UK/US Box Office November 30th-2nd December week 48 and UK BO Predictions

Top 5 Breakdown

1. Ralph Breaks The Internet – £4,032,775  – NE   

Had the 322^nd biggest opening in the UK between The Impossible and Ant-Man and 464^th biggest inflation inflated between What Lies Beneath and The Fault in Our Stars

Had the 24^th biggest opening of the year and Disney’s 7^th between Ant-Man and the Wasp and Christopher Robin

Had the 56^th biggest animated opening in the UK between A Bug’s Life and Mr. Peabody and Sherman and the 74^th biggest inflation inflated opening between Monsters University and Ice Age: Collision Course.

Monsters University had a disappointing opening in July 2013 opening to close to Despicable Me 2 and Ralph Breaks The Internet had similar issues opening four weeks after The Grinch which has held surprisingly strongly since opening a month ago.

Had Disney’s 54^th biggest opening in the UK between Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and Ant-Man and the 80^th biggest inflation inflated Disney opener between Sin City and Enchanted

With school holidays three weeks away these films are limited to the weekend box office to get the majority of their box office and despite Ralph Breaks The Internet receiving far better reviews than The Grinch it failed to open as strongly as it did in the US. Saying that Ralph Breaks The Internet opening was inflated due to Thanksgiving holidays and opened only slightly bigger than the first film despite opening 6 years later. (ticket inflation of 20%)

Disney used to open their Thanksgiving animated film in early February as they did with Wreck-It Ralph in February 2013 and this year with Coco which meant it was away from Paddington 2 but then meant it opened against Sing and Early Man; Disney still delay their summer animated film from mid-June to mid-July but next year due to releasing The Lion King open Toy Story 4 day and date with the US in June.

In 2016  Moana opened with £2,214,898 against third weekend of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them £4,494,727

In 2015 The Good Dinosaur opened with £2,926,448 against the second weekend of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 £4,534,464

In 2014 Paddington opened with £5,125,519 against the second weekend of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 £4,908,192

Wreck-It Ralph opened in February 2013 with £4,526,380 taking £23,607,542 and $471.22m worldwide

Pixar sequels Finding Dory opened in July 2016 with £8,122,075 and Incredibles 2 in July 2018 with £9,650,000

Most Disney films open with between 9%-11% of their US openings but (Incredibles 2 and Coco opened with 9%) should have seen Ralph Breaks the Internet open between £5.1m-£6.2m but instead, its opening was only 7%.

With the Christmas holidays starting up in two weeks’ time Ralph Breaks the Internet and The Grinch will perform well during the next month but there are six major releases opening over the final three weeks of the year Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has received positive reviews and has previews over the weekend.

Aquaman opens Wednesday Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse opening Thursday, Mortal Engines on Friday with Mary Poppins Returns the following Friday and Bumblebee and Holmes & Watson just before Christmas which will see cinemas squeezed. Last year there was one big film with Star Wars: The Last Jedi and then Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Pitch Perfect 3 and then The Greatest Showman surprised everyone this year all the films a targetting similar audiences and will likely cannibalize.

2. Creed 2 – £2,991,509  – NE  

Opening 35% bigger than the original film was helped by positive reviews and whilst Creed 2  might be crowded marketplace they were family films. Creed opened January 15^th, 2016 against The Revenant (Oscar-nominated) opening #1 £5,235,851, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was holding strong in #2 with £3,137,258 and Creed opened #3 with £2,221,758 and The Hateful Eight #5 £1,107,520

Had the 423^rd biggest opening in the UK between Ocean’s Thirteen and Captain America: The First Avenger and the 640^th biggest inflation inflated between Kick-Ass 2 and The Mean Machine

Having the 29^th biggest opening of the year and Warner Bros 9^th biggest of 2018 between Tomb Raider and Smallfoot

Creed 2 will face competition from next Wednesday with Aquaman and then Mortal Engines next Friday, but they are again targeting younger audiences.

Creed dropped 45% in its second weekend taking £1,217,405 and £4,305,551 but that was again due to Ride Along 2 opening with £2,141,341 and The Big Short with £1,302,205 and The Revenant having a small decline. This weekend has no major releases, so Creed 2 should hold much stronger.

Creed took £5,684,690 and Creed 2 should beat its box office; many thought that with director Ryan Coogler leaving the sequel due to scheduling conflicts with Black Panther the film might have lost some of its mojo but like the original film it managed to make old stories feel new even though it feels like its history repeating itself from Rocky IV.

