UK Box Office January 13th-15th 2023

 

1. Avatar: The Way of Water – £4,172,161 – £63,733,633

Down 29% in its fifth weekend; dropped 37% on Friday (£821k) and 25.1% on Saturday (£2m) and 24% £1.34m Sunday

As with last week, Avatar 2 BO doubled BO from Friday to Saturday and then dropped by 100% from Sunday to Monday due to its lengthy running time most people are opting to see it on Sat/Sun 81% of weekend BO from Sat/Sun; it took £6.22m in last 7 days 49.2% Fri-Sun and 54% Sat\Sun £3.34m Vs £2.88m Mon-Fri.

Monday likely had a similar 74.1% drop from Sunday to Monday this week as it did last week take £500k Mon-Thurs dropping to £400k Mon-Thurs this week

Comments from James Cameron and Sam Mendes this week showed the two sides of cinema with James Cameron saying “People are going back to theatres. They’re even going back to theatres in China where they’re having this huge COVID surge.”…. “We’re seeing as a society we need this; we need to go to movie theatres and have that experience.”….” Enough with the streaming already! I’m tired of sitting on my ass.” But then Sam Mendes talked about how films including Empire of Light, The Fabelmans and Armageddon Time have struggled to find an audience in the US.

Both directors are right as audiences are coming out in big numbers for films like No Time To Die Spider-Man No Way Home, Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water but audiences over the last decade have become much more selective with the films they see in cinemas.

Avatar 2 gets all the acclaim, taking an expected £4.1m in its 5th weekend. It’s the other films targeting different demographics getting audiences to see a much wider range of films beyond the top 10 who deserve the credit far more. M3gan opening £2.4m+, Empire of Light £1.7m, Whitney £1m (3rd week despite poor reviews), Matilda £850k (8th week £25m+), Man Called Otto £800k (2nd weekend) and Varisu (Bollywood) £650k. Avatar 2’s is performing exactly as was always expected while these other films are attracting audiences most didn’t expect.

Over the last 4 weeks Avatar: The Way of Water had all IMAX/PLF/3D/4DX/Screen X screens, it lost a few PLF screens to M3gan last weekend, and will lose some IMAX shows to Babylon this weekend and then Pathaan next weekend before losing #1 to Puss In Boots: The Last Wish in three weeks. As with Avatar in 2010 a large percentage of Avatar 2 BO has come from IMAX/PLF/3D, so losing these screens over the next few weeks will impact heavily on its box office, that said Avatar 2 is taking about 40% from 2D far more than Avatar took.

Last 4-week BO split weekend to weekday

£20.60m 1^st week taking £11.18m 55.8% Fri-Sun and 44.2% (£8.87m) Mon-Thurs

£17.43m 2^nd week £4.97m 28.5% Fri-Sun and 71.5% (£12.46m) Mon-Thurs

£14.09m 3^rd week with 54.2% (£7.64m) Fri-Sun and 45.8% (£6.44m) Mon-Thurs taking 43.4% (£2.8m) from Bank Holiday Monday and £3.64m Tues-Thurs.

£8.14m in 4^th week 64.8% (72.1% (£5.86m) Fri-Sun and 27.9% (£2.27m) Mon-Thurs

Expect week 5 to take about £5.8m with 72% (£4.17m) Fri-Sun and 28% (£1.63m) Mon-Thurs

2^nd biggest fifth weekend between Avatar and Skyfall; took £1,354,878 less than Avatar (£5,527,039) and 11^th biggest inflation-inflated 5^th weekend between LOTR: Return of the King and Ghost (close to Star Wars: Phantom Menace, LOTR: Two Towers, The Full Monty and No Time To Die) Avatar is the biggest inflated £8,209,279

21^st biggest film in the UK (24^th to take £60m+ since Titanic in 1998) between Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and Jurassic World (close to Toy Story 4, Star Wars: Rogue One, LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring and LOTR: The Return of the King) and the 74^th biggest inflation inflated between Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (close to You Only Live Twice, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Simpsons and Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves).

In 2009 Avatar took 85%+ from 3D with IMAX (9 screens) and 2D (300) taking about 7% each but 2D has taken far more of the BO for Avatar 2 (41%) with 47% 3D and 12% IMAX.

It’s hard to make any direct comparisons between Avatar 2 with any other film and opening 13 years after the first film it’s impossible to compare it to the original film. While many talks about it playing similarly to Avatar and Titanic, the marketplace was very different then audiences weren’t desperate to see it over opening weekend, so film BO was strong and steady for months, whereas in Avengers Endgame 90% of BO taken within 24 days; Avatar was similar to Top Gun: Maverick 57% Vs 65% but Spider-Man No Way Home 1%.

