UK/US Box Office February 22nd- 24th week 8

 

1. The Lego Movie: The Second Part –  £2,410,823 –   £14,014,439  

Up 2.4% in its third weekend due to half-term holidays (The Lego Movie in 2014 dropped 26% in its second weekend including previews but increased by 1% with previews but its second weekend was a week later with its Friday part of half-term holidays)

Thanks to half-term The Lego Movie 2 was up 347% Mon-Weds compared to the previous week and box office up 20% for the week showing how lucrative half-term holidays, but had half term been this week with temperatures in the 20s the highest ever in February might have not increased as much.

Took £6,603,544 over half-term week including £4,192,721 Mon-Thurs

Hard to compare with The Lego Movie was it opened the Friday before half-term including previews so its third weekend would have been the weekend after half-term

76^th biggest animated film after three weeks between Puss in Boots and Kung Fu Panda 3 and 91^st biggest inflation inflated between The Emoji Movie and Shaun The Sheep Movie (close to Mr. Peabody and Sherman (The Lego Movie competition in 2014), Bee Movie and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (but hard to make direct comparisons as many had previews inflating their openings)

Third weekends

2014’ s The Lego Movie #1 £3,266,594 down 45% and £26,671,764 of £32,887,286

2017’s The LEGO Batman Movie #1 £2,893,337 down 35% and £23,076,742 of £26,771,191

2017’s The LEGO Ninjago Movie #3 £889,802 down 34% and £8,210,047 of £9,378,170

Hard to compare The Lego Movie: The Second Part box office with the other Lego Movie films as they all had previews inflating their totals while The Lego Movie second weekend was half-term week. It was the weekend before half-term for the sequel and also had tougher competition with How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World opening the weekend before and instant Family weekend after.

Many films recently are holding similar in their second weekends with The Lego Movie: The Second Part having a second weekend (close to How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Ralph Breaks The Internet, Aquaman, Glass, Bumblebee and The Grinch) as hasn’t been a breakout box office success since  Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Bohemian Rhapsody showing how flat the market has been since. This won’t change until Captain Marvel opens in three weeks’ time as this weekend the top 10 took almost a third of what the top ten took with Black Panther last year.

As with the US, the UK 2019 started very soft and this started with Mary Poppins Returns taking less than half many expected and not holding as well and of the top 15 in its ninth weekend. The soft start to 2019 probably affected the openings

February half-term family films

In 2018

Coco – opened 19th January total £18,013,336

Early Man opened 26th January total £11,205,643

In 2017

Sing opened 27th January total £28,840,000

The LEGO Batman Movie 10th February total £26,771,191

In 2016

Goosebumps opened 5th February total £8,575,763

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip opened 12th February total £15,871,522

In 2015

Big Hero 6 opened 30th January total £20,123,298

Shaun The Sheep Movie opened 6th February total £13,675,389

In 2014

Mr. Peabody and Sherman opened 7th February total £13,552,917

The Lego Movie opened 14th February total £32,887,286

With half-term over its unlikely neither The Lego Movie: The Second Part and How to Train Your Dragon 3 will take over £20m showing predictably opening the two films a week apart without previews has cannibalized them. Would have expected The Lego Movie: The Second Part to take £25+ and How to Train Your Dragon 3 £20m+.

After Disney opening Coco four weeks before half-term last year and Studiocanal opened Early Man three weeks before half-term had warner or Universal opened their film a week earlier the two films might have performed stronger, as it is the first seven weeks of the year have been down on last year with industry hoping Captain Marvel heats up the box office.78

2. Instant Family £1,672,863 – £6,398,291

Down 32.2% in its second weekend

Had 338^th biggest second weekend between Halloween and Terminator: Genisys and 621^st inflation inflated between Sliding Doors and Terminator: Genisys

Was Paramount Pictures 58^th biggest film between Rango and Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa and their 64^th biggest inflated between Paranormal Activity 4 and Cowboys & Aliens.