Rocky Balboa opened January 2007 with £3,639,339 taking £8,503,135

While Southpaw opened July 2015 with £1,662,296 taking £7,821,500

3. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – £2,709,967  – £26,753,839   

Down 51.8% in its third weekend; taking 39.3% less than 2016’s Fantastic Beasts (£8,892,489) The Crimes of Grindelwald had tougher competition in its second weekend with The Grinch holding strongly but Fantastic Beasts had limited competition while also received better reviews and stronger word of mouth

After 17 days on release The Crimes of Grindelwald has taken about 25% less than Philosopher’s Stone, the Goblet of Fire, The Chamber of Secrets, The Order of the Phoenix and Fantastic Beasts; 30%+ of Prisoner of Azkaban, The Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 50% less than Deathly Hallows Part 2.

 At the start of the year most would have expected Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom would both take £50m+ at the box office; Jurassic World 2 is currently sixth taking £41.5m (35% less than Jurassic World) and Fantastic Beasts 2 will probably also take about 35% less than Fantastic Beasts taking about £36m.

Fantastic Beasts 2 is Warner Bros 28th biggest film between The LEGO Batman Movie and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and their 48th inflation inflated between Batman Begins and Clash of the Titans.

After Warner Bros had a very disappointing first 6 months of the year taking  £48.1m (7.6%) the fifth biggest distributor in the UK down 39.52% from 2017 ( £79.53m). They have had a huge turnaround since with their 19 2018 films taking £147.25m to date with their last 11 films taking over £100m having 5 films taking over £10m since Ocean’s Eight in June. The Meg, The Nun, A Star Is Born, Smallfoot and Fantastic Beasts 2. Their only slight disappointment after its huge success in the US was Crazy Rich Asians which was always going to be a harder sell in the UK made harder when they brought its release forward.

The nine Wizarding World Extended Universe films have taken over £520m at the UK box office over the last 17 years (almost £775m inflation inflated) are the third biggest film series in the UK but with half the films made by Pixar and Marvel that have taken more.

Pixar 20 films took £620m (£885m+ inflation inflated)

Marvel Cinematic Universe 20 films £595m (£662m inflation inflated)

James Bond 7 films (1995+) £390m (£650m inflation inflated)

Star Wars 13 films (missing BO for 2 films) £370m (£725m inflation inflated)

4. The Grinch – £2,317,766  – £17,002,535

Down 29.4% in its fourth weekend; The Grinch held strongly for three weeks before the arrival of Ralph Breaks the Internet opened as both films are limited to weekends for the next few weeks.

Currently 60^th biggest animated film in the UK between How to Train your Dragon and The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists and 82^nd biggest inflation inflated aminated film between Rio and The Polar Express.

The Grinch held strongly in its fourth weekend despite the arrival of Ralph Breaks the Internet which probably affected its opening. Similar happening in 2013 when Despicable Me 2 opened three weeks before Monsters University which opened lower than expected and took a third more than Monsters University.

Normally Disney and Illumination Entertainment avoid going head to head as even though they open a few weeks apart by they still slightly cannibalize each other with the first released normally performing stronger.

Next year The Secret Life of Pets 2 opens three weeks before Toy Story 4 both opening during school term time due to Disney releasing Aladdin and The Lion King reimaginations in May and July, could see similar happening with those two films.

The eight Illumination Entertainment films have taken £250m at the UK box office since 2010.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas in December 2000 took £15,167,543 (£27,129,219 inflation inflated).

5. Bohemian Rhapsody – £1,534,249  – £42,018,993   

Down 30.6% in its sixth weekend;

Bohemian Rhapsody success has much to do with The Greatest Showman as similarly critics confused it as something it wasn’t and wasn’t ever going to be. But were both Ronseal films did exactly what they said on the tin.

Are a lot of similarities between Bohemian Rhapsody and The Greatest Showman (premiered on Sky Cinema over the weekend) critics were very snobbish about the film and some called the film fake, as the journalist asked Barnum if it bothered him that everything, he was selling was fake. Barnum replied “Do these smiles seem fake? It doesn’t matter where they come from. The joy is real.” … “when was the last time you smiled? Or had a good laugh? A real laugh. A theatre critic who can’t find joy in the theatre. Now, who is the fraud?