In 2009 Avatar had much more competition as few expected Avatar to be a massive success, in its fifth weekend up 16% taking £5,527,039 (441 screens £12,533 average) and £49,374,516; holdovers Sherlock Holmes £2,028,282; Alvin and the Chipmunks II £1,542,970; It’s Complicated £1,300,580; new releases Up In The Air £1,298,023 and The Book Of Eli £1,232,001.

The 7 James Cameron-directed films have taken £300m at the UK BO (don’t have data for Terminator) but the age of many of them sees the inflation inflated total of £500m+.

• 2. M3gan – £2,356,356 – NE

Took £806k Friday (34.2%); £966k Saturday (41%); £584k Sunday (24.8%)

670^th biggest opening weekend between Step Up 2 and Star Trek: First Contact (close to House of Gucci, Three Billboards, The Bodyguard and Terminator 2: Judgement Day) and 1,123^rd biggest inflation-inflated opening between St. Trinian’s 2 and Get Out (close to The Hunt For Red October, Get Shorty, Memphis Belle and Presumed Innocent).

31^st biggest horror opening between The Wolfman and Interview with the Vampire (close to Scream, Scream 3, The Others and What Lies Beneath) and 65^th biggest inflated between Species and Get Out (close to 28 Weeks Later, Scream (2022), The Amityville Horror and Cabin in the Woods).

6^th biggest Blumhouse Productions opening in the UK between Split and The Invisible Man (close to Us, Halloween, Insidious: The Last Key and The First Purge).

It had its world premiere in the US a month before its US release on January 6th showing Universal Pictures was optimistic for the film (already have plans for a sequel).

Halloween Ends in October was like many other Blumhouse Productions horrors including Split, Get Out, Nope and The Black Phone, and Mama) opened with less than the US, 5.1% about half of UK industry uses 10% as an estimate of US opening)

Blumhouse horrors have taken £150m+ over the last 10 years the biggest openers

2019’s Glass £3,423,380; 2013’s Insidious 2 £2,877,742; 2019’s Us £2,766,839

2018’s Halloween £2,656,097; 2017’s Split £2,548,516 and 2020’s The Invisible Man £2,163,797

M3gan feels like a modern-day Chucky film.

1989’s Child’s Play opened £165,971 #3 from 160 screens (taking £100,954 and £372,968 in second weekend) taking £493,521

1991’s Child’s Play 2 opened £212,383 #5 from 141 screens taking £391,549

While comparisons have been made with 2013’s Mama (opened £1,512,297 taking £5,321,101) and 2015’s Ex Machina (opened £1,093,952 taking £2,502,929).

• 3.Empire of Light – £1,721,921 – NE

Took £755,811 from previews Mon-Thurs; £129k Mon; £148k Tues; £159k Weds; £320k Thurs.

£260k Friday (27%); £455k Saturday (47%); £250k Sunday (26%)

949^th biggest opening between Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and The Dukes of Hazzard (close to Rocky IV (the biggest ever UK opening in 1986), Calendar Girls, Bridge of Spies and Cape Fear) and 1,536^th biggest inflated opening between Big and Sex Tape (close to Out of Sight, Cruel Intentions, Birdman and The Commitments).

Had the biggest opening for Searchlight Pictures film in the UK opening on 690 screens up from The Menu opening on 610 screens in November.

Sam Mendes’s Empire of Light generated a lot of media coverage including his interview with Laura Kuenssberg when he said “The 20th century, the great era of movies, the great entertainment form which was going out to the movies – that is dying…. I look back at my films and I think American Beauty, Revolutionary Road, Away We Go, would all go to streaming now and that makes me sad.”… “You look at the multiplexes and people go ‘there are six screens’ and then you go to those six screens, and it says, ‘screen one Avatar, screen two Avatar, screen three Avatar’ – that’s not a six-screen cinema; that’s just six screens showing the same movie.”

Three years ago, Sam Mendes 1917 was a film that opened on screens 1-3 as his two previous films SPECTRE and Skyfall, but sadly Empire of Light is relegated to screen 4 of many multiplexes. The film received mixed reviews but being a “British” film with a British cast has generated strong media coverage and will get the “Brit boost” at the BO but won’t be as successful as his recent films.

The film received its world premiere at Telluride Film Festival in September and its UK premiere at the London Film Festival.

Empire of Light is Sam Mendes’s 9th film and first since the 2020s 1917

2020’s 1917 opened £7,446,302 taking £43,946,049

2009’s Away We Go opened £250,211

2009’s Revolutionary Road opened £1,013,548 taking £2,751,902

2000’s American Beauty opened £2,836,678 taking £21,385,440

2006’s Jarheads opened £1,927,987 taking £5,155,997

2002’s Road to Perdition opened £1,318,382 taking £6,471,752

He also of course directed Bond films Skyfall and Spectre.

While the 1990’s Cinema Paradiso took £1,022,000; started on platform release opening at Curzon Mayfair £23,416.

