LEGO Batman swings into first!
The combination of popular toys, comic characters and a previous box office hit resulted in a first place debut this weekend as THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE opened on top with an estimated $55.6 million!
Taking the spotlight for his first solo movie, the brick version of the Dark Knight (voiced by Will Arnett) came in a bit below the surprise $69 million start of THE LEGO MOVIE when it opened three years ago this week before it continued to $257 million domestic and $469 million worldwide.
Directed by "Robot Chicken" regular Chris McKay, the animated spinoff reportedly cost $80 million and has grabbed an additional $37 million from international audiences. Critics enjoyed the PG-rated adventure in interlocking Gotham with an average of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes (the JoBlo review is HERE).
Bound for second place was the new sequel FIFTY SHADES DARKER with an opening of $46.7 million. The adaptation of E.L. James' second BDSM bestseller arrived just in time for Valentine's Day, but slipped in far below the $85 million opening of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY this same time two years ago.
The first FIFTY SHADES collected more than half of its $166 million domestic total just from its opening weekend, but it ended with an attractive $571 million worldwide.
The bondage-romance follow-up with Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson cost a reported $55 million and has already secured an extra $100 million from overseas. Critics were unkind to the unconventional relationship drama with 9% on Rotten Tomatoes (the JoBlo review is wrapped up HERE).
The weekend's other new release JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 was number three with a bullet (actually many, many bullets) with an opening of $30 million.
Age-defying actor Keanu Reeves was back as the titular headshot-happy hitman, taking advantage of the original JOHN WICK's cult status to notch more than double its $14.4 million opening in 2014. That first gunfight-packed revenge movie ended with $43 million domestic and $86 million worldwide (on a $20 million budget).
The R-rated action extravaganza sequel (from JOHN WICK co-director Chad Stahelski) cost a reported $40 million and scored a bullseye with critics for a 90% average on Rotten Tomatoes. The JoBlo review can be targeted HERE.
After three weekends at number one, M. Night Shyamalan's thriller SPLIT got knocked to fourth place with $9.3 million as it crossed $100 million to become the biggest domestic success for horror source Blumhouse. The multiple personalities of James McAvoy now have a worldwide total of $169 million on a reported $9 million budget.
The Oscar-nominated NASA drama HIDDEN FIGURES continued to soar in fifth with $8 million for a domestic total of $131.4 million after two months on screens. The canine movie A DOG'S PURPOSE followed in sixth with $7.3 million, bringing its domestic total to $42.5 million like a good boy. The horror sequel RINGS was in seventh with $5.8 million, losing 55% from last week's opening for a ten-day domestic total of $21.4 million.
Oscar contenders LA LA LAND and LION danced together in eighth and ninth place, and the sci-fi adventure THE SPACE BETWEEN US barely grasped the bottom with $1.7 million, drifting 53% from its low landing last week for a ten-day domestic total of $6.5 million (on a $30 million reported cost).
Outside the chart, Vin Diesel's sequel XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE took a leap from the Top 10 on the same weekend it opened to $59 million in China (more than its $43 million domestic finish) for a new worldwide total of $229 million. The animated SING also disappeared from the list along with RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER, which has gathered $135 million worldwide.
Next week has Matt Damon defending China from invading monsters in THE GREAT WALL (which already gained $224 million from international crowds), while Ice Cube and Charlie Day get in a FIST FIGHT and director Gore Verbinski delivers chills in A CURE FOR WELLNESS.
What is your favorite version of BATMAN? VOTE HERE!
| # | MOVIE TITLE | WKND $ | TOTAL $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The LEGO Batman Movie | $55.6 M | NEW |
| 2 | Fifty Shades Darker | $46.7 M | NEW |
| 3 | John Wick: Chapter 2 | $30 M | NEW |
| 4 | Split | $9.3 M | $112.2 M |
| 5 | Hidden Figures | $8 M | $131.4 M |
| 6 | Rings | $5.8 M | $21.4 M |
| 7 | A Dog's Purpose | $7.3 M | $42.5 M |
| 8 | La La Land | $5 M | $126 M |
| 9 | Lion | $4 M | $30.3 M |
| 10 | The Space Between Us | $1.7 M | $6.5 M |
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