Box office analysts were expecting “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” to hold on to the top spot at the box office this weekend without much of a challenge. Instead, it will come down to Sunday’s final numbers to see whether it can hold out against a resilient “It” and Universal/Cross Creek’s new release, “American Made.”
All three R-Rated films are currently estimated to make around $17 million this weekend. “It,” which is in its fourth weekend, currently has a slight edge for the No. 1 spot with a studio-estimated $17.3 million. “It” will see its domestic total rise to $291 million, making it the highest grossing film released between Labor Day and Halloween. In the coming week, it will become only the fourth R-Rated film to gross over $300 million domestic.
“Kingsman,” which is in its second weekend, will register a ten-day total of $66.9 million. Analysts were expecting a drop-off for the sequel of around 50 percent, but this result will be a 56.5 percent drop from the $39 million opening total. That means “The Golden Circle” has made approximately $1 million less than the $67.9 million the first “Kingsman” to this point in 2015.
As for the new film in theaters, “American Made,” a $17 million opening is slightly higher than the low-to-mid-teens opening studio and independent projections had for the film last week. The film enjoyed some strong word-of-mouth off of an 87 percent Rotten Tomatoes score and a B+ CinemaScore grade.
But while Universal will take that opening for the $50 million crime film, Tom Cruise’s domestic box office struggles are continuing as this is the actor’s worst opening since “Jack Reacher” made $15.2 million in 2012. While “American Made” got traction with older male audiences, audiences under 25 tended to go see “Kingsman” or “It” this weekend instead. Next week will see the release of “Blade Runner 2049,” a film that will appeal to older male audiences who saw the first “Blade Runner” back in 1982, so the potential audience base for “American Made” could be even further split by tough competition.
“The Lego Ninjago Movie” takes a 42 percent drop to take fourth place in its second weekend with $11.7 million, bringing its ten-day total to $35.3 million. Completing the top five is Columbia/Cross Creek’s “Flatliners,” which made just $6.7 million from 2,552 theaters and finished under conservative studio projections of $7-8 million.
Just outside the top five is Fox Searchlight’s Billie Jean King biopic “Battle of the Sexes,” which expanded to 1,213 theaters after a limited rollout last weekend. The film performed modestly, making $3.5 million in its first wide weekend.
7 Biggest Fall Box Office Showdowns, Including 'Ninjago' vs 'Kingsman' (Photos)
"Thor: Ragnarok," "Justice League" and "Star Wars" will surely dominate the box office in the remaining months of 2017. But along with those would-be blockbusters are several smaller films competing for moviegoers' attention. Here are the seven head-to-head box office showdowns to look out for this fall.
Sept. 15: “mother!” vs. “American Assassin”: If its trailer and NSFW poster are any indication, Darren Aronofsky’s horror show looks like its going to be as terrifying and unforgiving a movie as one can expect. While critical acclaim could give it a boost, “American Assassin” has more crowd pleasing elements with “Teen Wolf” star Dylan O’Brien in the lead, and a story based on Vince Flynn’s best-selling Mitch Rapp novels.
Sept. 22: "The Lego Ninjago Movie" vs. "Kingsman the Golden Circle": Like its "Lego Movie" predecessors, "Ninjago" should be a big draw for family audiences who haven't had a major film for them since "Despicable Me 3" and "The Emoji Movie." Facing it is the R-rated "Kingsman" sequel, which will aim to turn the cult following its predecessor earned into a strong opening.
Sept. 29:"Flatliners" vs. "American Made": After starring in the critically maligned "Mummy" remake this summer, Tom Cruise will star in "American Made," which tells the true story of an an airline pilot who becomes a drug smuggler and later a DEA informant. Facing it will be Columbia's "Flatliners," a sequel to the 1990 cult hit about experiments that induce near-death experiences.
Oct. 20: "Only the Brave" vs. "Geostorm" vs. "The Snowman" vs. "Boo! 2": A quartet of wild card releases hit theaters in the third weekend of October. The one that has the best shot of a strong opening is "Boo! 2," the latest film in Tyler Perry's popular "Madea" series. The first "Boo!" made $28.5 million in its opening weekend.
Oct. 27: "Jigsaw" vs. "Suburbicon": It was only a matter of time before the "Saw" franchise came back to play another game, but after "It," "mother!" and "Happy Death Day" hit theaters, will audiences come back for a fourth helping from an old franchise on Halloween weekend? Against it is Oscar contender "Suburbicon," which features -- get ready -- George Clooney directing Matt Damon, Julianne Moore and Oscar Isaac from a script co-written by the Coen Brothers.
Nov. 10: "Daddy's Home 2" vs. "Murder on Orient Express" vs. "Thor: Ragnarok": After posting the worst box office performance of his career with "The House," Will Ferrell will try to do better with a sequel to his 2015 collab with Mark Wahlberg. Kenneth Branagh's star-studded adaptation of Agatha Christie's famous murder mystery novel will also release this weekend, but both could fall to "Thor: Ragnarok," which will be in its second weekend.
Dec. 22: Christmas Releases: Let's be real. All of these holiday weekend releases will be fighting for whatever scraps of moviegoers "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" leaves behind. But "Pitch Perfect 3," the final installment in Kay Cannon's hit musical comedy, has a real shot at a solid opening. Other movies in this group include an adaptation of the TV series "The Six Billion Dollar Man" and Oscar contender "Downsizing," which stars Matt Damon as a man who joins a growing group of people who shrink themselves and join miniature communities.
We know ”Thor: Ragnarok“ will dominate when it opens in November, but here are the most competitive weekends to watch
"Thor: Ragnarok," "Justice League" and "Star Wars" will surely dominate the box office in the remaining months of 2017. But along with those would-be blockbusters are several smaller films competing for moviegoers' attention. Here are the seven head-to-head box office showdowns to look out for this fall.