Normally January is when distributors release the must-see British award contender, on paper Empire of Light was this year’s film, but it’s likely to be overlooked for BAFTAs and Oscars. But The Banshees of Inisherin will be the Searchlight Pictures film that will receive the most award recognition this year.

Searchlight Pictures have had strong success releasing their major award contenders in January including 127 Hours (Pathe UK), Slumdog Millionaire, The Last King of Scotland, 12 Years a Slave (eOne UK), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Favourite and Jojo Rabbit.

While January has also seen many major British award contenders opening including The King’s Speech, The Iron Lady, Les Miserables, The Theory of Everything, The Danish Girl, Darkest Hour and Belfast.

• 4.       Whitney: I Wanna Dance with Somebody – £1,103,064   – £8,203,259

Down 20.7% in the third weekend

Took £318k (23% drop) Friday 28.8%; £487k Saturday (44.1%); £298k Sunday (27%)

While the Whitney Huston biopic had a soft opening in the US and received mixed reviews it was always likely to perform far stronger in the UK as British audiences love music biopics.

Other musician’s third weekends include

2019’s Rocketman dropped 13% taking £2,166,839 and £16,051,346 68.3% of £23,502,881

2018’s A Star Is Born dropped 7% taking £2,883,000 and £14,874,834 50.7% of £29,299,129.

2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody dropped 21% taking £4,559,647 and £28,907,411 52.6% £54,947,598.

While 1993’s Tina, What’s Love Got to Do with It took £3,703,961 (£9,323,366 inflated)

2015’s Straight Outta Compton took £5,807,566 of £8,043,283.

2006’s Walk the Line took £9,737,493 (£16,155,841 inflated)

2007’s Dreamgirls took £3,475,271 (£5,560,434 inflated)

2003’s 8 Mile took £13,254,812 (£22,449,591 inflated)

1992’s The Bodyguard took £17,001,069 (7.24x opening) £42,793,968 inflated.

• 5.       Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical- £857,293 – £25,027,891

Down 27.6% in the eighth weekend

Took £451k Saturday

Had a similar 8th weekend as Jurassic Park (£955,114); Paddington (£943,320); Top Gun: Maverick (£810,638); Frozen 2 (£784,361); Incredibles 2 (£762,307); Toy I Story I 3 I (I £756,575) I; The Grinch (£753,537); Minions: The Rise of Gru (£753,073); The Lion King (2019) (£686,991).

Has taken 6.1x opening similar to Big Trouble In Little China, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Muppets, The Golden Child, Spy Kids and Innerspace.

The first four weeks of Matilda BO were limited mostly to weekend BO taking £12,763,080 and has taken as much in its last four weeks, still has two more weekends before Puss in Boots 2 opens so could take upwards of £28m, this will see the seven Ronald Dahl film adaptations (The Witches, Matilda, James And The Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox, The BFG and Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical taking £100m at the UK BO).

Ahead of release Matilda the Musical expected to take upwards of £30m given the huge popularity of Roald Dahl’s film adaptations, the huge popularity of the musical and it being the perfect Christmas family film and an alternative to going back to Pandora.

Netflix acquired Roald Dahl Story Company for $1bn in 2021 with plans to adapt all of his books into film and TV shows. Next up is a prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wonka opening in December and directed by Paul King (Paddington) starring Timothée Chalamet, Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins and Rowan Atkinson.

Eighth weekends

1996’s Matilda dropped 10% £368,635 (£803,604 inflated) and £7,643,788 (£16,692,380) 74.7% of £10,227,163 (£22,333,913 inflated)

2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory dropped 36% £348,030 #7 and £36,420,902 97.5% of £37,354,584 (£64,081,749 inflated)

2009’s Fantastic Mr Fox dropped 53% £43,073 #17 and £8,772,267 94.7% of £9,260,892 (£13,755,148)

2016’s The BFG down 53% £332,704 #9 and £29,197,858 95.1% of £30,694,086

186^th biggest film between The Day After Tomorrow and Kingsman: The Golden Circle (close to The Golden Compass, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Ratatouille and Uncharted) and 405^th biggest inflated between Lilo & Stitch and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (close to Beauty and the Beast (1992), Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Pocahontas and Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls).

10th biggest family/musical film between Dumbo and Cats and Dogs (close to The BFG, Aladdin (2019), E.T and Mrs Doubtfire) and the 32nd biggest inflated between Enchanted and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (close to Jumanji, Nanny McPhee, Matilda (1996) and Flubber).

Also opened

• Tar – Universal Pictures

Opened with £394,649 #8 from 135 screens

Had a world premiere at Venice Film Festival receiving critical acclaim (90% Rotten Tomatoes) and the New York Film Critics Circle and Los Angeles Film Critics Association called it their best film of 2022 and received three Golden Globe nominations (Best Film Drama, Screenplay and Actress.

