“The LEGO Batman Movie” and “Fifty Shades Darker” continue their late winter box office dominance, scooping up all the business that “The Great Wall,” “A Cure for Wellness” and “Fist Fight” were supposed to collect.
“LEGO” adds another $33 million, “Fifty Shades” another $22, and “Great Wall” has to be content with a mere $16 million opening, a bomb — at least at the U.S. box office.
But this is why you release a couple of movies a month. Universal’s “Shades” will clear $100 million in the U.S. by Tuesday, making “The Great Wall” more of a Chinese investor’s problem. The ethically awful “A Dog’s Purpose” (also Universal) will wind up making boatloads more cash than “The Great Wall” in the U.S. “Split” (also Universal) will further cover the bottom line, as it is still in the Top Ten.
Fox’s smart, dark and creepy but uneven Gore Verbinski horror pic “A Cure for Wellness” barely cracked the Top Ten ($4 million or so).
Warner’s comic dog “Fist Fight” will manage only $11 million this weekend, $14 million by President’s Day. It’s an R-rated bust.
“Hidden Figures” continues to draw, and “La La Land” enjoys an Oscar bounce.