Weekend box office: Fifty Shades Freed dominates Peter Rabbit for the top spot
The third and final film in the Fifty Shades series, FIFTY SHADES FREED, easily took the top spot at the weekend box office, beating out a couple of challengers. Regardless of how you feel about the series, you have to give credit to the dedication of the fans. The movies are practically unwatchable given how terrible they are, but the fans have stuck it out with all three films. The second film opened with about $46 million and the third is on pace for about $40 million, so the series hasn’t lost that much of its fanbase. Also opening this weekend was PETER RABBIT, coming in second place and Clint Eastwood’s experimental THE 15:17 TO PARIS, which came in third.
Next week sees the release of Marvel’s BLACK PANTHER, which pundits are predicting will bring in somewhere between $130 and $160 million on its opening weekend, which is an insane opening for a standalone Marvel film. I think it speaks to the public’s clamoring for something new and exciting in the superhero genre. Although nothing is going to be able to compete with BLACK PANTHER, there are a few films trying to bank on some counter-programming. First is the Aardman animation project, EARLY MAN, which is hoping to target all the kiddos. The film doesn’t look very good, but I say that about every Aardman animation film and then usually end up liking them. Speaking of movies that don’t look very good, SAMSON is also hitting theaters next weekend. I’m surprised it’s even getting a theatrical release, but maybe it will do better overseas. Note: the numbers below will be updated as they become final.
1. Fifty Shades Freed $40.3m
2. Peter Rabbit $22m
3. The 15:17 To Paris $11.7m
4. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle $9.6m
5. The Greatest Showman $6.1m
6. Maze Runner: Death Cure $5.7m
7. Winchester $4.6m
8. The Post $3.2m
9. The Shape of Water $3m
10. Den of Thieves $2.7m
(Deadline)
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