The film opened on platform release in October taking $158,620 from 4 screens, after performing steadily on platform release it was one of many dramas that struggled to find an audience after going wide after expanding far too quickly into 1,087 screens taking $5.5m to date.

Todd Field previously directed 2002’s In the Bedroom (opened £87,294 #15 from 16 screens taking £662,818 after 8 weeks) and 2006’s Little Children (opened £158,012 #10 from 203 screens).

Also released

• A Man Called Otto – Sony Pictures

Took £796,076 in second-weekend #6 from 652 screens down 26.9% taking £2,575,470.

Despite dropping out of the top 5 the Tom Hanks film held well in its second weekend due to strong word of mouth and Empire of Light and Tar targetting similar demographics.

Tom Hanks’s 20th biggest second weekend between Charlie Wilson’s War and Turner & Hooch (close to Sleepless in Seattle, Green Mile, Big and A League of Their Own).

36 Tom Hanks films have taken £275m and almost £500m inflated.

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £12,465,200 up 11.2% from last weekend’s £11,210,520: 1,542,723 admissions down 15.6% from 1,334,628

378^th biggest top 10 of the last 21 years (out of 1,085) between 29 March 2013 #1 The Croods £3,305,642 (26.5% of top 10) and 08 January 2010 #1 Avatar £4,770,980 (38.3% of top 10) and 691^st biggest inflation inflated between 09 May 2003 #1 X-Men 2 £3,079,985 (45% of top 10) and 04 November 2016 #1 Doctor Strange £3,445,203 (30.1% of top 10).

The top 3 took £8,248,838 66.2% of the top 10; Avatar: The Way of Water 33.4% (£4,172,161); M3gan 18.9% (£2,356,356); Empire of Light 13.8% (£1,721,921);

Taking 33.47% of the top 10 it’s the 544^th highest percentage #1 between 26 October 2007 Ratatouille £3,589,762 (33.49%) and 06 February 2004 School of Rock £2,742,356 (33.38%).

612^th biggest admissions #1 (516,159) between 19 September 2003 The Italian Job £2,294,027 (516,673) and 03 January 2014 American Hustle £3,467,644 (516,018).

Up 47.7% 2022 (£8,436,218); Scream (£2,468,510); #1 Spider-Man No Way Home £3,215,166 5th week 28% drop 679 screens (38.1% of top 10)

2021; Lockdown

Down 30.7% from 2020 (£17,977,081); 1917 (£7,446,302); Wozzeck – Met Opera 2020 (£112,187); Seberg (£47,992); #1 1917 £7,446,302 1^st week 683 screens (41.4% of top 10)

Down 5.6% from 2019 (£13,204,230); Stan and Ollie (£2,578,838); Colette (£788,432); The Upside (£681,422); Adriana Lecouvreur Met Opera 2019 (£184,460); The Front Runner (£87,699); #1 Stan and Ollie £2,578,838 1st week 654 screens (19.5% of top 10)

Down 26.1% from 2018: (£16,859,941); Darkest Hour (£4,058,356); Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (£2,361,782); Insidious: The Last Key (£1,840,992); Eric Clapton: A Life in 12 Bars (£183,051); #1 Darkest Hour £4,058,356 1st week 605 screens (24.1% of the top 10)

Down 11.3% from 2017: (£14,046,174); La La Land (£6,596,256); Manchester by the Sea (£729,478); Live by Night (£698,218); The Bye Bye Man (£535,492); Underworld: Blood Wars (£349,301); Sherlock: The Final Problem (£322,253); #1 La La Land £6,596,256 1st week 606 screens (47% of top 10)

Down 20.1% from 2016: (£15,591,252); The Revenant (£5,235,851); Creed (£2,221,758); Room (£674,033); #1 The Revenant £5,235,851 1^st week 589 screens (33.6% of top 10)

Down 30.8% from 2015; (£18,016,196); Taken 3 (£6,714,530); Into the Woods (£2,476,409); Foxcatcher (£877,408); #1 Taken 3 £6,714,530 1st week 483 screens (37.2% of top 10)

Down 3.6% from 2014: (£12,936,654); 12 Years a Slave (£2,511,349); The Railway Man (£1,230,483); Delivery Man (£1,102,433); #1 12 Years a Slave £2,511,349 1st week 207 screens (19.4% of top 10)

Down 37.6% from 2013 (£19,963,299); Les Miserables (£8,127,991); Gangster Squad (£2,090,614); Texas Chainsaw 3D (£1,247,735); #1 Les Miserables £8,127,991 1st week 589 screens (40.7% of top 10)

Down 1% from 2012 (£12,582,954); War Horse (£3,944,746); The Darkest Hour (£740,773); Shame (£535,288); Margin Call (£131,982); #1 War Horse £3,944,746 1st week 491 screens (31.3% of top 10)

