Aquaman Splashes Down with $67.4 Million Debut; Mary Poppins and Bumblebee Play Runner-Up
by Brad Brevet
December 23, 2018


The long Christmas weekend is underway with Aquaman, Warner Bros.'s latest entry into their DC Extended Universe, topping the charts, on its way to a $100+ million five-day opening.

Meanwhile, Disney's Mary Poppins Returns and Paramount's Bumblebee finished in runner-up positions over a weekend that played relatively similarly to the same weekend last year, though given the holiday timing its hard to make an apples-to-apples comparison.







Performing almost exactly as expected, WB's release of Aquaman easily took the #1 spot at the weekend box office with an estimated $67.4 million over the course of the three-day weekend and a cume that now stands at $72.1 million once you include the $4.7 million in grosses from pre-weekend Amazon Prime showings.

The film is now expected to deliver around $105 million over the course of its first five days, which ends on Christmas Day, routinely the busiest day at the box office all year. The film received an "A-" CinemaScore from opening day audiences.



Overall, the performance ranks as one of the top ten December openings of all-time, though it is sixth largest debut within WB's DC Extended Universe. That last note, however, will be an interesting stat to watch as Aquaman has enjoyed some of the best reviews of the franchise and audiences seem to be enjoying it to the tune of an 86% audience rating on RottenTomatoes.

Worldwide, the film is the #1 release at the global box office for the third week in a row, bringing in another $91.3 million overseas this weekend from 70 markets for an international cume that now stands at $410.7 million and a global tally totaling $482.8 million.

Comparing to all overseas markets in release, WB reports Aquaman is tracking as the highest grossing film in the DC Universe.







Disney's Mary Poppins Returns landed in second position for the three-day after opening on Wednesday. The film brought in an estimated $22.2 million over Friday-Sunday frame for a $31 million five-day cume. This is mostly what was expected heading into the weekend and while this may seem like a light performance this is a film that should play well throughout the holidays and into the new year.

The film received strong reviews prior to opening — 65 on Metacritic 77% on RottenTomatoes — to go along with an "A-" CinemaScore from opening day crowds.

Internationally, Mary Poppins Returns delivered an estimated $20.3 million from its first 17 markets, including a #1 start in the UK with an estimated $9.4 million.







Paramount's release of Bumblebee, the sixth film in the Transformers franchise, landed in third with an estimated $21 million as it too plays to expectations and should also enjoy a lengthy box office run thanks to strong reviews and an "A-" CinemaScore from opening day audiences.

That being said, the only real question with this film, as well as Aquaman and Sony Animation's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, is just how well all these films can play alongside one another and not cannibalize each other's potential box office as they play, mostly, to the same crowd. For now we're looking for Bumblebee to deliver a $32+ million five-day start.

Internationally, Bumblebee opened in 38 markets with an estimated $31.1 million led by $4.9 million openings in both Russia and Indonesia.







The aforementioned release of Sony Animations's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse landed in fourth place with an estimated $16.7 million to kick off its second weekend with a cume that now stands just shy of $65 million.

The film's 53% second weekend drop is a little more than anticipated, which speaks to the amount of competition that's currently in the marketplace right now, vying for the attention of the same sets of eyeballs.

Spider-Verse also began its run in China this weekend, debuting at #1 with an estimated $26.1 million contributing to a $38 million international weekend and an overseas cume that now stands at $64.8 million.







Rounding out the top five is WB's release of Clint Eastwood's The Mule, which enters its second week in release with an estimated $9.95 million and a domestic cume that now stands at $35.6 million.







Universal and Illumination's release of The Grinch added an estimated $8.18 million this weekend as its cume now stands at $253.2 million, moving it ahead of Illumination's Despicable Me as the animation house's sixth largest domestic release of all-time.

The film is certainly positioned to continue its strong run with Christmas right around the corner.







In seventh position we find STXfilms's release of Second Act, which delivered an estimated $6.5 million for the three-day weekend as it looks to deliver $8.5+ million over its first five days in release.

The $16 million romantic comedy stars Jennifer Lopez and received a "B+" CinemaScore from opening day audiences.







Barely finding its way into the top ten, Universal and DreamWorks's release of Robert Zemeckis's Welcome to Marwen was pretty much a disaster as the $39 million production scored a mere $2.35 million in its first three days from 1,911 locations and a $1,233 per theater average.

The film didn't necessarily sit well with the audiences that did show up, receiving a harmless "B-" CinemaScore, which pretty much guarantees this one's theatrical tenure will be limited at best.







Hot on Marwen's heels is Focus Features's Mary Queen of Scots, which brought in an estimated $2.2 million over the three day as it expanded nationwide, playing in 795 locations (+729) as it enters its third week in release.