As Freddie Mercury said “We’re four misfits who don’t belong together, we’re playing for the other misfits. They’re the outcasts, right at the back of the room. We’re pretty sure they don’t belong either. We belong to them.” 

Similarly in The Greatest Showman when asked by a snobbish journalist if it bothered him that everything, he was selling was fake Barnum replying ‘Do these smiles seem fake? It doesn’t matter where they come from. The joy is real.’

So many films today are all hype no sustenance are memberries open big and drop big but with Bohemian Rhapsody and The Greatest Showman, Fox made two crowd pleasers that brought audiences back to see them multiple times as did 20+ years ago with The Full Monty and Titanic.

If admissions are to rise for the first time since 2002 will be more thanks to The Greatest Showman and Bohemian Rhapsody rather than the comic book movies or sequels as Barnum says the joy was real with audiences watching these films as they came back to see them again and again and again.

As with many musicals a few weeks, a singalong version of Bohemian Rhapsody will be released shortly that has already been a huge success in Asia and Latin America.

Became 20th Century Fox’s 6^th film to take over £40m and sixth biggest film in the UK between The Greatest Showman and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and the 15th biggest inflation inflated between The Day After Tomorrow and Deadpool;

 

Is the fifth biggest musical between The Greatest Showman and Les Miserables and the 10th biggest inflation inflated between Les Miserables and High School Musical 3

Has become the 64th film to take over £40m at the box office (20th Century Fox’s 6th) currently 56^th biggest in the UK between Alice In Wonderland and Bridget Jones’s Diary and 92^nd inflation inflated the biggest film in the UK between Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Shores and Fast & Furious 7

Has become the fifth biggest film of the year (6^th including The Greatest Showman took over £43m in 2018) will end with £50m+ which will overtake The Greatest Showman

Comparisons are

Musicals sixth weekends

2008’s Mamma Mia! took £2,208,482 down 21% and £45,205,845 66.3% of £68,162,804

2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again took £1,701,162 down 24% £58,748,746 90.1% of £65,222,094

2017’s The Greatest Showman took £2,201,523 up 8% (#1) and £23,226,869 49.7% of £47,200,000

2013’s Les Miserables took £1,126,168 down 41% £35,968,027 88.1% of £40,818,299

Bohemian Rhapsody should take £50m+ becoming 20th Century Fox’s fifth biggest film after Avatar, Titanic, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and The Full Monty and the 34th biggest film in the UK.

The film’s soundtrack dropped to #7 (The Greatest Showman up to #3 49th week) with Queen’s The Platinum Collection up to #19 Greatest Hits #66 and A Night At the Opera #57

20^th Century Fox won the distributor of the year last week at the Screen Awards, they also r received best theatrical campaign for The Greatest Showman and Best Online Campaign for Love, Simon.

Bohemian Rhapsody will probably be 20^th Century Fox’s last major release before it gets absorbed into Disney early next year.

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £15,420,694 up 1.1% from last weekend £15,238,185

The weekend admissions 1,959,427 up 1.1% from last weekend 1,936,237; average ticket up 3.87% from last year’s £7.49 to £7.87 for 2018;

13 films opened at weekend taking £8,348,475; Ralph Breaks the Internet 48.3% (£4,032,775): Creed 2 35.8% (£2,991,509); remaining 11 films shared 15.8% (£1,324,191): Top three took 63.1% (£9,734,251) of the top 10; Ralph Breaks the Internet 26.1%; Creed 2 19.3%; Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 17.5%

The weekend was up 56.3% from 2017 (£9,864,139); Wonder (£1,240,245); The Man Who Invented Christmas (£168,137); The Nutcracker – Bolshoi 2017 (Ballet) (£160,421); Happy End (£135,682); The Disaster Artist (£130,238); #1 Paddington 2 (1 week) 3rd week #1£

Up 38.1% from 2016: (£11,160,568): Moana (£2,214,898); Sully: Miracle on the Hudson (£1,786,844); The Edge of Seventeen (£273,139); Bleed for This (£250,975); Eat that Question (£1,468); #1 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (3^rd week)

Up 4.6% from 2015; (£14,738,989); The Good Dinosaur (£2,926,448); Bridge of Spies (£1,682,392); Black Mass (£1,272,249); Carol (£540,632); Being A.P. (£49,867); Doctor Zhivago (Re: 2015) (£16,344); #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 (2^nd week)

