Articles

February 23, 2020
 

Behind the US/Worldwide Weekend Box Office – 2.23.2020

 

OPENINGS:  THE CALL OF THE WILD (20th/Disney) did a bit better than expected at $24.8M, but in the long run that’s not likely to make much difference.  Similarly to Dolittle (although much more quietly), Call of the Wild was extremely expensive, with $200M+ in production/marketing costs, so a $75M US total won’t get it very far.  Even worse, its international launch has been miserable, with $15.4M in 40 markets.  There are still some significant territories to come including Japan (and perhaps China in the future), but it’s hard to see how this ends with anything other than a loss.

BRAHMS: THE BOY 2 (STX) only scared its investors with a $5.9M opening, down 45% from the $10.8M start for 2016’s The Boy.  It probably won’t even reach $20M in the US, and although costs were low, there won’t be any profit here.  It also has $2.2M in overseas release.

HOLDOVERS:  SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (Paramount) fell 55% to $26.3M in its 2nd weekend, and while its likely $160M US total will certainly be strong enough to justify a sequel, it’s not the stuff of franchise dreams.  Overseas, it’s at $96.5M after a $38.3M weekend in 56 markets, with Japan (and eventually China) to come.

BIRDS OF PREY (DC/Warners) dropped a heavy 59% to $7M in its 3rd weekend, on its way to a dim $85M in the US.  Overseas, it’s at $101.2M after a $10M weekend in 78 territories.

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (Columbia/Sony) shed 49% to $5.9M in its 6th weekend, on target to pass $200M in the US.  Overseas, it’s at $200M.

1917 (DreamWorks/Reliance/Universal) was down 46% to $4.4M (aided by a 23% increase in theatres) as it heads past $160M in the US.  It also has $195.3M overseas.

FANTASY ISLAND (Blumhouse/Columbia/Sony) dropped 66% to $4.2M from last week’s opening, with a likely $30M US total that won’t satisfy anyone’s fantasy.  It isn’t making a splash overseas, either, with $13.6M to date.

PARASITE (Neon) had the best hold in the Top 10, down 45% to $3.1M, and should pass $50M in the US next week.  That’s a big number, but still far below its $155.6M international total.

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (Columbia/Sony) isn’t ready to head into the shed just yet, down 46% to $3M in its 11th weekend, and possibly reaching $320M in the US.  It has $477M overseas.

THE PHOTOGRAPH (Universal) took the hit from its big Valentines Day debut last week, down a sharp 77% to $2.8M, and unlikely to get past $25M in the US.  It’s barely opened overseas.

DOWNHILL (Searchlight/Disney) lived down to its title, plunging 69% to $1.4M, and heading towards a US total that won’t be much above $10M.  It has no overseas presence to speak of at this point.

LIMITED RELEASE:  EMMA (Focus/Universal) started well with a $46K weekend per-theatre average at 5 NY/LA arthouses (supported by in-theatre Q&As all weekend).  SEBERG (Amazon) averaged $20K at 3.  The documentary ONCE WERE BROTHERS (Magnolia) averaged $10.4K at 4.  On the wider end of “limited,” the TV spin-off IMPRACTICAL JOKERS: THE MOVIE (Tru) had a moderately surprising $7300 average at 357 theatres.  The Spanish-language LA PILDORAS DE ME NOVIO (Pantelion/Lionsgate) averaged a less impressive $4100 at 350.  PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (Neon) expanded to 130 with a $5500 average.  THE LODGE (Neon) widened to 322 and averaged $1900.  THE ASSISTANT (Bleecker Street) had a $1300 average at 167.  THE TRAITOR (Sony Classics), now at 45, averaged $1200.  ORDINARY LOVE (Bleecker Street) expanded to 21 and averaged $2100.  THE TIMES OF BILL CUNNINGHAM (Greenwich) had a $3600 average at 8.  AND THEN WE DANCED (Music Box) expanded to 18 with a $1500 average.

NEXT WEEKEND:  THE INVISIBLE MAN (Blumhouse/Universal) is the wide arrival.  Limited releases include GREED (Sony Classics), BURDEN (101) and WENDY (Searchlight/Disney).

 



About the Author

Mitch Salem
MITCH SALEM has worked on the business side of the entertainment industry for 20 years, as a senior business affairs executive and attorney for such companies as NBC, ABC, USA, Syfy, Bravo, and BermanBraun Productions, and before that, at the NY law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. During all that, he has more or less constantly been going to the movies and watching TV, and writing about both since the 1980s. His film reviews also currently appear on screened.com and the-burg.com. In addition, he is co-writer of an episode of the television series "Felicity."