Second weekends

Cheaper by the Dozen dropped 27% (up 22% without previews) in February 2004 with £1,328,428 and £4,883,621taking £6,907,690 (£11,523,073 inflation inflated)

Cheaper By The Dozen 2 in January 2006 with £781,725 down 66% (9% without previews) and £4,176,372 (£1,198,313 inflation inflated) taking £5,647,928 (£8,981,525 inflation inflated)

Yours, Mine and Ours in April 2006 took £173,255 and £725,595 taking £1,057,835

Daddy Day Care in July 2003 £767,414 down 4% and £2,094,274 taking £5,040,678

While previous Mark Wahlberg films directed by Sean Anders

Daddy’s Home in January 2016 £2,908,358 #2 up 79% and £8,142,515 taking £16,742,333

Daddy’s Home 2 in November 2017 #2 £1,945,640 down 60% (down 30% not including previews) and £7,879,672 taking £14,296,957

3. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – £1,665,724 –   £15,877,875  

Down 0.9% in its fourth weekend thanks to half term holidays; up 263% Mon-Weds last week from the week before and up 12% in total.

Took £4,379,236 over half-term week and £2,713,512 Mon-Thurs

68^th biggest animated film in the UK between Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn and Gnomeo and Juliet and 87^th biggest inflation inflated between Flushed Away and Rio (close to Mulan, Ralph Breaks The Internet, Rio and Mr. Peabody and Sherman)

The 31 Dreamworks Animation films released since 1998 have taken over £650m at the UK box office before Universal Pictures released How To Train Your Dragon 3 they were released by UIP, Paramount Pictures and 20^th Century Fox;

Fourth weekends

How to Train Your Dragon 2 in August 2014 took £1,096,888 up 11% (sixth (including Scotland) and £17,634,729.

How to Train Your Dragon in April 2010 took £821,638 down 36% and £14,256,991 of £17,168,517 total of £24,258,735 total.

In February 2014 The Lego Movie took almost £8m Mon-Thurs of half-term How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and The Lego Movie: The Second Part will probably share that between them this year. Both should have single figure drops this weekend.

Often half-term children’s films play through to Easter but with Disney’s Dumbo re-imagination opening in 6 weeks’ time unlikely they will hold as long.  

How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is likely to take closer to the first films total £17,168,517 rather than the sequels £24,258,735.

Has become the biggest film of 2019 so far but this will be overtaken in a few weeks tie by Captain Marvel

Current biggest film of 2019: How to Train Your Dragon 3; The Lego Movie 2; Glass; Stan & Ollie; Mary Queen of Scots; Alita: Battle Angel; instant Famil; Green Book; Vice; The Kid Who Would be King taking £87m+;

Last year Black Panther; Darkest Hour; Coco; Fifty Shades Freed; Three Billboards Outside; Early Man; The Post; The Shape of Water; Maze Runner: The Death Cure; Finding Your Feet  taking £166m+

By next weekend How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World could of often  How to Train Your Dragon 2 £17,634,729 but will come short to the originals box office.

4. Alita: Battle Angel £870,704  –  £7,721,031

Down 38.5% in its third weekend;

Currently 20^th Century Fox’s 116^th biggest film in the UK between Assassin’s Creed and 127 Hours and 145^th biggest inflation inflated between Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde and Eragon (close to 28 Weeks Later, Taken and Predator).

110^th biggest action/sci-fi film in the UK between Edge of Tomorrow and RoboCop and 140^th biggest inflation inflated between Chronicle and Tomb Raider (close to GI Joe: Retaliation, The Island, After Earth and Total Recall)

Alita: Battle Angel could be 20^th Century Fox’s last major release as an independent studio before being absorbed within Disney their biggest 189 biggest films over the last 18 years have taken over £2.7bn at the UK box office and over £3.5bn inflation inflated;

Second weekends

2018’s Ready Player One £1,183,259 dropped 51% and £14,501,485 taking £16,114,011

2015’s Jupiter Ascending £436,526 47% and £3,925,912 taking £4,241,234

female action

2014’s Lucy £1,197,432 down 39% and £10,445,937 taking £14,129,734

2017’s Ghost in the Shell £366,564 down 50% and £5,133,473 taking £5,554,260

2018’s Tomb Raider £570,156 down 52% and £6,726,617 taking £7,739,354

James Cameron

2015’s Terminator Genisys £823,384 down 51% and £9,237,056 taking £10,868,627; James Cameron initially praised the film but wasn’t involved with the film but is producing Terminator: Dark Fate.

