‘Rogue One’ Blasts Past ‘Sing,’ ‘Assassin’s Creed’ at Thursday Box Office

Bryan Cranston’s “Why Him?” was the only wide-release newcomer on Thursday with $975,000 in previews

star wars rogue one

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is still going strong at the domestic box office. The Disney release grossed another $16.7 million on Thursday, bringing its domestic total t0 $222 million.

It is also storming past newcomer titles, Fox’s “Why Him?,” Illumination-Universal’s “Sing,” Fox’s “Assassin’s Creed” and Sony’s sci-fi movie “Passengers” starring Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence.

“Why Him?” starring James Franco and Bryan Cranston, earned a solid $975,000 on Thursday, comparable to “Office Christmas Party,” which grossed $950,000 earlier this month.

“Sing,” starring the voices of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Nick Kroll, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton and Seth MacFarlane, earned $9.6 million at the Thursday box office, bringing its cumulative total up to $20.6 million. It is expected to make $37 million over the three-day weekend and $55 million over the five-day holiday weekend.

The animated film, about a theater-owning koala named Buster Moon, currently holds a score of 71 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a CinemaScore of “A.”

Michael Fassbender’s video game adaptation “Assassin’s Creed” fought its way to $2.8 million, after debuting to $1.35 million on Tuesday. By the end of the five-day holiday weekend, estimates have it grossing $33 million.

Based on the best-selling video game franchise, “Assassin’s Creed” stars Fassbender as Callum Lynch. After a mysterious organization fakes his death, Lynch is forced to unlock his genetic memories, allowing him to experience the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain.

Directed by Justin Kurzel, the film also stars Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Charlotte Rampling, Michael K. Willaims and Khalid Abdalla. The movie has a score of 19 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a “B+” CinemaScore.

And “Passengers” grossed another $3.23 million on Thursday, having earned $7.3 million so far at the domestic box office. “Passengers” is tracking for a $26 million three-day weekend and $39 million five-day gross. The sci-fi film was directed by Morten Tyldum and revolves around two spacecraft passengers who are awoken 90 years too early as they travel to a distant planet.

“Passengers” has a score of 32 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a “B” CinemaScore, and cost around $110 million to produce, excluding marketing costs.

On Christmas Day, Denzel Washington’s “Fences” and “La La Land” expand wide, while other awards contenders like “A Monster Calls,” “Silence,” “Julieta” and “Toni Erdmann” are opening in limited runs.

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