Down 0.5% from 2011 (£12,522,775); The Green Hornet (£1,878,905); Conviction (£279,016); Blue Valentine (£176,411); Henry’s Crime (£64,508); #1 The King’s Speech £4,401,926 2nd week 422 screens 25% increase (35.1% of top 10)

Down 16.2% from 2010: (£14,882,462); Up In The Air (£1,298,023); The Book Of Eli (£1,232,001); All About Steve (£275,083); 44 Inch Chest (£152,171); #1 Avatar £5,527,039 5th week 441 screens 16% increase (37.1% of top 10)

Up 3.5% from 2009; (£12,037,268); Seven Pounds (£1,565,949); My Bloody Valentine (£1,337,613); Beverly Hills Chihuahua (£1,028,983); The Wrestler (£802,046); #1 Slumdog Millionaire £2,630,820 2nd week 1st #1 330 screens 44% increase (21.8% of top 10)

Up 29.6% from 2008; (£9,618,777); Charlie Wilson’s War (£1,332,932); Dan in Real Life (£603,860); Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (£118,510); The Lady Vanishes (re) (£3,791); #1 I Am Legend £2,051,372 3rd week 465 screens 45% drop (21.3% of top 10)

Up 19.5% from 2007: (£10,426,402); The Pursuit of Happyness (£2,527,181); Smokin’ Aces (£1,023,862); The Last King of Scotland (£861,991); #1 The Pursuit of Happyness £2,527,181 1st week 402 screens (24.2% of top 10)

Up 21.4% from 2006; (£10,263,408); Jarhead (£1,927,987); Memoirs of a Geisha (£1,147,056); Breakfast on Pluto (£199,154); Cry Wolf (£196,093); #1 Jarhead £1,927,987 1st week 390 screens (18.7% of top 10)

Up 39.5% from 2005 (£8,932,279); Closer (£1,568,526); Team America: World Police (£1,526,329); Million Dollar Baby (£803,899); Vanity Fair (£204,693); #1 Closer £1,568,526 275 screens (17.5% of top 10)

Up 8.6% from 2004 (£11,474,178); The Last Samurai (£2,723,081); Lost in Translation (£797,071); #1 Lord of the Rings: Return of the King £3,713,999 4^th week 43% drop 502 screens (32.4% of top 10)

Up 16.7% from 2003 (£10,505,144); Gangs of New York (£2,622,748); The Tuxedo (£1,080,504); The Good Girl (£114,235); City By The Sea (£77,936); #1 Lord of the Rings: Two Towers £3,728,876 4th week 35% drop 513 screens (35.5% of top 10)

Up 39.1% from 2002 (£8,962,263); Rat Race (£1,004,783); Domestic Disturbance (£402,837); Rock Star (£294,973); Soul Survivors (£200,178); Last Orders (£100,560) #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring £4,371,354 4th week 27% drop 482 screens (48.8% of top 10)

Next weekend 2022 (£8,091,793); Belfast (£2,322,572); Nightmare Alley (£550,868); A Journal For Jordan (£50,511); Jewels – Bolshoi Ballet 2022 (£48,195); #1 Spider-Man No Way Home £2,335,488 6th week 27% drop 655 screens (28.9% of top 10)

US Box Office

• Avatar: The Way of Water – Disney

Down 32% in its fifth weekend taking $32.4m and $564.91m

IMAX took 14.3% of the fifth weekend ($5.5m and $75.2m total); PLF 19% and 3D 62%

With Avatar 2 holding #1 for its 5^th weekend, which means it will hold #1 until Knock at the Cabin in three weeks.

2^nd biggest fifth weekend between Avatar ($50.3m) and Titanic ($30.01); Top Gun: Maverick #4 ($29.61m); Black Panther #5 ($26.65m) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens #6 ($26.34m).

As the average ticket price for a 3D/PLF is $18.28 compared to $12.53 for 2D according to EntTelligence research Avatar 2 5^th weekend can’t be compared with any of those films as only Avatar took a similar percentage of BO from IMAX/3D/PLF but 13 years later ticket prices are far more now than they were in 2010, an inflation inflated BO for Avatar would $4bn+ worldwide.

13^th biggest film between Incredibles 2 and The Lion King (2019); 34^th biggest inflation inflated between Saturday Night Fever and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King; 2^nd biggest 2022 between Top Gun: Maverick ($718.73m) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ($449.71m); 5^th biggest sci-fi between Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Avatar 2 dropped 32% in comparison with Avatar dropped 14.9% in the fifth weekend, The Force Awakens 37.8%, Rogue One 39%, The Last Jedi 50%, and The Rise of Skywalker 45.4%. That said with a third BO from 3D has taken far more from 3D than all of these films apart from Avatar.