5. The Kid Who Would Be King –  £651,610 –   £2,595,481

Down only 2.2% in its second weekend due to half term; after a disappointing opening weekend last week The Kid Who Would Be King has performed well across half-term despite The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, How to Train Your Dragon 3 and the surprising performance of Instant Family.

After opening in seventh last weekend climbed to fourth on Monday, fifth on Tuesday and was forth on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Kid Who Would Be King has overtaken the total box office of Joe Cornish’s previous film 2011’s Attack the Block which took £355,232 in its second weekend and £1,925,419 total £2,466,020.

After its underwhelming performance in the US in January the film was expected to be the first flop of the year losing 20^th Century Fox up to $50m; had the film been mad for half of its $59m budget it might have had a chance to turn a profit.

The Kid Who Would Be King is a fun family adventure film the kind of films audiences used to enjoy but that was before the high-concept properties, which made the film always a hard sell in the current marketplace.

20^th Century Fox release The Aftermath this weekend after which their next release isn’t until May 3^rd with Tolkien by which time it is expected that Disney will have closed their purchase of the studio. It is unknown at the moment what will happen to 20^th Century Fox UK afterwards as it will likely take months for Disney to incorporate the studio within Disney.

20^th Century Fox have few films dated for the summer recently moving their untitled James Mangold film to November, have the Brad Pitt Sci-fi currently set for May Ad Astra but is likely to be delayed and the two final X-Men films New Mutants and Dark Phoenix (were rumours Disney might dump them).

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £9,295,305 down 16.4% from last weekend £11,116,499

The weekend admissions 1,287,438 down 16.4% from last weekend 1,539,681 average ticket up from last year’s £7.49 the industry will claim average ticket price has dropped 3.2% to £7.25 in 2018

10 films opened at weekend taking (£1,564,153); Cold Pursuit 40.3% (£631,467); On the Basis of Sex 29.3% (£458,914); remaining 8 films shared 30.2% (£473,772): Top three took xx% (£5,749,410) of the top 10; The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (£2,410,823) 41.9%; Instant Family (£1,672,863) 29.1%; How to Train Your Dragon 3 (£1,665,724) 28.9%;  

The weekend was down 41.8% from 2018: (£15,994,745); Lady Bird (expansion 190 screens) (£1,233,508); I, Tonya (£1,049,551); Finding Your Feet (£923,220); La Boheme – Met Opera 2018 (£309,799); Monster Hunt (£41,106); #1 Black Panther (£6,859,230) 2nd week (61% drop)

Down 18.1% from 2017: (£11,360,198); Patriots Day (£843,380); A Cure for Wellness (£409,540); Within (£8,364); #1 The LEGO Batman Movie (£2,893,337) 3^rd week (35% drop)

Down 42.7% from 2016: (£16,221,692); How To Be Single (£1,876,539); Triple 9 (£812,619); The Finest Hours (£247,643); The Mermaid (£120,486); Freeheld (£12,666); #1 Deadpool (£5,694,280) 2^nd week (59% drop)

Down 35.8% from 2015; (£14,483,939); The Wedding Ringer (£990,445); Project Almanac (£868,030); Blackhat (£147,199); The Duke Of Burgundy (£43,155); Cake (£114,316); #1 Fifty Shades of Grey (£4,597,092) 2^nd week (66% drop)

Down 30.9% from 2014: (£13,467,178): A New York Winter’s Tale (£257,634); Nymphomaniac Part 1 (£143,282); Stalingrad (£33,289); #1 The Lego Movie (£5,978,904) 2^nd week (26% drop)