Up 1.2% from 2014: (£15,237,651); Paddington (£5,125,519); Horrible Bosses 2 (£1,257,808); Hockney (£161,163); 2001: A Space Odyssey (Re: 2014) (£69,567); #1 Paddington (1^st week)

Up 36.2% from 2013: (£11,314,366); Free Birds (£1,044,074); Saving Mr. Banks (£795,615); Carrie (£662,625); The Best Man Holiday (£128,503); The  Class Of ’92 (£30,798); #1 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2^nd week)

Up 2.4% from 2012 (£10,220,354); Rise of the Guardians (£1,968,984); Great Expectations (£544,636); Alex Cross (£226,780); (£213,066); Trouble with the Curve (£41,391); #1 Skyfall (1^st  week) 4 weeks split

Up 50.8% from 2011 (£8,340,633): Happy Feet 2 (£1,686,197); Hugo (£1,225,987); The Thing (£485,534); The Big Year (£122,591); Margaret (£4,595); #1 Arthur Christmas (1^st week 4^th week on release)

Up 70.1% from 2010: (£9,062,260): Megamind (£2,827,502); Monsters (£348,577); The Warrior’s Way (£105,389); Of Gods and Men (£59,379); Secretariat (£40,941); Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (£32,925); #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (3^rd week)

Down 1.7% from 2009 (£15,162,202); Paranormal Activity (£3,593,762); Law Abiding Citizen (£1,488,143); Nativity (£794,314); Bunny and the Bull (£46,119);  #1 The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2nd week)

Up 129.1% from 2008 (£6,730,148); Four Christmases (£2,275,585); Changeling (£1,225,548); What Just Happened? (£178,818); Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas 3D (£23,640); #1 Four Christmases (1st week)

Up 126.3% from 2007 (£6,812,364); Fred Claus (£1,937,042); Hitman (£1,240,698); The Assassination of Jesse James (£180,886); This Christmas (£46,820); #1 Fred Claus (1st week)

Up 24.8% from 2006; (£12,348,508); Flushed Away (£3,106,874); Deck the Halls (£600,047); Stranger than Fiction (£368,627); Big Nothing (£83,829); London to Brighton (£29,153); #1 Casino Royale (3rd week)

Up 1.4% from 2005 (£9,591,419); Keeping Mum (£645,886); Doom (£612,087); Where the Truth Lies (£67,446); #1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (3^rd week)

Up 60.7% from 2004 (£15,406,511): The Incredibles (£9,753,035); The Forgotten (£653,945); Beyond the Sea (£179,558); Enduring Love (£165,338); I Y Huckabees (£155,592); #1 The Incredibles (1^st week)

Up 17.7% from 2003 (£13,095,047); Elf (£4,538,440); Master and Commander (£1,845,125) expansion; Spin the Bottle (£95,533); #1 Love Actually (2^nd week)

Up 80.6% from 2002 (£8,535,252): Deathwatch (£334,657); The Dancer Upstairs (£61,622); 8 Crazy Nights (£48,440); #1 Die Another Day (2^nd week)

Up 67.3% from 2001 (£9,215,665); Zoolander (£676,518); Bandits (£644,271); Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (£381,940); Ghosts of Mars (£104,723); The Devil’s Backbone (£45,145); #1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (3rd week)

Next weekend in 2017: (£5,515,127); The Nutcracker – ROH, London 2017/18 (£137,862); Stronger (£102,379); A Matter of Life and Death (4K Restoration) (£10,594); Better Watch Out (£44,305); Brigsby Bear (£36,778); The Muppet Christmas Carol (Re: 2017) (£36,287); #1 Paddington 2 (2^nd week) 3 weeks total

Also opened

• Disobedience – Curzon

£193,907 (including £27,571 previews) from 69 screens

• The Possession of Hannah Grace – Sony Pictures

£113,537 from 154 screens

UK Box Office Top 10

US Box office

• Ralph Breaks the Internet – Disney

Dropped 54.5% in its second weekend taking $25.56m and $119.1m;  

Despite positive reviews, 88% Rotten Tomatoes (similar to 2012’s Wreck-it-Ralph) and strong word of mouth took 25% less than Wreck-it-Ralph in its second weekend (with 15% ticket inflation). While the weekend after Thanksgiving often sees films dropping heavily Ralph Breaks the Internet dropped 10% more than The Grinch (receiving far more mixed reaction from critics and audiences).

Ralph Breaks the Internet also took less than Disney’s last two Thanksgiving hold-overs Moana $28.2m down 50%) and Coco $27.5m down 46% (both also dropped less).

