 30 territories receiving poor reviews calling it a by the numbers thriller

• The Invitation – Sony Pictures

Supernatural horror starring Nathalie Emmanuel and Thomas Doherty and written and directed by Jessica M. Thompson inspired by the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker.

It was originally called The Bride

Before COVID last weekend of August was dump weekend which would often include a horror

• Mr Malcolm’s List – Vertigo Releasing

Drama starring Freida Pinto, Sope Dirisu, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Ashley Park, Zawe Ashton, and Theo James and directed by Emma Holly Jones based on the novel by Suzanne Allain.

Received positive reviews (88% Rotten Tomatoes) opened in the US with $810,742 taking $1.88m

• Andre Rieu’s 2022 Maastricht Summer Concert

Like to beat all of those films is Andre Rieu’s 2022 Maastricht Summer Concert screening on Saturday, August 27^th with encore screenings on Sunday.

In 2019 Event Cinema took £45.3m in the UK about 3.3% of the year’s box office up from 2.4% in 2018, but it dropped to £6.7m in 2021 taking 1.1% of total BO as most Event Cinema events target older audiences who have been slow to return to cinemas over the last two years as seen by BO from Andreu Rieu’s Concert last year £866k taking far less than before lockdown. 2018’s André Rieu’s Maastricht Concert, ’Amore £1,783,222; Andre Rieu’s 2017 Maastricht Concert £1,439,604; Andre Rieu’s 2016 Maastricht Concert £1,414,075; Andre Rieu’s 2015 Maastricht Concert (Concert) £1,107,000; Andre Rieu’s 2014 Maastricht Concert £830,586