Down 9.5% from 2013: (£10,277,378); Wreck-It Ralph (£3,420,196); Mama (£1,512,297); Cloud Atlas (£544,725); Song for Marion (£456,714); Hardy Bucks: The Movie (£152,775); To the Wonder (£96,645); #1 Wreck-It Ralph (£3,420,196) 1^st week

Down 13.4% from 2012 (£10,741,377): The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (£2,222,051); Safe House (£2,142,872); The Muppets (£1,490,069); One for the Money (£316,762); Black Gold (£11,004); #1 The Woman in Black (£2,432,580) 3^rd week 31% drop

Down 46,8% from 2011 (£17,491,609); Paul (£5,517,121); Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (£1,433,778); Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (£820,592); Inside Job (£70,375); #1 Paul (£5,517,121) 1^st week

Down 24.6% from 2010: (£12,339,641); The Lovely Bones (£1,637,579); Solomon Kane (£611,886); The Last Station (£135,368); Crazy Heart (£102,917); #1 Avatar (£2,817,009) 1^st week (9^th week) 15% drop

Down 26.3% from 2009; (£12,615,837); Confessions of a Shopaholic (£2,846,622); Push (£625,300); Gran Torino (£332,877); Che: Part Two (£92,320); Anvil! The Story of Anvil (£24,604); Cadillac Records (£16,093); #1 Bolt (£3,006,050) 2^nd week 45% drop

Up 10.4% from 2008; (£8,417,049); Be Kind Rewind (£1,388,146); Rambo (£1,247,195); U23D (£223,556); Black Water (£29,610); #1 Jumper (£1,513,088) 2^nd week 51% drop

Up 1.2% from 2007:(£9,415,236); The Number 23 (£1,206,087); The Good Shepherd (£629,863); School for Scoundrels (£340,984); #1 Hot Fuzz (£3,297,539) 2^nd week 44% drop

Up 24.8% from 2006; (£7,442,296): Date Movie (£1,288,089); Lucky Number Slevin (£1,074,550); Capote (£236,444); The Fog (£210,525); #1 Chicken Little Date Movie (£1,288,089) 1^st week

Up 34.5% from 2005 (£6,908,179); Hide and Seek (£1,594,508); Coach Carter (£469,062); The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou expansion (£455,722); Spanglish (£308,414); Hotel Rwanda (£81,476); #1 Hide and Seek (£1,594,508) 1^st week

Up 15.2% from 2004 (£8,063,782); The Haunted Mansion (£1,564,558); Sex Lives of the Potato Men (£353,726); The Barbarian Invasions (£58,715); Blind Flight (£26,148); Good Bye, Lenin! (£465); #1 The Haunted Mansion (£1,564,558) 1^st week 7% drop (2^nd week)

Down 5.1% from 2003 (£9,802,035); The Ring (£2,200,084); The Magdalene Sisters (£137,461); The One and Only (£61,413); #1 The Ring (£2,200,084) 1^st week

Down 37.8% from 2002 (£14,947,751); Ali (expansion) (£1,315,506); Don’t Say A Word (£597,896); Charlotte Gray (£450,229); A Beautiful Mind (platform) £186,862; #1 Monsters, Inc. (£4,234,293) 3^rd week 26% drop  

Next weekend in 2018: (£11,400,044); Red Sparrow (£1,843,124); Game Night (£1,094,478); Monster Family (£126,235); A Fantastic Woman (£98,445); #1 Black Panther (£3,736,954) 3^rd week (46% drop)

Also opened

• Cold Pursuit –  £631,467  –   NE   

From 418 cinemas was #6 in the UK and #4 in the Republic of Ireland

The Commuter opened February 2018 with £1,602,680 taking £3,643,253

Run All Night opened March 2015 with £823,833 taking £2,037,542

Non-Stop opened February 2014 with £2,652,364 taking £9,365,368

Unknown opened March 2011 with £1,356,345 taking £6,546,287

Up to 2008 Liam Neeson made a wide mix of films from action, drama and rom-com but it all changed in 2008 with Taken, the film made by EuropaCorp 20th Century Fox had acquired via an output deal was expected to go straight to DVD in the US and UK. After being surprise hit in France and China in early 2008 opened in the UK September with £1,165,986 taking £6,277,639 and was a massive hit on DVD. Taken 2 opened with a massive £7,378,048 in October 2012 taking £23,458,794 and Taken 3 opened with a strong £6,714,530 in January 2015 taking £17,456,640.