Just outside the top five is Fox Searchlight's The Favourite as it enters its fifth weekend in release and has now expanded nationwide, playing in 790 locations (+349) where it brought in an estimated $2.06 million for a cumulative gross that now stands at $10 million. The film will add a few additional locations next weekend as it plays throughout the holiday season, hoping to advance even further in the awards season race.

In limited release, Amazon Studios's Cold War brought in an estimated $55,727 from three locations for a $18,576 per theater average.

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4469&p=.htm









December 21-23, 2018 Weekend Studio Estimates:


1. Aquaman $72,100,000
2. Mary Poppins Returns $31,049,671
3. Bumblebee $21,000,000
4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse $16,700,000 / $64,800,063
5. The Mule $9,950,000 / $35,653,465
6. Dr. Seuss' The Grinch $8,180,000 / $253,218,975
7. Second Act $6,501,000
8. Ralph Breaks the Internet $4,599,000 / $162,093,930
9. Welcome to Marwen $2,358,000
10. Mary Queen of Scots $2,240,000 / $3,544,755

Aquaman is King of the Box Office Seas for a Second Weekend in a Row
by Brad Brevet
December 30, 2018


There were no big surprises in the final weekend of a record-setting 2018 as Warner Bros.'s Aquaman is once again king of the box office seas with a domestic cume that now tops $188 million and a worldwide tally nearing $750 million.

Meanwhile, the weekend's new wide releases in Annapurna's Vice and Sony's Holmes & Watson were quiet in their debuts as the bulk of the weekend attention goes to holiday holdovers.







Just slightly outperforming Mojo's pre-weekend expectations, WB and DC's Aquaman delivered the smallest second weekend drop in the DC Extended Universe, dipping just 23.5% for a $51.55 million second weekend, pushing the film's domestic cume over $188 million.

The film now ranks as the eleventh largest domestic release based on a DC Comic after just ten days in release. Internationally, Aquaman brought in an estimated $85.4 million this weekend from 78 markets for an overseas cume totaling $560 million and a global tally reaching $748.8 million.







Disney's Mary Poppins Returns also performed right on par with Mojo's pre-weekend forecast, delivering an estimated $28 million in its second weekend, a 19% improvement over last weekend, resulting in a domestic cume just shy of $100 million as the film begins to show potential for long legs.

Internationally, Mary Poppins added $28.9 million this weekend from 37 markets for an international cume that now stands just shy of $75 million.







Paramount's Bumblebee dipped just 5% in its second weekend, delivering an estimated $20.5 million for a domestic cume that now stands at $66.7 million.

The film's performance will continue to be one to watch as audiences are clearly enjoying it more than the last few films in the Transformers franchise, but the film faces a lot of direct competition in Aquaman and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which leaves open the question just how long the three films can thrive in theaters, playing side-by-side.

Internationally, Bumblebee is now playing in 55 markets from which it grossed an estimated $45.7 million this weekend for an overseas cume that now stands at $90 million.







In fourth place, the aforementioned Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse followed what was a larger-than-expected drop last weekend with a 11.2% improvement this weekend, delivering an estimated $18.3 million to start its third week in release with a domestic cume that now tops $103 million.

The film also added another $27.4 million internationally from 60 markets for a worldwide cume that now totals $213.2 million.







Rounding out the top five is WB's The Mule, which saw an impressive +24% improvement compared to last weekend, resulting in an estimated $11.78 million weekend and a domestic cume that now tops $60 million.







Outside the top five, following its Christmas Day debut this past Tuesday, Annapurna's Vice entered its first weekend, playing in 2,442 locations from which it delivered an estimated $7.79 million.

Vice is already Annapurna's highest grossing domestic release of all-time after just six days in release with the picture grossing $17.7 million thus far.







Also following its Christmas Day debut, Sony's comedy Holmes & Watson wasn't a hit with critics or audiences. The film received a "D+" CinemaScore from opening day crowds, signaling a steady decline in attendance, which was reflected in this weekend's performance with the film delivering an estimated $7.3 million from 2,776 locations.

The film has now grossed just shy of $20 million after six days in release.
Holmes & Watson also began its international rollout this weekend, playing in eight markets and delivering an estimated $4 million led by a $1.8 million







In limited release, Reliance's release of Simmba debuted with an estimated $1.7 million from 300 locations ($5,751 PTA); Focus's release of On the Basis of Sex delivered an estimated $690k from 33 theaters ($20,909) after debuting on Christmas Day; Sony Classics's Stan & Ollie opened with $79,674 from five locations ($15,935); and Annapurna's Destroyer brought in an estimated $58,472 from three theaters ($19,491 PTA) after it too opened on Christmas Day.

