10 in 10

Lionsgate’s Knives Out achieved a feat usually accomplished by only one to five films a year: 10 weekends in the top 10.

Earning $2.2M this frame, with a slight jump from 11th place last weekend to 10th, it became only the fifth film in the past year to reach 10 top-10 weekends.

The three previous titles do so all came from Disney, so it also becomes the first non-Disney film to reach the mark since Universal’s Green Book in March 2019.

And it became Lionsgate’s first film to reach the mark since La La Land in February 2017, en route to 13 total top-10 weekends.

Sony’s Jumanji: The Next Level is likely to reach the mark next weekend. This frame it ranked fifth place on its ninth weekend, with $5.5M.

Falling Prey to the Box Office

Warner Bros.’ Birds of Prey found its wings clipped, starting well below expectations with only $33.0M.

For context, on one popular box office prediction website, the lowest that any user predicted was $34.1M.

Compared to other female-led action movies, it opened -24.8% below Lucy and -20.6% behind Ocean’s 8.

Our “what happened?” article about Birds of Prey from Saturday can be read here.

Read our interview with Birds of Prey screenwriter Christina Hodson here.

Oscars Contenders

Several films up for Best Picture at Sunday’s Academy Awards saw either box office gains or mere single-digit percentage declines this weekend.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was up +50.4%, to $222K.

was up +50.4%, to $222K. Jojo Rabbit was up +12.3%, to $1.51M.

was up +12.3%, to $1.51M. Winner Parasite was up +6.8%, to $1.56M.

was up +6.8%, to $1.56M. Ford v. Ferrari was up +4.9%, to $649K.

was up +4.9%, to $649K. 1917 declined only -2.7%, to $9.2M.

declined only -2.7%, to $9.2M. Joker declined only -5.3%, to $122K.

declined only -5.3%, to $122K. Little Women declined -22.7%, to $2.3M.

(Two Best Picture nominees — The Irishman and Marriage Story — were both released by Netflix, which doesn’t report box office or viewership numbers.)

It’s unclear why Little Women saw such a steeper decline this weekend than all other Best Picture nominees. While it wasn’t expected to win the top prize, neither were such other films as Ford v. Ferrari or Jojo Rabbit.

How’d This Weekend Compare?

Total box office this weekend was $95.0M. That’s -15.2% below last weekend and -17.9% below this same weekend last year, when The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part led with $34.1M.

The Year So Far

Year-to-date box office stands at $1.07B. That’s +7.6% above this same date last year, down from +9.3% after last weekend.

While 2020 year-to-date is ahead of 2019, it’s below 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015.

Most analysts project this year’s domestic box office will ultimately fall below last year, but the early trajectory is defying that prediction.

Studios

Sony is the highest grossing studio of the year, at $365.1M. Disney (including 20th Century Studios films) ranks second, at $226.4M. Universal ranks a close third at $220.2M.

While it’s virtually certain that Disney will end the year as the top studio, they’re not leading yet.

Monday’s Weekend Actuals (Domestic)

FRI, FEB. 7 – SUN, FEB. 9

WIDE (1000+) # TITLE WEEKEND LOCATIONS AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST. 1 Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) $33,010,017 — 4,236 — $7,793 $33,010,017 1 Warner Bros. 2 Bad Boys For Life $12,011,355 -32% 3,530 -175 $3,403 $166,333,562 4 Sony / Columbia 3 1917 $9,236,350 -3% 3,548 -439 $2,603 $132,779,259 7 Universal Pictures 4 Dolittle $6,534,580 -14% 3,462 -288 $1,888 $63,834,565 4 Universal 5 Jumanji: The Next Level $5,556,679 -7% 2,729 -216 $2,036 $298,487,090 9 Sony Pictures 6 The Gentlemen $4,215,491 -25% 2,557 -118 $1,649 $26,887,472 3 STX Entertainment 7 Gretel & Hansel $3,580,332 -42% 3,007 0 $1,191 $11,604,572 2 United Artists Releasing 8 Little Women $2,376,044 -23% 1,805 -496 $1,316 $102,724,187 7 Sony Pictures 9 Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker $2,313,348 -28% 1,746 -456 $1,325 $510,634,826 8 Disney 10 Knives Out $2,297,647 -11% 1,443 -112 $1,592 $158,889,297 11 Lionsgate 11 Parasite $1,560,237 7% 1,060 0 $1,472 $35,532,519 18 NEON 12 Jojo Rabbit $1,511,209 12% 1,096 -77 $1,379 $30,258,159 17 Fox Searchlight 13 Just Mercy $1,508,361 -30% 1,315 -492 $1,147 $33,358,473 7 Warner Bros. 14 The Turning $1,493,400 -50% 1,848 -723 $808 $14,104,730 3 Universal Pictures 15 Frozen II $1,377,451 -23% 1,131 -261 $1,218 $474,311,125 12 Disney 16 The Rhythm Section $1,014,767 -63% 3,049 0 $333 $4,907,758 2 Paramount 17 Uncut Gems $652,077 54% 1,142 650 $571 $49,237,590 9 A24

LIMITED (100 — 999) # TITLE WEEKEND LOCATIONS AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST. 1 Spies in Disguise $995,606 -16% 800 -228 $1,245 $64,911,273 7 20th Century Fox 2 2020 Oscar-Nominated Short Films $870,221 -25% 535 70 $1,627 $2,700,665 2 Magnolia Pictures ShortsTV w/ Magnolia Pictures 3 Ford v. Ferrari $649,799 5% 743 -181 $875 $116,346,491 13 20th Century Fox 4 Once Upon a Time In Hollywood $222,667 50% 583 -36 $382 $142,394,535 29 Sony Pictures 5 Bombshell $220,477 -31% 272 -206 $811 $31,256,233 9 Lionsgate 6 The Last Full Measure $214,491 -53% 279 -338 $769 $2,534,416 3 Roadside Attractions 7 Like a Boss $206,967 -59% 295 -370 $702 $21,970,840 5 Paramount Pictures 8 Weathering With You $136,925 -64% 106 -118 $1,292 $7,551,194 4 GKIDS 9 Underwater $128,564 -66% 226 -375 $569 $17,018,625 5 20th Century Fox 10 Joker $122,527 -5% 501 -242 $245 $335,207,134 19 Warner Bros. 11 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood $98,333 -21% 155 -46 $634 $61,325,573 12 Sony Pictures 12 The Grudge $77,711 -37% 127 -97 $612 $21,107,564 6 Sony Pictures 13 Pain and Glory $57,020 0% 118 59 $483 $4,503,660 19 Sony Pictures Classics