Ralph Breaks the Internet marks 13th time Disney has topped the box office in 2018, more than any  other studio; Disney 12; Warner Bros 9; Universal 9; Sony 8; Fox 4; Paramount 4;

Wreck-It Ralph in November 2012 took $33.01m in is second weekend and $93.64m with $49.1m taking $189.42m and $471.22m worldwide.

Has been some family cannibalization with Ralph Breaks the Internet and The Grinch; w

Opened with $33.7m from 45 territories and $87.7m and $207m worldwide.

• Creed 2– MGM

Dropped 53.2% in its second weekend taking $16.63m and $80.97m; taking 25% more than 2016’s Creed)

Creed dropped 49.4% in its second weekend taking $14.98m and $64.58m taking $109.76m and $173.56m worldwide

Took $10m from 29 territories and $11.4m total and $92m worldwide

• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – Warner Bros  

Dropped 61.3% in its third weekend taking $11.36m and $134.5m; taking 26.5% less than 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

Fantastic Beasts dropped 59.8% in its third weekend taking $18.1m and $183.1m

After opening with 18% less than the first Fantastic Beasts film its total box office is now 25.2% down due to being the second part of a film series, mixed reviews and opening in the middle of Ralph Breaks the Internet and The Grinch

Took $40.2m internationally from 80 territories and $385.3m total and $519.6m worldwide #189 biggest film worldwide between Sherlock Holmes and Kung Fu Panda 3

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them took $814m

• Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch – Universal Pictures 

Down 41% in its fourth weekend taking $17.92m and $203.7m  

The Grinch is holding similar to How the Grinch Stole Christmas despite opening 18 years later taking $18.65m down 31.2% in its fourth weekend and $195.64m taking $260.04m and $345.1m worldwide 

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax in March 2012 took $13.18m in its fourth weekend and $177.41m taking $214.03m and $358.8m worldwide

Previous Illumination Entertainment (not Despicable Me films)

The Secret Life of Pets in July 2016 dropped 36.1% with $18.91m and $296.88m and $368.3m and $875.4m worldwide

Sing in December 2016 increased 31.2% with $14.24m and $233.45m taking $270.3m and $634.1m worldwide

While the first Despicable Me in July 2010 dropped 34.5% with $15.51m taking $190.33m and $251,.5m and $543.1m worldwide

Took $27.1m from 53 territories and $64.8m total and $268.3m worldwide.

Dr. Seuss’ films don’t perform as strongly international 2000’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas took 75% of its total box office from the US $260.1m Vs $85.1m and $345.1m worldwide; Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax took 61% of its total box office from the US $214.1m Vs $134.8m and $348.8m worldwide

• Instant Family – Paramount Pictures

Dropped 41.8% in its third weekend taking $7.17m and  $45.94m

After receiving positive reviews it was being compared with 1989’s Parenthood opened with took $9.67m and $30.32m taking $100.04m

2005’s Yours, Mine and Ours took $9.25m and $34.42m taking $53.31m;

Opened with $3.4m from 12 territories

• Bohemian Rhapsody – 20th Century Fox

Dropped 42.8% in its fifth weekend taking $7.9m and $164.33m;

Bohemian Rhapsody is 20^th Century Fox’s second-biggest film of 2018 and 43^rd in the US between Gone Girl and Ice Age: Continental Drift.

Despite mixed reviews has become the biggest music biopic overtaking 2015’s Straight Outta Compton.

Bohemian Rhapsody is holding similar to The Greatest Showman took $10.64m in its fifth weekend down 10.3% and $113.12m taking $174.34m; having already overtaken its global box office of The Greatest Showman will shortly overtake its US box office total.

Took $37m from 78 territories $375.1m total and $539.1m worldwide; #176^th biggest film worldwide between Brave and World War Z with several territories still to open and with sing-along screenings to come many expect should top $600m

• The Possession of Hannah Grace – Sony Pictures

Opened with $6.4m; received poor reviews 27% Rotten Tomatoes and C- so won’t last long in cinemas but with only $6m budget and P&A of $12m

Opened with $4.1m from 17 territories

• Robin Hood – Lionsgate

Dropped 48% in its second weekend taking $4.78m and $21.8m.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword opened May 2017 with $15.37m taking $39.17m and $148.67m worldwide

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves opened in June 1991 with $25.62m taking $165.49m and 4390.43m worldwide

First Knight opened July 1995 with $10.85m taking $37.6m and $127.6m worldwide

Robin Hood opened May 2010 with $36.06m taking $105.26m and $321.66m worldwide

King Arthur opened in July 2004 with $15.19m taking $51.88m and $203.45m worldwide

Took $15.1m from 67 territories and $26.3m total and $48.1m worldwide  

• The Favourite – Fox Searchlight

Expands into 30 screens in its second weekend up 153.8% taking $1,072,282 and $1,646,59 climbed up #14.

