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Box Office
It’s currently experiencing one of the most remarkable box office runs in memory and now, on its sixth week of release, The Greatest Showman has topped the box office. It increased on last weekend by 8% taking £2.2m. To highlight how remarkable this is, on its first Friday to Sunday (29 Dec – 31 Dec) it grossed £2.6m, while Star Wars: The Last Jedi topped the box office with £8m. This weekend The Last Jedi grossed £133k. The Greatest Showman has now banked £23.2m and has La La Land’s £30.4m in its sights.
Coco stayed in second and again had a solid hold, falling 29% to £1.7m. It has now crossed the £10m mark and sits on £10.2m. Half term begins after next weekend so it will be looking to get past £15m in the next two weeks.
Last week’s top film, Darkest Hour fell to third and experienced its biggest drop yet, falling 39% to £18.7m. It’s now the biggest film of 2018 to date, although The Greatest Showman will shortly overtake it.
Early Man added £1.5m in fourth, which gives it a 10-day total of £3.9m. This time last year both Sing and The LEGO Batman Movie were delivering big box office, both finishing on close to £30m, but it’s now clear Early Man won’t be able to match them.
Maze Runner: The Death Cure completed the top five, adding £1.4m for a new cume of £4.3m. After its second weekend, the first Maze Runner film was on £4.4m, while the second, The Scorch Trials, was on £5.2m. The Death Cure will be hoping to close some of that ground during half-term week.
Outside of the top five, action-thriller Den Of Thieves opened in sixth with £1.1m, and Daniel Day Lewis’ final film, Phantom Thread opened in 10th with £727k (including £70k from previews). That was only from 196 screens so it may be expanding to more next weekend.
Outside of the top 10, Helen Mirren chiller, Winchester could only manage £374k in 12th, while neither well-received WW1 drama, Journey’s End and the latest Oscar-nominated role from the usually reliable Denzel Washington in Roman J. Israel, Esq. could crack the top 15.
Overall, the box office was down 26% from last weekend and on a par with the same weekend last year, when the top films were Sing, T2 Trainspotting, La La Land and Spilt.
Next Weekend
Fifty Shades Freed is the final part in the saucy trilogy. In this instalment Anastasia and Christian get married, but Jack Hyde continues to threaten their relationship. The first two films are the two highest grossing 18-cert films in UK history.
The Mercy is the story of amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst and his solo attempt to circumnavigate the globe. The struggles he confronted on the journey while his family awaited his return is apparently one of the most enduring mysteries of recent times. Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz star in this classy British drama from James Marsh (The Theory Of Everything).
The 15:17 To Paris is the latest film from 87-year-old Clint Eastwood. It’s the true story about three Americans who discover a terrorist plot aboard a train while in France. In an unusual piece of casting, the three Americans are played by the real people involved in the incident.
Status Update is a comedy about a teenager who after being uprooted by his parents' separation and unable to fit into his new hometown, stumbles upon a magical app that causes his social media updates to come true.
Tad The Lost Explorer And The Secret Of King Midas is a family animation about Tad Jones, the most awkward explorer who must rescue his beloved Sara from a millionaire who is looking for King Midas' necklace.
The Buzz
Peter Rabbit is shaping up to be the big family film this Easter. James Corden voices the mischievous rabbit as he attempts to sneak into Mr. McGregor’s garden. It had its premiere over the weekend and the first reviews are in. The Guardian said it’s ‘altogether lively and funny with just enough soul’, while The Hollywood Reporter says the ‘awfully flimsy plotting… fails to take full advantage of terrific production values and the work of an engaging cast led by the affably energetic James Corden.’ It’s out in the UK on 16 March.
Across The Pond
On the typically quiet Superbowl weekend, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle went back up to the top spot, adding $11m which takes its total to $352.6m. Last week’s top film, Maze Runner: The Death Cure, fell to second, dropping 57% to $10.5m. That gives it a new total of $40m. Helen Mirren starring chiller, Winchester opened in third with $9.3m, while The Greatest Showman had another strong hold in fourth. It fell just 19% to $7.7m and a new cume of $137.4m. The Post completed the top five, adding $5.2m for a new total of $67.2m.