Here’s a smart rule of thumb when it comes to the movie business: never underestimate a war film.
War movies are always in. War movies and kids movies always stand a chance to clean up at the box office. There are other popular genres (comic book films, horror movies, musicals) but they have all seen their popularity rise and fall and rise again over the years. Not war movies. While not every single one has been a hit, they are a consistent force to be reckoned with.
Case in point: Sam Mendes’s World War I thriller 1917, which took the top spot at the North American box office this weekend. The film, which has been in limited release since Christmas, earned $36,500,000 over the last three days. That’s a seriously great haul. It more than doubled the weekend gross of the number two film, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. People expected 1917 to do well but the movie is exceeding expectation and has claimed an A- rating with audiences via CinemaScore. This comes just a week after it won the Best Picture Golden Globe and just hours before tomorrow’s Oscar nominations will surely grant the film quite a few nods. So, yeah, things are going well for 1917. And we should be happy about that. It’s an original film from a superb filmmaker who is making adult-aimed entertainment. This is a win for a lot of folks.
There was more good news on the chart this weekend. The Rise of Skywalker fell from the top spot but it is still doing quite well and is thisclose to crossing the $1 billion threshold. Jumanji hangs on strong at number three, pushing its total past $250 million. Little Women continues to impress and Knives Out is still doing wonderfully in its seventh week. The Rian Johnson mystery is definitely one of the biggest surprises of the season and an undeniable success. Another win for original movies!
Aside from 1917 there were a few other newcomers to the list. Comedy Like A Boss and real-life drama Just Mercy are battling it out for the fourth spot with $10,000,000. This is Mercy’s third weekend of release but its first of wide release and the movie is doing really well. The numbers don’t necessarily blow your hair back but the film has little competition in the weeks ahead and is sure to attract more audiences since it got an astounding A+ rating via CinemaScore. That means practically everyone who sees the movie likes it and will tell their friends and family and co-workers. There’s a chance the movie grabs a nomination or two at the Oscars tomorrow, which would only enhance its fortunes for the weeks ahead. Remember, a film like Just Mercy doesn’t have to have a dominant opening weekend. This is the type of movie that can keep chugging along as audiences find it over time. Slow and steady wins the race.
Like A Boss did just okay, if a little below expectations. Audiences were lukewarm on the film and critics absolutely hated it but there isn’t a lot of comedy on the chart currently so Boss has a chance to hold its own for awhile. It’s a shame that a movie with such a cast didn’t end up being a winner but it is what it is. Some are wondering why Like A Boss didn’t do better when so many comedies hit. It’s speculation on my part but I assume that Like A Boss didn’t really stand out in its promotions. It felt an awful lot like many other raunchy adult comedies and didn’t seem to bring anything new to the table. So I feel that no one was in a rush to see the film, despite the great cast. There was a strong sense of “been there, done that” with Like A Boss.
Underwater, the Kristen Stewart-led ocean horror-thriller, didn’t make much of a splash. The movie comes in at number 7, earning a smidge over $7 million on a approximate $80 million budget. Obviously this was not the goal for Underwater, not by a long shot. The reviews and audience reaction to the movie (it nabbed a C via CinemaScore) definitely weren’t great and that didn’t help. What a shame, I truly like the aesthetic of Underwater. There aren’t enough horror films that take place in the depths of the ocean. That place is terrifying.
Next weekend has two big budget features coming out: Dolittle and Bad Boys For Life. I think Bad Boys For Life is going to find an audience and I am incredibly curious about Dolittle. I don’t want to a judge a film based on rumor and speculation but I think the reviews for the Robert Downey Jr. family film will NOT be kind. But what do I know? I was the guy who thought Cats was going to be a hit.