The Favourite has received critical acclaim since receiving its world premiere in August at the world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and since screened at many film festivals.

UK Box Office Predictions

This weekend is the calm before the storm as distributors clear their shelves before they release their big Christmas films from next Wednesday with Aquaman and Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse both generating strong early buzz; Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse has weekend previews and MediCinema previews on December 6^th will have an 8-day opening weekend Vs 5 day opening weekend for Aquaman.

The Old Man & The Gun will probably be the only new release that will enter in the chart with most films holding their positions from last weekend

Opening in the UK

• The Old Man & The Gun – 20^th Century Fox

Biographical drama starring Robert Redford, Casey Affleck, Danny Glover, Tika Sumpter, Tom Waits and Sissy Spacek and written and directed by David Lowery, based on David Grann’s 2003 article in The New Yorker The Old Man and the Gun; Fox Searchlight acquired US and UK rights in May 2017

Had world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and also screened at Toronto and London Film Festivals

Received 90% Rotten Tomatoes score; ahead of release was reported to be Robert Redford’s final acting performance, but he since said he might have said that too soon.

Opened in the US in September performing strongly on platform release but as with so many other prestigious films released in the autumn in the US failed to find a wider audience when the film expanded after five weeks climbing into the top 10 for only one week;

Will have a limited release in the UK as with all the other new releases this week are one-week wonders before the market gets crowded with the Christmas films with Aquaman and Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse opening December 12^th, Mortal Engines (most people expect will flop comparisons to 2007’s The Golden Compass) December 14^th, Mary Poppins Returns December 21^st and Bumblebee and Holmes and Watson December 26^th. Those six films will be trying to fill the hole Star Wars: The last Jedi left along with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and The Greatest Showman.

Its hard to bet away from Mary Poppins Returns taking similar box office to Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again £50m+ but it’s likely the other films will cannibalize themselves.

Advance bookings opened today for Mary Poppins returns and recieved much media coverage when it was revealed that tickets at the newly refurbished Odeon Leicester Square will be up to £40 a 60% increase from the top price for the Royal Circle a year ago. With the seating capacity dropping from 1,669 to under 800. 

   

• White Boy Rick – Sony Pictures

Biographical crime drama starring Richie Merritt, Matthew McConaughey, Bel Powley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brian Tyree Henry, Rory Cochrane, RJ Cyler, Jonathan Majors, Eddie Marsan, Bruce Dern, and Piper Laurie and directed by Yann Demange based on a true story.

Premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in August receiving mixed reviews 58% Rotten Tomatoes; opened in the US in September opening with $8.86m taking $24m; will have a limited release in the UK.

• Tulip Fever – Entertainment Films

historical drama starring Alicia Vikander, Dane DeHaan, Jack O’Connell, Zach Galifianakis, Judi Dench, Christoph Waltz, Holliday Grainger, Matthew Morrison and Cara Delevingne and directed by Justin Chadwick based on the novel by Deborah Moggach.

Was originally planned to be made in 2004 with Jude Law, Keira Knightley and Jim Broadbent as lead actors and John Madden directing for Dreamworks but production was delayed days before production was due to start due to financing issues.

10 years later the film started production produced by Harvey Weinstein in the UK; in 2015 footage was screened at the Cannes Film Festival with November 2015 release date but was delayed many times until was given September 1^st release date in August 2017 opening with $1.15m taking $2.45m; received poor reviews with 9% Rotten Tomatoes score; 15 months later the film will have a limited theatrical release in the UK

• Sorry to Bother You – Universal Pictures

Comedy starring Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, Patton Oswalt, David Cross, Danny Glover, Steven Yeun, and Armie Hammer and written and directed by Boots Riley; premiered at the Sundance Film Festival receiving positive reviews 93% Rotten Tomatoes was released in the US on July 6, 2018, by Annapurna Pictures opened strongly on platform release taking $17.4m;

Universal Pictures acquired international rights receiving its UK premiere at the London Film Festival in October.