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4471&p=.htm









December 28-30, 2018 Weekend Studio Estimates:


1. Aquaman $51,550,000 / $188,785,000
2. Mary Poppins Returns $28,019,000 / $98,929,758
3. Bumblebee $20,500,000 / $66,778,020
4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse $18,315,000 / $103,643,730
5. The Mule $11,780,000 / $60,738,465
6. Vice $7,791,044 / $17,697,159
7. Holmes and Watson $7,300,000 / $19,706,408
8. Second Act $7,210,000 / $21,760,000
9. Ralph Breaks the Internet $6,532,000 / $175,713,583
10. Dr. Seuss' The Grinch $4,200,000 / $265,538,485

Aquaman Tops $940 Million Worldwide; Sony's Escape Room Unlocks $18M Debut
by Brad Brevet
January 6, 2019


It's a third straight weekend atop the weekend box office for Warner Bros.'s Aquaman as the film pushed over $940 million worldwide, becoming the highest grossing worldwide release in the DC Extended Universe.

However, Sony's release of Escape Room made sure this weekend wasn't all about holdovers. The PG-13 horror/thriller made some some noise of its own, delivering a surprise runner-up finish, helping prove once again that the beginning of the year is fertile ground for horror film debuts.







With an estimated $30.7 million, WB and DC Comics's Aquaman is the #1 film at the domestic weekend box office for the third straight weekend. The film's domestic cume now totals nearly $260 million and has now pulled even with Wonder Woman's performance after 16 days in release while still pacing behind Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, a film Wonder Woman quickly left behind after 23 days in release.

Aquaman will most likely follow suit and, once again, finish #1 at the box office next weekend, becoming the first film in the DCEU to secure the top spot four weekends in a row.

Internationally, Aquaman added another $56.2 million this weekend from 79 markets for a running overseas cume totaling $681 million and a global tally surpassing $940 million.







Sony's Escape Room debuted in second place with an estimated $18 million, well ahead of industry expectations and doubling its reported, $9 million budget. Opening weekend audiences gave the film a "B" CinemaScore, which is a decent score given the genre.

Looking ahead, we expect the film to top $40-45 million for its domestic run with Universal's Breaking In starting to look like a solid comp after it debuted with $17.6 million back in May 2018 and went on to deliver $46.5 million domestically.







In third, Disney's Mary Poppins Returns delivered a bit below expectations, dipping 44% for an estimated $15.77 million and a domestic cume that now stands at $138.7 million. The drop is a bit higher than expected as the studio is hoping for some long legs out of this one.

Internationally, the film added another $23 million this weekend helping push the overseas total just shy of $120 million for a worldwide cume that now totals $257.9 million.







Paramount's Bumblebee and Sony's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse are neck-and-neck as expected and right now the edge goes to Spider-Man by just $235k.

Spider-Verse delivered an estimated $13 million over the weekend, pushing the film's domestic cume to $133.8 million while Bumblebee delivered a $12.77 million weekend, resulting in a domestic cume that now stands at $97.1 million.

Internationally, however, it was Bumblebee with the edge this weekend with an estimated $82.7 million, the bulk of which coming from a $59.4 million debut in China. The film's international cume now stands at $192 million.







Just outside the top five, Clint Eastwood's The Mule continues its strong performance as it added 425 locations this weekend and dipped just 26% for an estimated $9 million weekend.

The film's domestic cume now tops $81 million.







Outside the top ten, Annapurna's If Beale Street Could Talk expanded into 335 theaters (+270) and saw a 141% boost with an estimated $1.8 million weekend.

The film is expected to expand into the top 150 markets next weekend, playing in 600+ theaters, while January 18 will serve as the film's nationwide release.







Focus's On the Basis of Sex added 79 locations this weekend for a total of 112, from which it delivered an estimated $1.67 million.

That film is expected to expand into over 2,000 theaters next weekend.

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4473&p=.htm









January 4-6, 2019 Weekend Studio Estimates:


1. Aquaman $30,700,000 / $259,720,880
2. Escape Room $18,000,000
3. Mary Poppins Returns $15,773,000 / $138,729,305
4. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse $13,010,000 / $133,861,346
5. Bumblebee $12,775,000 / $97,128,140
6. The Mule $9,040,000 / $81,108,110
7. Vice $5,803,490 / $29,796,477
8. Second Act $4,910,000 / $32,947,075
9. Ralph Breaks the Internet $4,685,000 / $187,164,171
10. Holmes and Watson $3,400,000 / $28,410,922