It was another great session for Disney/Marvel’s Black Panther at the North America box office this weekend. The blockbuster action flick was in a league of its own, again, leaving newcomers Game Night, Annihilation and Every Day in the dust.
With an estimated $108 million earned from 4,020 venues, the domestic haul for Black Panther rose to a regal $400 million after only ten days of release. The only film to have a bigger second weekend at the North America box office was 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens with $149 million, and that was during Christmas week. By tomorrow, Black Panther will pass fellow Marvel Studio features Captain America: Civil War and Iron Man 3 to become the studio’s third biggest release of all time in North America, just behind the two Avengers films (it should sail past Age of Ultron’s final domestic take by next Friday).
The Disney marketing machine helped launch Panther into the record books, but it’s the ticket buyers powering the Ryan Coogler feature into the record books. The small 46% decrease in business this weekend is evidence of that. With the film connecting with audiences of all demographics and strong word-of-mouth continuing to spread, Black Panther should continue to be a “must see” event throughout the month of March, possibly longer. That would translate into a box office haul north of $600 million, possibly even higher than the $623 million brought in by reigning superhero flick champ The Avengers six years ago.
Overseas, the Wakanda epic bagged an additional $84 million this weekend to bring its international total up to $304 million. China opens the film on March 9th.
Opening in second place with a decent $16.6 million from 3,488 theaters is the Warner R-rated comedy Game Night. The Jason Bateman/Rachel McAdams feature received solid reviews from critics – 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 66/100 on Metacritic- but merely okay notices from viewers polled on CinemaScore. They gave the $40 million production a “B+.”
Sony’s family comedy Peter Rabbit kept hopping along in third place with $12.5 million from 3,707 screens. Down only 28%, the $50 million production has brought in a solid $71.2 million so far. With Easter still a month away, Peter Rabbit should be able to make its way to the $100 million mark by the end of its run.
Paramount’s brainy sci-fi drama Annihilation opened in fourth place with an estimated $11 million from 2,012 theaters. The latest offering from Alex Garland, the director of 2015’s Ex Machina, scored better with critics than it did with the public. Reviewers gave the Natalie Portman flick an 87% approval on Rotten Tomatoes and an 80/100 on Metacritic. Ticket buyers, however, gave Annihilation a “C” on CinemaScore.
Going limp in fifth place was Universal’s fast-fading Mommy Porn flick Fifty Shades Freed with $6.9 million from 3,265 theaters. Going down a steep 60%, the three-week domestic total for Fifty Shades Freed stands at $89.5 million. The international total for the James Foley feature stands at $231 million.
- Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (Sony) $5.65 million (-29%); $387.2 million
- The 15:17 to Paris (Warner) $3.6 million (-52%); $32.2 million
- The Greatest Showman (Fox) $3.4 million (-32%); $160.7 million
- Every Day (2018) (Orion) $3.1 million (NEW)
Orion Pictures is back! But judging by the numbers for this new teen drama, few noticed.
- Early Man (Lionsgate) $1.7 million (-47%); $6.8 million
Next weekend sees the arrival of the Jennifer Lawrence espionage thriller Red Sparrow and the Bruce Willis remake of Death Wish. Neither will come close to challenging Black Panther.