• Die Hard (30^th Anniversary) – Park Circus

Celebrating its UK 30^th anniversary two months early as while the film was released in the US in July 1988 and received its London Film Festival premiere in November 1988 wasn’t released in the UK until February 1989; (in the 80’s and 90s films often had 6+ month gaps between their US and UK release date).

In recent years Die Hard has been seen as a Christmas film but the question is a film set at Christmas a Christmas film as many films including Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3, Babe, King Kong, Gremlins, Jurassic World, Rocky IV, Eyes Wide Shut, Trading Places, L.A. Confidential and The Sound of Music are all set at Christmas but none would be called a Christmas film.

• Once Upon A Deadpool – 20^th Century Fox

In September 20^th Century Fox announced plans to release an untitled Deadpool film in October Ryan Reynolds announced it would be a PG-13 recut and 20^th Century Fox officially announced it in November when they released a trailer spoofing The Princess Bride featuring Fred Savage and Deadpool.

The film has received 15 the same certificate as the cinema version was despite being recut as a PG-13 in the US (BBFC often give 15 certificates to PG-13 films) ruining the joke of the recut as younger audiences can’t see it in the UK; the recut is two minutes shorter with additional footage included.

In the US $1 from every ticket sold will go to the Fuck Cancer charity campaign.

The film will be screened for one night only on December 11^th

Deadpool 2 is 20^th Century Fox’s 15^th biggest film in the UK taking £32,501,893 (and their third biggest film this year) and Deadpool is their ninth biggest taking £37,616,432

• Aquaman – Warner (opening Wednesday)

The sixth film in the DC Extended Universe starring Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Dolph Lundgren, and Nicole Kidman and directed by James Wan; It’s the third film featuring Aquaman following Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.

After the disappointing reception both critically and at the box office for Justice League Aquaman is the first DC film to open 13 months.

Early buzz has been positive for Aquaman and Warner Bros held the world premiere in London over two weeks before its release date; Warner release Shazam! In April and The Joker in October and then Birds of Prey, Cyborg and Wonder Woman 1984 in 2020.

The six DC Extended Universe films have taken almost £140m at the UK box office

 

• Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse – Sony Pictures

Animated superhero film based on the Marvel Comics set in a shared in the Spider-Verse multiverse featuring voices of Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Jake Johnson, Liev Schreiber, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, and Lily Tomlin and directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman.

News Sony was developing a Spider-Man animated film was first revealed In 2014’s Sony email hacking. At CinemaCon 2015 they announced July 20^th, 2018 release date and the film was being produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. A few months later its release date was moved to December 2018.

The first trailer was released in June and with the second in October

Received positive reviews currently has 100% Rotten Tomatoes score

 Opening in the US

• Mary Queen of Scots – Focus Features

Historical drama starring Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie, Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn, David Tennant, Guy Pearce and directed by Josie Rourke based on John Guy’s biography Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart.

Had world premiere on the closing night of AFI Fest on 15 November 2018 received positive reviews 92% with the directing, screenplay and performances of Ronan and Robbie all praised.

Mary Queen of Scots could be seen as the third part of the Elizabeth Extended Universe

Elizabeth opened November 1998 on platform with $275,131 and took $30,082,699

Elizabeth: The Golden Age opened December 2007 with $6,153,075 taking $16,383,509        

Have been several films released this year that could also be part of historical cinematic universes First Man could be the middle part of the NASA Extended Universe with The Right Stuff, Hidden Figures and Apollo 13 either side of it.

Earlier this year The Post opened and that could be seen as the prequel to All The President’s Men and Frost/Nixon

Also this year The Darkest Hour could be the middle film between The King’s Speech Churchill and Dunkirk

Historians have criticised the film for its historical inaccuracies in the trailer it showed Mary, Queen of Scots meet Queen Elizabeth I but that meeting never happened. Working Title did similar last year add scenes in Darkest Hour with Churchill on a tube train talking to members of the public.

• Schindler’s List (2018 re-release) – Universal Pictures

Commemorating the 25^th anniversary of the Steven Spielberg classic Oscar-winning masterpiece digitally remastered in 4K and Dolby Atmos.

The film won seven Oscars and Steven Spielberg his first Beat Director Oscars

Originally released on December 15^th, 1993 taking $96m and $321.3m worldwide

Is being re-released in about 1,000 screens.