Box Office Recap: ‘Chappie’ Wins Slow Weekend

Director Neill Blomkamp’s Chappie tops the box office this weekend, earning an estimated $13.3 million domestically from 3,201 locations.

The science-fiction action thriller, which tells the tale of an oppressive police droid that has been reprogrammed for good, was initially projected to pull roughly $15 million, while some even estimated $20 million. Chappie may have nabbed first place, however the box office hasn’t been doing too well these past two weeks. Will Smith’s R-rated Focus debuted with a weak $19.1 million last weekend, and is runner-up with $10 million in it’s second weekend ($34.6 million total).

Ticket sales have declined nearly 40 percent from last year, where it saw strong debuts from 300: Rise of an Empire ($45 million) and Mr. Peabody & Sherman ($32.2 million).

“This is two slow weekends led by primarily R-rated films,” says Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst for Rentrak. “We’ve been accustomed to 2015’s box office overperforming. But the newcomers have not exactly set the world on fire. It’s a setback, but temporary.”

Audience members gave the R-rated film a B CinemaScore, while critics gave the film a 29 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The weekend’s other new release was Vince Vaughn’s unsuccessful Unfinished Business with a bleak $4.8 million across 2,777 locations. Fox’s R-rated comedy, which cost $35 million to produce, ranks as the worst debut of Vaughn’s career and falls in tenth place. Moviegoers, who were 55 percent male and 54 over the age of 25, gave Unfinished Business a B minus CinemaScore, while critics handed it a depressing 12 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Alongside Vaughn, Unfinished Business stars Dave Franco, James Marsden, Tom Wilkinson, Nick Frost and Sienna Miller.

The most impressive debut for the weekend goes to The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, starring Richard Gere and Judi Dench. The art-house film cost $10 million to produce and pulled in $8.6 million in only 1,573 theaters, finishing in third place.

“It’s the only bright spot this weekend with a great opening for a primarily senior audience,” says Jeff Bock, box office analyst for Exhibitor Relations. “And Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel will have legs, as well.”

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which is the sequel to 2012’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ($136 million worldwide), scored a B plus from moviegoers on CinemaScore, as well as an above-average 64 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It appealed to older moviegoers and females, with more than 65 percent women present in the audience and and the same percentage over the age of 50.

Colin Firth’s Kingsman: The Secret Service managed to hold on with $8.3 million in its fourth weekend ($98 million total), and landed in fourth place at the box office. Rounding out the top five is The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water with $7 million in its fifth weekend. The animated and live-action fusion has accumulated roughly $149 million domestically.

The box office may likely redeem itself next weekend, as it prepares for Disney’s live-action version of Cinderella and Liam Neeson’s action flick Run All Night.

Top 10 Films at Weekend Box Office: March 6-8

1. Chappie — $13.3 million
2. Focus — $10.0 million
3. The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel — $8.6 million
4. Kingsman: The Secret Service — $8.3 million
5. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water — $7.0 million
6. Fifty Shades of Grey — $5.6 million 

7. McFarland, USA — $5.3 million

8. The Lazarus Effect — $5.1 million
9. The DUFF — $4.85 million
10. Unfinished Business — $4.8 million