As with Avengers Endgame (after taking $1.2bn in 5 days) Avatar 2 should be looking at $3bn+ 13 years on from Avatar with ticket prices up to 100% more than they were in 2009.

In 2010 Avatar dropped 14.5% taking $42.78m and $493.25m 65.8% of $749.76m; The Book of Eli #2 $32.78m; The Lovely Bones #3 $17m; Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel #4 $11.61m; Sherlock Holmes #5 at $9.88m.

It took 45 days for Avatar to overtake Titanic to become the biggest film globally $2.039bn and went on to take $749.76m in the US (held #1 for 7 weeks; Titanic was #1 for 15 weeks), $1.99bn internationally and $2.743bn worldwide. It remained the biggest film globally until Avengers Endgame overtook it after 91 days of release, but after Avengers Endgame opened globally with $1.2bn over its opening weekend many expected it to overtake Avatar many weeks earlier and take over $3bn. Avatar retained its #1 global status after it was re-released in China in March 2021. (Avatar took $262m in China).

Took $88.6m (36% drop) from 52 territories $1.331bn total and $1.894bn worldwide; China’s $211.4m; France at $120.5m; Germany’s $106.9m; Korea’s $92.7m; UK $76.8m; India $56.7m; Australia $50.9m; Mexico $48.8m; Spain $43.7m; Italy $43.1m.

Europe (70% 3D/PLFs); Asia (74% 3D/PLFs); Latin America (53% 3D/PLFs).

IMAX has taken $214m (11.3% from 1,453 screens) taking $138.8m internationally (7.3%)

2009’s Avatar took $100m+ from IMAX worldwide from 261 screens, The Dark Knight from 109 screens and then Gravity from 330 screens. Avatar 2 opened on 1,543 IMAX screens worldwide with an average price of $20.

Avatar took $125m in its fifth weekend internationally from 52 territories $1.115bn total and $491.8m US and $1.606bn worldwide; was then 2^nd biggest film worldwide after Titanic ($1.84bn)

Spider-Man No Way Home took $33.4m internationally ($7m from IMAX) from 63 territories in its fifth weekend $926.3m total and $1.625bn worldwide ($101.2m worldwide from IMAX $40.7m international) 85.1% of $1.91bn total.

7^th biggest worldwide between Spider-Man: No Way Home and Jurassic World; 3^rd biggest sci-fi worldwide between Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Jurassic World.

• M3gan – Universal Pictures

Dropped 40% in the second weekend taking $18.26m and $56.79m

The 504^th biggest second weekend between Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Lucy (close to Nope, Smile, The Nun and Paranormal Activity 3).

1,455^th biggest between Blockers and The Cable Guy; 2,342^nd biggest inflated between All Dogs Go to Heaven and Fever Pitch; 78^th biggest horror between Devil’s Advocate and Resident Evil: Afterlife; 205^th biggest Universal Pictures between Blockers and Bruno.

M3gan had a strong marketing campaign which was very social media friendly that started with the M3gan dance at the film’s premiere in early December, this was like Paramount’s Smile. #MeganDanceChallenage generated 1.3bn views on TikTok using hashtags #M3GAN, #M3GANMovie, and #M3GANDance.

M3gan had an average price of $11.54 compared to Avatar 2‘s $14.60 as it didn’t have any premium formats IMAX or PLF screens.

M3gan will be available on PVOD after 17 days as all films that open with less than $50m, but often these films continue to attract audiences in cinemas after being released on PVOD.

Took $15.4m from 64 territories $34.2m total and $94.46m worldwide; 1,835^th biggest worldwide between Role Models and The Hundred-Foot Journey; 237^th biggest Universal Pictures worldwide between Role Models and The River Wild.

• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – Universal Pictures

Up 6% in the fourth weekend $14.39m and $107.35m

The 128^th biggest fourth weekend between Liar Liar and Spider-Man 3 (close to Shrek the Third, Cars, Shark Tale and Sing).

100^th biggest animated film between Bolt and The Little Mermaid; 648^th biggest film between The Hangover 3 and Twins; 1,209^th biggest inflated between John Q and Sabrina; 15^th biggest 2022 film between Lightyear and Smile; 95^th biggest Universal Pictures film between It’s Complicated and Twins.

2011’s Puss In Boots dropped 56.3% in the fourth weekend $10.8m (in October) and $122.39m taking $149.26m and $554.98m worldwide. It was a spin-off to Shrek. The five Shrek extended universe films took $1.48bn in the US and $3.65bn worldwide and the 41 Dreamworks Animation films have taken $6bn in the US and $16bn worldwide since 1998’s Antz.

