Most box office prognosticators presumed that Disney and LucasFilm’sRogue One: A Star Wars Storywould have no trouble winning the last few weeks of 2016, along with the first few weeks of 2016. So far, that prediction has come true, with theStar Wars spin-offwinning the last three weeks of 2016, and now the first weekend of 2017, but just barely.Rogue Onecame out on top with $21.9 million, just barely beatingHidden Figureswhich expanded nationwide to earn $21.8 million. Since these movies are so close together, they may switch places when the actual figures are released tomorrow, but we’ll have to want and see.
Box Office Mojoreports that the only new movie opening in wide release,Underworld 5, starringKate Beckinsaleas Selene, opened in 3,070 theaters, which is much higher than the estimated 2,300 theaters it was expected to open in, withHidden Figuresexpanding into 2,471 theaters, an increase of 2,446 theaters. Another movie expanding nationwide,A Monster Calls, expanded to 1,523 theaters, an increase of 1,519, but it failed to crack the top 10, opening in 13th place with $2.01 million, with a paltry per-screen average of $1,326. All of these expanding movies are far short ofRogue One’s 4,157 theater count, which has remained unchanged since it opened on December 16.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Storydropped only 22.6% in its third frame last weekend, when it took in $49.5 million, but this weekend it dropped 55.7%, with a $5,286 per-screen average.Rogue One’s domestic total increases to $477.2 million, which is roughly $9 million short ofFinding Dory’s $486.2 million, but it should surpass that Disney animated sequel as the top movie of 2016.Hidden Figuresexpanded into second place with $21.8 million, followed bySing, Universal’s hitanimated musical, which dropped to third place with $19.5 million,Underworld: Blood Warsin fourth place with $13.1 million andLa La Landin fifth place with $10 million. This weekend marks the first time that anUnderworldmovie has not opened with more than $20 million.
The next installment in the blockbuster franchise,Underworld: Blood Warsfollows Vampire death dealer, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) as she fends off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. With her only allies, David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance), she must stop the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.Kate Beckinsaleleadsd a cast that includesTheo James,Lara Pulver,Tobias Menzies,Bradley James,James FaulknerandCharles Dance.Anna Foersterdirects from a screenplay byCory Goodman.
A Monster Callscenters on 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall), who is dealing with far more than other boys his age. His beloved and devoted mother (Felicity Jones) is ill. He has little in common with his imperious grandmother (Sigourney Weaver). His father (Toby Kebbell) has resettled thousands of miles away. But Conor finds a most unlikely ally when the Monster (portrayed byLiam Neesonin performance-capture and voiceover) appears at his bedroom window one night. Ancient, wild, and relentless, the Monster guides Conor on a journey of courage, faith, and truth that powerfully fuses imagination and reality.Juan Antonio Bayonadirects from a screenplay byPatrick Ness, based on his own novel of the same name.
Hidden Figuresis based on an incredible true story about three women who helped the U.S. win the “Space Race.” As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of African-American female mathematicians that served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history. Based on the unbelievably true life stories of three of these women, known as “human computers”, we follow these women as they quickly rose the ranks of NASA alongside many of history’s greatest minds specifically tasked with calculating the momentous launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, and guaranteeing his safe return. Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson crossed all gender, race, and professional lines while their brilliance and desire to dream big, beyond anything ever accomplished before by the human race, firmly cemented them in U.S. history as true American heroes.
The top 10 is rounded out byPassengers($8.8 million),Why Him?($6.5 million),Moana($6.4 million),Fences($4.7 million) andAssassin’s Creed($3.8 million). Also opening in limited release is Well Go USA’sRailroad Tigers, which earned $127,600 from 42 theaters for a $3,038 per-screen average. No box office data was given for Film Movement’sThe Ardennesand IFC’sI, Daniel BlakeIt remains to be seen whether or not these films will expand in the weeks to come. Looking ahead to next weekend, three more movies will debut, while three more will expand nationwide. Paramount’sMonster Trucks, Open Road Films’Sleeplessand STX Entertainment’sThe Bye Bye Manwill debut in theaters, while Warner Bros.‘Live By Night, Lionsgate’sPatriots Dayand Paramount’sSilencewill expand nationwide. Take a look at the top 10 estimates for the weekend of January 6.