Liam Neeson’s action films since Taken could be seen as Taken in different situations o a plane, on a train and in a snow plow; when the first trailer was released many compared it with The Simpsons Mr Plow episode. While reviews have called it Taken on Ice.

Cold Pursuit was going through its normal pre-release schedule with its press junket but then Liam Neeson decided for some unknown reason to talk about something that happened 40 years ago about wanting to kill a black man after finding out someone close to him was raped. He didn’t go through with his actions and knew what he thought was wrong, but this still generated huge coverage in the media in the days afterwards.

For many men reacting to news about a woman close to them being hurt physically or mentally, they want to hit out at the individual that hurt the woman, of course not condoning either action, but some of the reaction to his comments were over the top including many wanting Sony pictures to digitally remove him from Men in Black international.

Two years ago after the allegations against Kevin Spacey Sony Pictures reshot All the Money in the World featuring with Christopher Plumber. The difference was Kevin Spacey allegations were against something he did rather than something he thought of doing. I’m sure we have all thought of doing things that we would all be locked up for, but we don’t like in a pre-crime society as the film Minority Report.

• On the Basis of Sex – eOne

Opened with £458,914 from 453 screens

After not receiving award recognition after the Ruth Bader Ginsberg biopic received mix reviews it had a soft opening.

While despite receiving strong word of mouth If Beale Street Could Talk dropped out of the top 15 taking £135,196 at 327 screens and £1.2m total in its third weekend; its unlikely Regina King winning Best Supporting Actress Oscar on Sunday would see a massive improvement on its box office this weekend despite being a quiet weekend for new releases.

Last week Vue Cinemas threatened to boycott BAFTA after Roma success at the awards as the film had a very limited theatrical release on Curzon Cinemas before going on the streaming service calling the film a “TV movie”. But when a film like If Beale Street Could Talk drops out of the top 10 after three weeks and won’t be legally be available to download until June. There needs to be a flexible window rather than the fixed 17-week theatrical window as a film like On the Basis of Sex won’t last two weeks in cinemas.

The anger Vue Cinemas had against BAFTA for Roma was sour grapes as they have a poor track record giving foreign language (not Bollywood) a wide release. Had Roma been acquired by an indie might have played in a few more cinemas as Cold War was but would have been played out within 6 weeks.

While I do of course believe cinema is where you should see films, the industry needs to wake up to the fact many people will wait to see films in their home on their 60+ inch 4K TV with Dolby Atmos and no armchair recliner seats will change that.

Also released

• Bohemian Rhapsody – 20^th Century Fox

Took £209,037 down 8% in its 18^th weekend taking £53,745,135; climbed up to 10^th despite being available for digital download for over a week and is released on DVD on Monday.

Bohemian Rhapsody will end on £55.5m+ which is the 26^th biggest film in the UK between Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 57^th biggest inflation inflated between The King’s Speech and The Matrix Reloaded.

Bohemian Rhapsody is 20^th Century Fox’s fourth biggest film in the UK after Avatar, Titanic and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

The Greatest Showman took £300,947 #6 down 2% in its 18^th weekend in 317 cinemas (behind Avengers: Infinity War, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, A Quiet Place, Rampage, Peter Rabbit) taking £45.97m 94.9%of £48.4m total.

As with The Greatest Showman last year Bohemian Rhapsody has played in over 300 screens for its complete release and charted #12 this weekend.

Bohemian Rhapsody doubled up on its two BAFTA awards winning Four Oscars including Best Actor; Queen opened the Oscars ceremony performing a montage of their songs.

With another quiet weekend of new released Bohemian Rhapsody could make it one final week in the top 10.

