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March 21, 2021
 

US/Worldwide Weekend Box Office Report – 3.21.2021

 

OPENINGS:  With the LA movie theatre market now open (at 25% capacity) and a general rise in vaccinations, the box office seems to be taking its first very tentative steps back to pre-pandemic life.  The one wide opening of the weekend THE COURIER (Roadside) wasn’t at all impressive at a $2M start, but the Cold War-era Benedict Cumberbatch thriller would likely have been a tough sell even in a normal market, and $2M in the current context suggested that audiences are eager to buy tickets for new content.  By way of comparison, Courier beat the $1.7M opening for Cumberbatch’s 2013 vehicle The Fifth Estate.

There was also a barely-wide opening for the long-delayed CITY OF LIES (Saban) at 501 theatres, where it stirred little interest at $275K.

HOLDOVERS:  There were generally strong holds this weekend, led by RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON (Disney, also on VOD via Disney+), which slipped 10% to $5.2M in its 3rd weekend and may pass $40M in the US.  It also has $47.8M overseas, after an $8M weekend in 29 markets.

TOM & JERRY (Warners, also on HBO Max) was down 7% to $3.8M in its 4th weekend, on track for $45M in the US, and with $43.5M overseas after a $4M weekend.

CHAOS WALKING (Lionsgate) dropped 14% to $1.9M in its 3rd weekend, and may get past $15M in the US, with an additional $5M overseas.

The unstoppable THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (DreamWorks Animation/Universal), now in its 17th week of release, actually rose 15% to $600K, and remains a contender for highest domestic pandemic grosser, if it can beat Tenet‘s $57.9M, less than $3M away.

BOOGIE (Focus/Universal) dropped 23% to $600K in its 3rd weekend, and with its VOD window opening on Friday, it may end up around $5M in US theatres.  It hasn’t yet opened overseas.

THE MARKSMAN (Open Road) gained 6% to $500K in its 10th weekend of release, on its way to $15M in the US.  It has $4.1M overseas.

WONDER WOMAN 1984 (Warners) may have been helped by the hoopla over HBO Max’s Snyder Cut version of Justice League, as it climbed 15% to $500K in its 13th weekend, probably without enough gas to reach $50M in the US.  It’s at $119.5M overseas.

Oscar season is modestly fueling some Best Picture nominees, most of which expanded their runs this weekend.  They included THE FATHER (Sony Classics) with $300K at 933 theatres, MINARI (A24) with $300K at 786 theatres, JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH (Warners) with $250K at 951, NOMADLAND (Searchlight/Disney) with $250K at $650K, and PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (Focus/Universal) with $200K at 831.  None of them seem likely to get much past $6M at the US box office.

NEXT WEEKEND:  The only scheduled wide release is the action movie NOBODY (Universal).

 

 



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."