Movies

Box Office Recap: ‘American Sniper’ Dominates Once Again

January 26, 2015

Dominating the box office once again is Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper with $64.4 million, according to studio estimates.

The modern-day war drama about Navy SEAL Chris Kyle earned $90.2 million last weekend, setting a January box office record. It has officially jumped the $200 million mark on Sunday, and has collected six Oscar nominations (including best picture and best actor for Bradley Cooper).

“It’s pretty amazing. This is a movie that has become part of the cultural discussion and discourse. It has controversy as well, which is helping to propel the conversation,” says Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst for Rentrak. “It’s rare for a movie to be on the forefront of serious discussions and a popular cultural event. But American Sniper has done it.”

In comparison to WWII titles, American Sniper is set to overtake Steven Spielberg’s 1998 Saving Private Ryan ($216.7 million) and has already passed Michael Bay’s 2001 Pearl Harbor, which topped at $198.5 million domestically.

The R-rated war film managed to beat out Jennifer Lopez’ The Boy Next Door, which landed in the second spot on the charts with $15 million in its debut weekend. The action thriller was given a 13 percent “fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, and a B minus CinemaScore from moviegoers.

“Basically, Jennifer Lopez is great, and people responded to her,” said Nick Carpou, Universal’s president of domestic distribution. “She was the number one reason people wanted to see this movie.”

Another weekend newcomer is Johnny Depp’s art-heist comedy Mortdecai with a meager $4.1 million debut, less than the $10 million analysts predicted. The $60 million production opened across 2,648 locations and landed in ninth on box office charts.

“Star power is only going to get you so far — it all comes down to the projects you pick,” says Phil Contrino, analyst for BoxOffice.com. “Johnny Depp has picked some recent projects that were a little too quirky. And he hasn’t connected in the way he is capable of connecting as an A-list actor.”

The comedy, also starring Gwyneth Paltrow, received a 12 percent “fresh” rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, while the few moviegoers who did go out to see it gave it a C plus on CinemaScore.

Disney’s new release Strange Magic came in seventh at the box office with $5.5 million, less than the $10 million analysts predicted. The animated family feature was produced by Lucasfilm, centers on goblins and elves and was inherited by the Mouse House as part of its 2012 purchase of George Lucas’ company. It earned a B minus Cinemascore, and an 11 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

“We are disappointed with the result,” said Dave Hollis, Disney’s distribution chief.

Jennifer Aniston’s Cake received a limited release across 482 theaters, where it grossed $1 million for the weekend. The film, which follows a woman with chronic pain, had been projected to collect an Oscar nomination for Aniston, however Academy Awards voters shut it out.

Taking the third spot at the box office is the family friendly holdover Paddington with $12.4 million in its second weekend. Based on the beloved children’s book, the film has gathered a cumulative domestic total of $40 million since its debut. Sony’s R-rated comedy The Wedding Ringer follows in fourth place with an additional $11.6 million in its second weekend. The raunchy wedding film, which features Kevin Hart and Josh Gad, has grossed a total of $39.7 million thus far.

Rounding out the top five is yet another holdover, Taken 3, with $7.6 million in its third weekend. The third and final installment in the saga features Liam Neeson as a vengeance-seeking former government agent with “a very particular set of skills.” To date, Taken 3 has gathered $76 million to date.

Top 10 Films at Weekend Box Office: January 23-25