Over the weekend Mary Poppins squeezed into the top  10 in its 10^th weekend overtaking The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe; the minimum expected for Mary Poppins Returns must have been to overtake Beauty and the Beast 9^th biggest with £72,430,579 but after the massive hype it had and being the sequel to one of the biggest films ever in the UK £100m shouldn’t of been out of the question with it still in the chart.

But Bohemian Rhapsody stole its thunder after being brought forward six weeks, but still it wasn’t expected to be any competition either at the box office or at the Oscars with it failing to win either Best Song or Best Score.

UK Box Office Top 10

US Box office

• How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – Universal Pictures

Opened with $55.02m; received 91% Rotten Tomatoes score (How to Train Your Dragon received 98% score and How to Train Your Dragon received 92%) and A CinemaScore

Having the biggest opening of the trilogy but did open slightly lower than industry expectations which were $60m+ but had the biggest opening of the year to date and biggest since Aquaman and will be the biggest until Captain Marvel opens in two weeks’ time.

How to Train Your Dragon opened March 2010 with $43.73m taking $217.58m

How to Train Your Dragon 2 opened June 2014 with $49.45m taking $172.1m

Had the second biggest opening for an animated film in February after The Lego Movie $69m and eighth biggest February opening after Black Panther, Deadpool, Fifty Shades of Grey, The Passion of the Christ, The Lego Movie, Hannibal and Valentine’s Day.

The three How to Train Your Dragon films have taken $1.2bn worldwide and $394.58m in the US; all three films have been released by different studios, first by Paramount Pictures in 2010 and the sequel in 2014 by 20th Century Fox.

The 38 Dreamworks Animation films have taken over $14.5bn worldwide over the last 21 years; Shrek 2 is the biggest Dreamworks Animation film in the US taking $441.2m and $919.8m worldwide; in comparison the 9 Illumination Entertainment films have taken $4.1bn worldwide since 2007.

It is the first DreamWorks Animation film to be distributed by Universal Pictures after they acquired the animated studio in August 2016 for $3.6bn; 20th Century Fox released Dreamworks Animation films from 2013 to 2017; were previously released by Paramount Pictures between 2006 and 2012 and before released by Dreamworks from 1998 to 2005 (Antz the first released in October 1998).

Took $34.7m from 53 territories and $216.9m and $275m worldwide

• Alita: Battle Angel – 20th Century Fox

Dropped 56.7% in its second weekend taking $12.34m and $61.02m total

Alita: Battle Angel is the #29 biggest adventure film with female lead between Underworld: Evolution and Resident Evil: Afterlife and #57 sci-fi adventure between The Fifth Element and Mission to Mars; should match the box office of Oblivion and Waterworld (another film the industry called out a flop weeks before opening) but a long way from Ready Player One, Tron Legacy and Mad Max: Fury Road.

Second weekends

2014’s Lucy dropped 58.4% $18.25m and $79.53m taking 5126.66m and $463.36m worldwide

2017’s Atomic Blonde dropped 55.4% $8.15m and $34.03m taking $51.68m and $100.1m worldwide

2017’s Ghost in the Shell dropped 60.9% $7.3m and $31.52m taking $40.56m and $169.8m

2018’s Tomb Raider dropped 57.3% $10.1m and $41.42m taking $58.25m and $274.65m

But while it’s a female action film it’s also much more

2018’s Ready Player One dropped 41% $24.62m and $96.48m taking $137.69m and $582.89m worldwide

2001’s A.I. dropped 52.2% $14.03m and $59.57m taking $78.61m and $235.92m worldwide

2005’s I, Robot dropped 58.4% $21.72m and $95.12m taking $144.8m and $347.23m

2010’s Tron Legacy dropped 56.5% $19.15m and $87.37m taking $172.06m and $400.06m worldwide

2015’s Jupiter Ascending dropped 49.6% $9.25m and $32.37m taking $47.38m and $183.98m worldwide

2009’s Avatar dropped 1.8% $75.61m and $212.71m taking $760.5m and $2.78bn worldwide

After James Cameron’s films have taken over $5.7bn worldwide at 20th Century Fox and gave them Alien and Avatar franchises were happy to sign off on $200m+ Alita: Battle Angel as he had also promised them four Avatar sequels over the following decade (Avatar took $760.5m in the US and $2.77bn world in 2009 and is still the biggest film globally despite many predicting Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Avengers: Infinity War would overtake it).