2001’s Shrek dropped 41.4% by $16.52m and $176.06m of $268.16m and $488.35m WW

2004’s Shrek 2 dropped 38.5% by $23.31m and $353.33m of $441.22m and $928.76m WW

2007’s Shrek the Third dropped 45.3% by $15.31m and $281.46m of $322.71m and $813.36m WW

2010’s Shrek Forever After dropped 38.1% by $15.77m and $210.02m of $238.73m and $752.6m WW

Took $19.8m from 77 territories and $141m total and $253.06m worldwide; 109^th biggest animated worldwide between Robots and Hercules; 640^th biggest worldwide between Wild Hogs and Men in Black: International; 18^th biggest 2022 between Elvis and The Bad Guys; 85^th biggest Universal Pictures between Halloween and Get Out.

• A Man Called Otto – Sony Pictures

Up 205% in the third weekend taking $12.82m adding 3,165 screens to 3,802 screens taking $19.04m

425^th biggest third weekend between The Meg and Ant-Man (close to The Pelican Brief, Remember the Titans, Smile and Maid in Manhattan).

Were no cinemas in the top 75 from Los Angeles or New York playing to MId-America and an older audience with 62% 45+ and 46% 55+

Showing Tom Hanks’s star power is still strong and mighty acorns can still grow from little acorns, as A Man Called Otto underwhelmed opening on platform release three weeks ago taking $56,257 from 4 screens. Added 633 screens in the second weekend up 7,370% taking $4.2m from 637 screens and now 12.15m from 3,802, that said it’s unlikely to expand further beyond the number of screens it’s currently playing, so next weekend will be a better indicator to see if it has legs and if it can play similar to 2019’s A Beautiful Day In the Neighbourhood ($61.69m).

Tom Hanks has starred in 48 films taking $4.52bn in the US and $9.2bn worldwide ($3bn from Toy Story films). Almost half of his films (22) have taken $100m+ half of which when $100m+ meant that the film was successful (pre-2000).

Sony Pictures are filling the gap of original films since Disney acquired 20^th Century Fox with Where the Crawdads Sing (opening $17.2m taking $90.2m), The Woman King ($19m taking $67m) and Little Women ($16.7m taking $108m).

Took $4.4m from 30 territories $14.5m total and $35.7m worldwide

• Plane – Lionsgate

Opened $10.25m; received positive reviews (73% Rotten Tomatoes) and B+ CinemaScore

Opened similar to 2020s The Gentlemen $10.65m taking $36.47m

Gerald Butler has starred in many action films starring as the leading seaman in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies and more recently Olympus Has Fallen trilogy, Geostorm and Greenland. His films are regularly dismissed by critics but cinemagoers enjoy them as they are popcorn movies and the trailer for Plane is one of the craziest trailers in recent years.

2019’s Angel Has Fallen opened $21.38m taking $69.03m and $146.66m WW

2016’s London Has Fallen opened $21.63m taking $62.52m and $205.75m WW

2013’s Olympus Has Fallen opened $30.37m taking $98.92m and $170.27m WW

2018’s Den of Thieves opened $15.2m taking $44.94m and $80.5m WW

2018’s Mile 22 opened $13.71m taking $36.1m and $66.3m WW

2019’s 21 Bridges opened $9.26m taking $28.53m and $49.93m WW

2017’s Geostorm opened $13.7m taking $33.7m and $221.6m WW

• House Party – Warner

Opened $4m; received poor reviews (25% Rotten Tomatoes)

Opened 23 years after the first House Party film opening in 1990 with $4.61m taking $26.38m with 1991’s House Party 2 opened at $6.02m taking $19.43m and 1994’s House Party 3 opened at $6.85m taking $19.28m.

When the House Party reboot was announced, it was expected to go to HBO Max in July 2022, was a surprising decision by Warner Bros to give it a theatrical release so long after the previous films

UK Box Office Top 10

UK Box Office Preview

Avatar: The Way of Water will hold #1 for a sixth weekend, as with the previous two weekends 80% of its BO will be from Sat/Sun taking about 30% less between £2.8m-£3.2m. Avatar 2 shares IMAX screens with Babylon. Avatar 2 will likely take £70m by Sunday.

As with the last few weeks what is far more interesting is how the other films will perform as strong word of mouth should see M3gan drop about 40% taking £1.3m-£1.6m, but due to Empire of Light opening inflated with 4 days of previews will likely drop 60%-70% in the second weekend taking £500k-£700k #7

Will see Babylon open #3 with £1m+, unlikely to open anywhere near 2017’s La La Land at £6,596,256 #1 from 606 screens and 2018’s First Man opened #4 at £2,415,330, but more than 2016’s Whiplash opened £ We 573,546 #7 from 249 screens.

I Wanna Dance With Somebody #4 and Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical #5 holding strongly in their 4^th and 9^th weekends taking £600k-£800k with A Man Called Otto holding well #6.

The latest Japanese anime film That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime opens on Wednesday these films are very front-loaded with One-Piece Film: Red opened in November with £559,623; Dragon Ball Super: Superhero £663,290; Jujutsu Kaisen 0 £825,529, so likely £500k opening over 5 days.

