Movies
Box Office Recap: ‘Star Wars’ Reigns Once More
J.J. Abram’s record-breaking Star Wars: The Force Awakens won the box office for the third weekend in a row, adding $88.3 million in North America over New Year’s weekend.
Thus far, The Force Awakens has accumulated $740.3 million domestically and $1.51 billion globally for Disney and Lucasfilm, earning the highest domestic third weekend ever. Earlier this weekend, the sci-fi blockbuster surpassed both Jurassic World ($652.3 million) and Titanic ($658.7 million) for the spot as the second-highest grossing domestic movie – and will likely dethrone Avatar ($760.5 million) to become the biggest domestic movie of all time in the coming days.
In second place is Daddy’s Home with $29 million from 3,342 theaters for a domestic total of $93.7 million for Paramount and Red Granite Pictures. The comedy is about a nerdy stepfather (Will Ferrell) who finds himself outshone by his wife’s first husband (Mark Wahlberg).
Quentin Taratino’s The Hateful Eight secured the third spot after expanding nationwide midweek, gathering $16.2 million for the weekend from 2,474 locations ($29.6 million domestic total). Moviegoers gave the film from The Weinstein Co., which debuted Christmas Day in an exclusive 70mm run, a B CinemaScore, while critics gave it a 74 percent “fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The western drama is set in Wyoming, a few years after the Civil War, and focuses on a group of bounty hunters who have to take shelter during a blizzard. The cast includes Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Demian Bichir and Channing Tatum.
Rounding out the fourth and fifth spot is Universal’s Sisters and Fox’s Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip with $15.6 million and $11.8 million, respectively. The R-rated comedy, starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, has gathered a domestic total of $61.7 million, while the family friendly feature has a domestic total of $67.4 million.
Top 10 Films at Weekend Box Office: January 1-3
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens — $88.3 million
- Daddy’s Home — $29 million
- The Hateful Eight — $16.2 million
- Sisters — $12.6 million
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip — $11.8 million
- Joy — $10.4 million
- The Big Short — $9 million
- Concussion — $8 million
- Point Break — $6.8 million
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 — $4.6 million