Hidden Figures finally took the top spot this weekend to defeat Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The box office reports are in and the nation’s number one movie is the story of three incredible women who defied the odds and helped humanity soar above the clouds. Hidden Figures continues to move and inspire audiences, and this weekend the film took in six million more than the top competition.
The national holiday weekend celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. was a mixed bag at the cinema, but the results are still fun if not surprising. The top three were Hidden Figures followed by La La Land and Garth Jennings’ animated Universal film Sing, but one new release managed to upset all expectations. It just goes to show that even during the height of awards season, a little horror thriller like The Bye Bye Man can draw a crowd.
The Numbers Game
This week, I am taking over for road warrior Drew Dietsch as he makes his way west. It is my mission to guess how much the next wave of new wide-release films will earn on their opening weekend. I will do my best to be the Zoltar of box office estimates, but I can’t guarantee anything. Fandom’s editor Nick Nunziata will also be providing his guesses because two stabs in the dark are better than one.
Last Week:
The Bye Bye Man
Drew’s Guess: $5,000,000
Nick’s Guess: $8,500,000
Actual: $15,310,000
Result: Of all the new releases in theaters over the weekend, The Bye Bye Man is number one. How could our guys underestimate a new horror film featuring Doug Jones as the main villain? What were they thinking!
Monster Trucks
Drew’s Guess: $10,000,000
Nick’s Guess: $100,000,000,000,000,006
Actual: $15,000,000
Result: Nick’s prediction was so close! I’m sure it can still get there considering it was only half-a-million shy of being the biggest new movie in the country.
Patriot’s Day
Drew’s Guess: $20,000,000
Nick’s Guess: $26,000,000
Actual: $13,600,000
Result: Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg’s disaster movie significantly underperformed expectations. Maybe they should have waited a few more years before making it.
Sleepless
Drew’s Guess: $9,000,000
Nick’s Guess: $11,000,000
Actual: $9,893,003
Result: Jamie Foxx may well be stepping into Denzel Washington’s shoes as a go-to gritty action hero. A lot of the reviews were negative, but the numbers don’t lie.
Live by Night
Drew’s Guess: $13,000,000
Nick’s Guess: $9,000,000
Actual: $6,100,000
Result: Ben Affleck’s latest effort might have been too much for most audiences. I’m not sure many people went to the theaters for this film other than those who thought the title reminded them of that one song by Rush.
This week:
The Founder
Do we really want to see a movie about the life of McDonald’s tycoon Ray Kroc? According to the Weinstein brothers, the answer is yes. The success of this film hangs entirely on the shoulders of veteran acting titan Michael Keaton, and honestly I could watch him flip burgers all day. The hype for this one is fairly mild, but the supporting cast is loaded with great character actors and the performances are reportedly fantastic.
My guess: $5,000,000
Nick’s guess: $2,900,000
xXx: The Return of Xander Cage
Vin Diesel finally returns to a property he left behind 15 years ago. This year we have four of the actor’s franchises hitting the big screen with the new xXx, another Riddick movie titled Furia, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and the latest chapter in the Fast & Furious series. We already know Fast 8 is going to hit big, but xXx is trending hot right now despite poor early reviews and weak word of mouth. Donnie Yen will likely draw a crowd as the bad guy Xiang considering how many Star Wars fans loved his work in Rogue One.
My guess: $32,000,000
Nick’s guess: $18,000,000
Split
Who would have ever thought that a new M. Night Shyamalan flick starring James McAvoy would be one of the most anticipated films in the country? Ever since the trailer debuted for this movie last July, the excitement for Split has only grown bigger. McAvoy is way more than the guy who replaced Patrick Stewart as Professor X, and audiences are finally starting to realize that. This one might turn out to be as much of a surprise as last year’s sci-fi sleeper hit 10 Cloverfield Lane. Expect large crowds.
My guess: $23,000,000
Nick’s guess: $18,000,000
20th Century Women
A24’s newest film is a powerful period piece about three strong women living in 1970s southern California. Word of mouth for it is excellent and this weekend we will see the movie expand as a wide release. Annette Bening leads the cast in a role some are calling the best of her career, and the film is receiving plenty of praise and accolades by being nominated for multiple Golden Globe Awards.
My guess: $3,500,000
Nick’s guess: $3,000,000
The Resurrection of Gavin Stone
Religious movies almost always have a hard time connecting with mass audiences. Not everyone practices the same religion, so many theatergoers stay away from preachy films that are made to deliver a specific message. Gavin Stone features performances from D.B. Sweeney and wrestling icon Shawn Michaels, but that might not be enough to draw crowds for this churchy dramedy.
My guess: $1,000,000
Nick’s guess: $450,000
See you next week, box office buckaroos!
Source: Box Office Mojo
