Kingsmen, It and American Made Vie for Top
In one of the closest races for the top box office spot in recent years, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, It and American Made all were jockeying for first place with nearly $17 million each.
In the end, 20th Century Fox’s sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle barely edged out the other two films despite its 56.6 percent drop to claim the crown for the second straight weekend with $16.94 million versus $16.90 million for It. Kingsman: The Golden Circle’s drop was highter than the 49 percent drop that predecessor Kingsman: The Secret Service saw. In fact, the sequel, after opening higher than the original, is now running slightly behind the original at the same point.
The top two films last weekend (Sept. 29-Oct. 1) had a mere $33,123 between them, the closest since August 2000 when only $31,684 separated Hollow Man and Space Cowboys. Adjusted for inflation, the record goes back even further: it was the closest weekend since March 1993 when only about $12,800 in today’s dollars separated CB4 and Fire in the Sky.
The 0.20 percent difference between the first and second place finisher at last weekend’s box office is the fourth-closest of all time. The last time it was this close was in February 2011, with an 0.15 percent difference between Unknown and Gnomeo and Juliet. But the next-closest prior that was back in July 1994 with an 0.10 percent difference between Forrest Gump and The Lion King.
With a 43.2 percent fall, Warner Bros. Pictures’ It experienced its mildest weekend drop yet. Having earned $290.78 million to date, it is by far the highest grossing horror film of this century and will pass a previously-unthinkable $300 million later this week.
Universal Pictures’ crime thriller American Made starring Tom Cruise was the main new offering in wide release, finishing with $16.78 million, about in line with expectations. It opened a bit higher than some similar titles such as Money Monster, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and War Dogs. However, it did open lower than Cruise’s Jack Reacher: Never Go Back last year.
Sony Pictures and Columbia Pictures’ sci-fi thriller remake Flatliners flatlined with $6.57 million in fifth place behind The Lego Ninjago Movie, which finished with $11.64 million. Flatliners was unable to gain much buzz or traction with its trailer or marketing, while moviegoers had their choice of several other films last weekend which provided more of a draw.
In limited release, Fox Searchlight’s Battle of the Sexes starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell as Billy Jean King and Bobby Riggs, respectively, jumped from 16th place to sixth place with $3.42 million.
The top 10 films earned $79.48 million last weekend, 26.3 percent below the previous weekend’s $107.92 million. It is also 22.2 percent under the same weekend last year, when Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children led with $28.87 million.
This Week | Last Week | Movie | Weekend Gross | Cumulative Gross | Weeks |
1 | 1 | Kingsman: The Golden Circle | $16.94M | $66.64M | 2 |
2 | 2 | It (2017) | $16.90M | $290.78M | 4 |
3 | — | American Made | $16.78M | $16.78M | 1 |
4 | 3 | The Lego Ninjago Movie | $11.64M | $35.20M | 2 |
5 | — | Flatliners | $6.57M | $6.57M | 1 |
6 | — | Battle of the Sexes | $3.42M | $4.09M | 2 |
7 | 4 | American Assassin | $3.32M | $31.86M | 3 |
8 | 6 | Home Again | $1.73M | $25.15M | 4 |
9 | 5 | Mother! | $1.45M | $16.31M | 3 |
10 | 7 | Friend Request | $728,065 | $3.41M | 2 |
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.