Took $92.4m from 82 territories (including $64.8m from China) 35% from 3D and 10% IMAX and $202.7m internationally $263.3m worldwide; Alita: Battle Angel is expected to take $400m+ worldwide which will be less than the $500m needed to breakeven but far from the flop the industry was predicting three weeks before opening.

• The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part – Warner Bros

Dropped 53.5% in its third weekend taking $9.68m and $83.28m

The Lego Movie 2 dropped much heavier than The Lego Movie and The Lego Batman Movie as had direct competition with How to Train Your Dragon which the previous two Lego films didn’t have until several weeks after Mr. Peabody & Sherman (fifth week) after The Lego Movie opened and Power Rangers (seventh week) after The Lego Batman Movie. It’s always surprising studios open similar genre of films so close together as the second film will often cannibalize the earlier film.

Third weekends

2014’s The Lego Movie dropped 37.2% taking $31.3m and $183.01m of $257.76m; $469.2m worldwide

2017’s The Lego Batman Movie dropped 41.2% taking $19.2m and $133.21m of $175.75m; $312m worldwide

2017’s The Lego Ninjago Movie dropped 39.9% taking $7.01m and $44.07m of $59.28m; $123.1m worldwide

Many have suggested The Lego Ninjago Movie hurt the Lego brand in 2017 with Warner Bros opening two Lego films within six months; The Lego Movie 2 should have been the third film with Lego Ninjago released afterwards as it did weaken the brand. Will be interesting to see where Warner Bros take the Lego franchise from here as all four films are very enjoyable and it hopefully will continue.

Took $10.3m from 73 territories and $53m total and $136.6m worldwide; UK: $18.3m; Russia: $3.2m; Poland: $3m; Germany: $2.7m; Mexico: $2.5m

• Fighting with My Family – MGM

Took $7.81m in its second weekend up 5,529% $8.02m total  

Received 91% Rotten Tomatoes score and A- CinemaScore

Ever since Fighting with My Family had the secret screening at the Sundance Film Festival it has generated strong buzz and positive word of mouth similar to Eddie the Eagle in 2016 (opened the same weekend with $6.08m taking $15.78m).

• Happy Death Day 2U – Universal Pictures

Down 48.5% in its second weekend taking $4.88m and $21.51m total

Happy Death Day took $9.36m in its second weekend down 64% and $40.67m taking $55.68m and $125.47m worldwide with a budget of only $4.8m;  

Happy Death Day 2U is another sequel which is probably as enjoyable as the first film so surprising it underwhelmed, with its low budget there could still be a third film?

Over the last decade Blumhouse Productions films have taken $2.09bn in the US and $3.92bn worldwide; majority of the films had low budgets so much more profitable than megamovies.

Took $6.1m from 48 territories and $29.9m internationally and $42.5m worldwide; Happy Death Day took $69.8m internationally in 2017.

• Isn’t It Romantic – Warner Bros

Down 46% in its second weekend taking $4.6m and $33.8m

Rebel Wilson’s preview rim-com How to Be Single in February 2016 took $8.2m in its second weekend and $31.74m  taking $46.84m in the US and $112.34m worldwide.

It is released internationally on Netflix on Wednesday they also acquired international rights to Son of Shaft which they will also release three weeks after its US opening in June.

• The Upside – STX

Down 42.1% in its 7^th weekend taking $3.17m taking $99.7m

On Monday it became STX’s second film to take over $100m after 2016’s Bad Moms

The Upside originally premiered at 2017’s Toronto Film Festival to be released in March 2018 but its release was cancelled after the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations. In August 2018 STX acquired the film and dated the film for January 11^th, 2019.

The Upside received poor reviews, but audience reaction was far more positive receiving A CinemaScore opened with $20.35m more than double it was expected to and held strongly over the weeks that followed helped by a lack of other competition.

