‘Ralph’ Breaks Sleepy Box Office

It was a case of cinematic déjà vu at the North America box office this weekend as aging holdovers from Thanksgiving continued to be the only game in town for moviegoers. Separated by only one million dollars in estimated sales, Disney’s Ralph Breaks the Internet and Universal’s Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch remained the most popular multiplex choices. Universal’s 25thAnniversary reissue of Schindler’s List–the week’s only wide release- went largely ignored.

Before Spider-Man swings into town Thursday night, Ralph Breaks the Internet enjoyed its third and final seating at the top spot this weekend by scoring an estimated $16.1 million from 3,795 theaters. Off 37%, Ralph’s new box office total is $141 million.

The film is running slightly ahead of last year’s Coco and just behind 2016’s Moana. If this pace continues, Ralph Breaks the Internet should finish around $210 million.Internationally, the animated sequel has scored $117.3 million so far.

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch wound down its first month of release with an estimated $15.1 million from 3,841 theaters. Down only 13%, The Grinch has earned a great $224 million so far. The holiday smash looks to make the most of the remaining weeks leading up to Christmas, which should help propel the film’s domestic box office up to the $265 million mark. The Grinch has also banked $99 million from overseas so far.

MGM’s Creed II kept duking it out in third place with an estimated $10.3 million from 3,752 theaters. Down 38%, Creed II has cleared $96.4 million in North America after three weeks. Currently running 25% ahead of its predecessor,Creed II will pass the $100 million milestone by mid-week and is on course to finish its domestic run with roughly $125 million.

Fourth place belonged to Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald with $6.8 million from 3,451 venues. Down 40%, the fantasy sequel has conjured up $145 million in domestic revenue for Warner Brothers. The film should wind down around the $160 million mark in North America. The Crimes of Grindelwald has also earned $423 million from international markets.

Rounding out the top five once again was Fox’s long running hit Bohemian Rhapsody with an estimated $6 million from 2,953 theaters. Down a moderate 25%, Rhapsody has cleared $173.5 million after a month and a half of release and should finish with a great $190 million. Overseas, Freddie and the band have earned $423 million to date.

  1. Instant Family (Paramount) $5.6 million (-22%); $54 million
  2. Green Book (Universal) $3.9 million (+0.1%); $20 million

The acclaimed Universal drama is showing strong legs thanks to terrific word-of-mouth. Scoring five Golden Globe nominations this past week probably also helped a bit.

  1. Robin Hood (2018) (Lionsgate) $3.5 million (-25%); $27.2 million
  2. The Possession of Hannah Grace (Sony) $3.1 million (-50%); $115 million
  3. Widows (Fox) $3.1 million (-30%); $38.1 million

Universal used the quiet weekend to give its 1993 Oscar winner Schindler’s List a one-week anniversary run ahead of its home video reissue on December 18th. Despite landing in 1,029 theaters, the best the reissue could muster this weekend was $551,000, which landed it in 14thplace.

Next weekend, the box office will begin to pick up considerably with the release of Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Warner’s Clint Eastwood vehicle The Mule, the Universal fantasy epic Mortal Engines and Fox’s PG-13 version of last summer’s Deadpool 2, Once Upon a Deadpool.

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