Could see all top 10 films taking £500k+ making BO very healthy as Avatar 2 share of the top 10 will drop down to below 30%.

Opening in two weeks

• Puss In Boots: The Last Wish – Universal Pictures

Animated adventure sequel to 2011’s Puss in Boots and the sixth instalment in the Shrek film series made by DreamWorks Animation featuring the voices of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman and Ray Winstone and directed by Joel Crawford.

It received positive reviews (96% on Rotten Tomatoes) calling it superior to the 2011 film and was nominated for Best Animated Film at the Golden Globes.

As with Sing 2, Universal opted to open the film ahead of half-term instead of Christmas, opening at half-term it is the main children’s film released, which is also Epic Tails but that will play to a younger audience. Surprisingly it doesn’t have previews the weekend before, 2017’s Sing had but not 2022’s Sing 2, why Sing opened £10,487,380 (including £4,201,298 previews) taking £28.84m and Sing 2 opened £6,867,533 taking £32.8m. But Sing faced more direct competition from The LEGO Batman Movie (opened £7,906,468 taking £26,771,191) while Sing 2 had Uncharted which played slightly older.

Children’s films have been the one genre that performed strongly ever since cinemas reopened in July 2020, but over the last year, there has been a lack of them why Minions The Rise of Gru and DC League of Super-Pets had very long legs. The only animated disappointments have been Lightyear and Strange World.

Puss in Boots opened in December 2011 with £1,975,758 taking £14,270,527 despite Arthur Christmas taking £21,369,929; Happy Feet 2 £5,325,893 and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked £26,308,621.

Opened only a year after Shrek Forever After opened £8,955,554 (including £3,040,454 previews) taking £31,106,087

The four Shrek films were hugely popular in the UK taking over £150m+ (£250m+ inflated)

2007’s Shrek The Third opened £16,671,727 (including £6,340,000 previews) taking £38,079,462 (£60,927,139 inflated)

2004’s Shrek 2 opened £16,220,752 (including £5,604,874 previews) taking £48,104,138 (£86,566,021 inflated)

2001’s Shrek opened £3,179,558 taking £29,004,582 (£56,607,976 inflated)

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish opened in the US 5 days after Avatar: The Way of Water with $12.42m but has held very strongly over the last four weeks taking $112m and taking $253.1m worldwide.

• Knock At The Cabin – Universal Pictures

Apocalyptic psychological horror starring Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, and Rupert Grint and directed by M. Night Shyamalan based on the 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul G. Tremblay.

M. Night Shyamalan signed a two-picture deal in 2019 Old was the first film released in July 2021

The script was on the 2019 Blacklist  

After directing Old in 2021 it was rumoured M. Night Shyamalan’s next film was going to be Labor of Love a film, he had originally planned to make in 1994 with Harrison Ford and then Bruce Willis after selling the script to Fox in 1993 but has been in development hell ever since.

Other M. Night Shyamalan openings

2021’s Old opened #4 £866,860 taking £3,181,707

Glass opened in January 2019 with £3,423,380 35.5% of £9,646,964.

Split opened January 2017 with £2,548,516 23.1% of £11,018,069

The Visit opened in September 2015 with £1,031,292 36.7% of £2,805,591.

After Earth opened June 2013 with £2,249,532 36.6% of £6,137,273

2010’s The Last Airbender opened £1,653,776 #3 39.1% of £4,225,793

The Happening opened June 2008 with £1,632,055 (£2,350,787 inflation inflated) 41.9% of £3,895,001 (£5,610,300 inflation inflated)

2006’s Lady in the Water opened £452,744 #9 (£671,214 inflation inflated) in the top 10 for only one week

The Village opened August 2004 with £2,945,763 (£4,913,979 inflation inflated) 29.5% of £9,980,280 (£16,648,619 inflation inflated)

Signs opened September 2002 with £3,767,713 (£6,578,128 inflation inflated) 23.4% of £16,084,656 (£28,082,535 inflation inflated)

Unbreakable opened December 2000 with £2,004,890 (£3,412,870 inflation inflated) 17.8% of £11,222,712 (inflation inflated £19,563,228)

The Sixth Sense opened November 1999 with £4,792,296 (£8,730,858 inflation inflated) 18.6% of £25,407,279 (£46,288,321 inflation inflated).

With Puss In Boots: The Last Wish and Knock At The Cabin opening the same weekend Avatar 2 will likely see it drop from #1 (after 7 weeks) to #3, but unlike Avatar returned to #1 a week later after Valentine’s Day opened for another two weeks until Alice in Wonderland, Avatar 2 will start dropping down the chart with Magic Mike’s Last Dance, Titanic 25th Anniversary and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania opening over the following two weeks.