Internationally the film hasn’t performed nearly as well taking only $10.8m from 20 territories with the UK the best performing taking £2.2m.

• Green Book – Universal Pictures

Down 6.33% in its 15^th weekend taking $2.12m (dropping 397 screens) and $69.64m

After winning Best Picture on Sunday Green Book will add screens and climb back into the top 10 and will likely now take $90m+.  Green Book is the only Oscar winning this year to see a big boost to its box office next weekend.

If Beale Street Could Talk and The Favourite will add screens but unlikely boost either box office that much while Bohemian Rhapsody is now available on DVD but still took $624,525 in its 17^th weekend and $213.123m total.

Green Book has taken $81.37m worldwide more than the global box office of Moonlight which took $27.85m in the US and $65.1m worldwide.

Took $8.6m from 59 Lionsgate/Amblin territories with $74.4m total (top territories France $8.2m; 2. UK $8.1m; Italy $6.7m; Australia $6.4m; Russia/CIS $6.0m;

France $7.0m; UK $6.8m; Italy $5.7m; Australia $5.4m; Russia $5.2m) $127.1m worldwide; opens in China and Japan on Friday.

UK Box Office Predictions

After half-term week increased box office this weekend will be the calm before the storm exhibitors hope that will bring back audiences to the cinema again as the last three months have been disappointing since Bohemian Rhapsody, with both Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,  Mary Poppins Returns and Ralph Breaks the Internet failing to match the box office of previous films while The Grinch did.

Fighting With My Family is likely to be the biggest opener likely to open similar to 2016’s Eddie the Eagle took £2,834,785 but took £1,289,216 from previews taking £1,545,569 for the weekend which would likely see it open second.

The Aftermath might generate some interest based on Rhidian Brook novel, but Miss Bala is unlikely to generate much interest.

As audiences wait for the arrival of Captain Marvel opening next weekend to save the box office and the Avengers.

Serenity is shown on Sky Cinema and selected independent cinemas; it is the sixth film Sky Cinema have released over the last year all except Monster Family had a very limited release as major exhibitors aren’t willing to book films that have short or no theatrical window. Why then will exhibitors book Event Cinema screenings of They Shall Not Grow Old which was going to be broadcast on BBC2 within weeks of cinema release while Sherlock and Doctor Who were screened on BBC1 the same time as they were in cinemas,

Opening in UK Next Week

• Captain Marvel – Disney

The 21^st Marvel Cinematic Universe film starring Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, and Jude Law and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.

In October 2014 Captain Marvel release date was announced on July 8^th, 2018 (was moved to March for Ant-Man and the Wasp) and would be Marvel’s first female-led film despite rumours of a Black Widow film since appearing in Iron Man 2 in 2010. But instead of it being the first female led comic-book movie opens two years after Wonder Woman.

First trailer was released in September (viewed 109 million times in its first 24 hours the 11th most viewed trailer). Second trailer was released in December and in February had an advert during the Super Bowl.  

Blockbuster films often open with 10% of their US opening but MCU films without preview often take about 20% less which would see Captain Marvel opening with £8.5m+ would be the biggest opening since Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

• Everybody Knows – Universal Pictures

Spanish-language psychological thriller starring Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz and directed by Asghar Farhadi;  the film opened the 2018 Cans Film Festival in competition receiving mixed reviews.

Focus Features acquired international rights after the Cannes Film Festival and was released in Spain on 14 September 2018 and in the US in February 8^th.

Opening in the US

• Captain Marvel – Disney

Month before opening Captain Marvel was tracking to open with $100m+ which would be the 11^th biggest MCU, two weeks later was increased to $120m+ after receiving positive reaction on social media.

Continuing the story arc from Avengers: Infinity War (started with 2016’s Captain America: Civil War and ends with Spider-Man: Far From Home) would expect an opening of $150m+ as the audience who saw Avengers: Infinity War would want to see Captain Marvel before they see Avengers: Endgame in April?

Captain Marvel is the film the industry hope to get audiences back to the cinema after the first nine weeks of 2019 have been very disappointing.