James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash maintained its stranglehold on the domestic box office this weekend, securing the top spot for the fifth consecutive week, per variety.com.
Meanwhile, Sony’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple struggled to find its footing, debuting well below industry expectations.
Despite the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend providing a four-day cushion, The Bone Temple managed only $15 million. This underwhelming start fell short of the projected $20 million to $22 million. While the film boasts a high 93% Rotten Tomatoes score and an “A-” CinemaScore, analysts suggest the franchise may have returned too soon; the previous instalment was released just seven months ago.
“Returning after seven months is too quick, and it’s hurting the numbers,” noted David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. With a production budget of $63 million, the Nia DaCosta-directed thriller has a steep hill to climb to reach profitability.
Avatar: Fire and Ash earned $17.8 million over the holiday period, bringing its global total to a massive $1.31 billion.
Continuing its record-breaking run, Zootopia 2, the Disney sequel has now reached $1.7 billion globally, officially becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time.
The Sydney Sweeney-led thriller, The Housemaid, remains a mid-budget triumph, surpassing $247 million worldwide against a $35 million cost.
Marty Supreme, A24’s latest hit has earned $80.2 million domestically, overtaking Everything Everywhere All at Once to become the studio’s biggest North American release.
Searchlight’s Hamnet, directed by Chloe Zhao, capitalised on its recent Golden Globe wins. The Shakespearean drama added $1.6 million as it expanded into more theatres, bringing its domestic tally to a respectable $15 million.
Elsewhere, the 25th-anniversary re-release of The Lord of the Rings trilogy proved there is still magic in Middle-earth, generating $9 million over the four-day weekend as fans flocked to see the films on the big screen once more.
