In 2013, the zomromcom Warm Bodies had a surprisingly good opening over Super Bowl weekend, taking in $20.4 million. It would prove to be the last film to date to open well over Super Bowl weekend. Since then, the studios have treated the weekend as a dumping ground, frequently using it as the final resting place for troubled projects that seemed much cooler when they were greenlit and/or have churned through a variety of release dates. As Hollywood has also taken to positioning at least one big blockbuster to open the weekend after the game, this weekend also serves as a palate-cleaner, giving one last hurrah to January releases as well as any Christmas films still hanging around.
Already the second-biggest January release ever (first if you consider American Sniper a December release), Bad Boys For Life threepeated, taking in $17.7 million, to drive its total to $148.1 million. Its still debatable if it has enough in the tank to make it to $200 million, but it should easily top $180 million before the end of its run.
As its award haul keeps growing, 1917 came in second as it focuses its eyes on the big prize--the Academy Award for Best Picture, which will be handed out next weekend due to the unusually early Oscar ceremony. The WWI drama took in another $9.5 million for a total of $119.1 million. If it should get upset next weekend, a final gross between $140 and $150 million seems likely. If it does win, that might give it the momentum to hit $200 million itself.
Coming in third is Dolittle, which continues to do better than expected. The talking animals and talking Robert Downey Jr. family comedy earned $7.6 for a gross of $55.1 million. It looks to be heading toward a final gross of around $80 million, which would put it in the neighborhood of other January family films like Paddington.
There have been a surprisingly large number of versions of the Hansel & Gretel tale over the years, and Gretel & Hansel is one of them. The horror flick, starring Sophia Lillis as Gretel, got surprisingly solid reviews, but after 3 other horror movies since New Year's, didn't find much of an audience. Gretel opened to $6.2 million, or a bit less than the much-more-panned The Turning opened to last weekend.
Jumanji: The Next Level continued to be a strong performer, earning $6 million to bring its total to $291.2 million, and it should hit $300 million in the next week or two. The Gentlemen slipped to $5.6 million for a ten-day total of $20 million.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker brought in $3.2 million for a gross of $507.1 million. Little Women will need a few more days to hit the century mark, taking in $3.1 million for a gross of $98.8 million. Horror flop The Turning predictably fell the most of any film in the Top 10, taking in $3 million for a ten-day gross of $11.7 million.
Opening disastrously in 10th was The Rhythm Section. The action thriller, starring a glammed-down, almost unrecognizable Blake Lively, was complete unable to get past the poor reviews, the nondescript title, and the generic plot. Even with a solid supporting cast (Jude Law, Sterling K. Brown), Section laid claim to the worst ever opening for a film debuting in more than 3,000 theaters. It took in $2.7 million, coming in about $0.7 million below the 2006 opening of the kids film Hoot, the prior holder of the record. For another look about just how bad this is, it finished less than $0.2 above Knives Out, which has been out since Thanksgiving and was playing on roughly half the number of screens. If you want to see The Rhythm Section, you'd better hurry, since it will likely be down to one show a day at most multiplexes come Friday.
As I said, the weekend after the Super Bowl has become a blockbuster launchpad. This week's sole new release is (deep breath) Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). Margot Robie's Harley, aka the one thing about Suicide Squad anyone liked, has dumped the Joker and teams up with three Gotham City crimefighters to take down a crime lord. Birds follows in the tradition of Deadpool, Logan, and Joker as an R-rated comic book movie, and if the grosses of Deadpool, Logan, and Joker are any indication, Birds of Prey should do just fine as well. Expect an easy #1 opening of at least $50 million.
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