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Monday Update: Yash Raj Films’ Indian Hindi-language action thriller Pathaan opened above its original weekend projection. The distributor forecast a $5.9M opening in fifth place back on Sunday, but the Monday actuals came in at $6.8M and third place.
Sunday Update:
Avatar: The Way of Water (domestic weekend)
20th Century Studios’ sci-fi sequel Avatar: The Way of Water claimed the #7 seventh weekend of all time, with a mild -22% decline to $15.7M, easily holding onto first place.
All time, Water has earned the:
Weekend # |
Gross |
All-time ranking |
1 |
$134.1M |
#37 |
2 |
$63.3M |
#30 |
3 |
$67.4M |
#3 |
4 |
$45.8M |
#3 |
5 |
$32.8M |
#3 |
6 |
$20.1M |
#7 |
7 |
$15.7M |
#7 |
Avatar: The Way of Water (domestic total)
With $620.5M domestically, Water ranks #11 all time, behind only:
- 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($936.6M)
- 2019’s Avengers: Endgame ($858.3M)
- 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home ($814.1M)
- 2009’s Avatar ($785.2M)
- 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick ($718.7M)
- 2018’s Black Panther ($700.4M)
- 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War ($678.8M)
- 1997’s Titanic ($659.3M)
- 2015’s Jurassic World ($653.4M)
- 2012’s The Avengers ($623.3M)
Though 45 days, Water has now earned $620.5M domestically. That makes it the #2 release from 2022 so far, despite only achieving the #5 opening weekend of that year.
Overall, it still ranks behind the total of Top Gun: Maverick, at least for the moment. However, it’s currently running +4% ahead of Maverick through the same point in release. (Although that’s down from running +6% ahead after last weekend.)
Compared to other comparable $100M+ openers from 2022, here’s how Water opened and how it’s faring now, through the equivalent point in release.
Water is out-performing every film on this list relative to what the opening weekend comparison would have predicted.
Film |
Water opened |
Water’s total after last weekend |
Water’s total now |
Trendline |
Top Gun: Maverick |
+5% |
+6% |
+4% |
Down |
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever |
-26% |
+42% |
+45% |
Up |
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness |
-28% |
+50% |
+53% |
Up |
Jurassic World: Dominion |
-7% |
+66% |
+69% |
Up |
The Batman |
<+1% |
+66% |
+70% |
Up |
Thor: Love and Thunder |
-7% |
+83% |
+86% |
Up |
Compared to the other biggest December releases from recent years, here’s how Water opened and how it’s faring now, through the equivalent point in release.
Except for the original Avatar, Water is out-performing every other film on this list relative to what the opening weekend comparison would have predicted.
Film |
Water opened |
Water’s total after last weekend |
Water’s total now |
Trendline |
2009’s Avatar |
+74% |
+8% |
+4% |
Down |
2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens |
-46% |
-32% |
-30% |
Up |
2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home |
-48% |
-17% |
-15% |
Up |
2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi |
-39% |
-1% |
+1% |
Up |
2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker |
-24% |
+19% |
+22% |
Up |
2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story |
-13% |
+16% |
+19% |
Up |
Water has also earned $83M from IMAX domestically. That’s the #3 highest total of all time, behind only 2009’s Avatar ($140M) and 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($125M).
Avatar: The Way of Water (overseas / global)
Overseas, Water declined only -28% this weekend, although that’s still a bit steeper than its -22% domestic drop.
Overseas, Water has earned $1.49B total. That’s the #4 overseas total of all time, behind only:
- 2009’s Avatar ($2.13B)
- 2019’s Avengers: Endgame ($1.94B)
- 1997’s Titanic ($1.53B)
Globally, Water has earned $2.11B total. That’s the #4 biggest global earner of all time, behind only:
- 2009’s Avatar ($2.92B)
- 2019’s Avengers: Endgame ($2.79B)
- 1997’s Titanic ($2.19B)
Water already surpassed Maverick to become the biggest global release from 2022. Compared to Maverick’s $1.48B global total, Water is now +43% ahead and counting.
Water’s top overseas totals to date include:
- China ($237.1M)
- France ($136.9M)
- Germany ($124.4M)
- South Korea ($103.3M)
- U.K. ($85.7M)
- Australia ($58.6M)
- India ($58.4M)
- Mexico ($53.3M)
- Spain ($49.7M)
- Italy ($46.5M)
So far, the film has earned 70.6% of its global total from overseas. That’s slightly less than Avatar during its original run (72.7%), but notably higher than Maverick (51.7%).
Water’s China earnings are +17% ahead of the amount Avatar earned there during its original run ($202.6M). Water is also the #2 biggest film from 2022 in that country, behind only local title Water Gate Bridge.
According to numbers from Endata, Water is also the #40 film of all time in China. Among Hollywood titles, it’s #8 all time in China, behind only:
- Avengers: Endgame
- The Fate of the Furious
- Furious 7
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Transformers: Age of Extinction
- Venom
- Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Water has earned $156.1M from IMAX overseas. That’s the #1 total of all time, behind the prior record holder, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame ($150M).
Water has also earned $239M from IMAX globally. That’s the #2 total of all time, behind only 2009’s Avatar ($270M) – but that includes Avatar’s 2010 and 2022 re-releases, meaning Water is now the #1 IMAX title of all time globally based on original release.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Now in its sixth frame, the Universal / DreamWorks animated sequel Puss in Boots: The Last Wish declines only -10% to $10.6M, repeating in second place.
The film also finally overtakes its predecessor, 2011’s Puss in Boots, through the equivalent point in release.
For context, Wish spent its first two frames in second place, then its third and fourth frames down to third place. Historically, such a drop in rank would almost guarantee it wouldn’t rise once again. Yet in both its fifth and sixth frames, it made a rare comeback to the runner-up slot.
Since Wish was released on a Wednesday, its 40-day total stands at $140.8M. Compared to other films through the equivalent point in release, that’s:
Film |
Wish total after last weekend |
Wish total now |
Trendline |
2011’s Puss in Boots |
-7% |
+0.6% |
Up |
2022’s Lightyear |
+9% |
+20% |
Up |
2022’s DC League of Super Pets |
+69% |
+71% |
Up |
2022’s The Bad Guys |
+67% |
+69% |
Up |
The Shrek / Puss in Boots series has shown consistently diminishing returns since the high water marks of the second and third installment. Through the same point in releasing, Wish is running below all of them.
However, the trendlines are positive, meaning Wish is holding better than any of those titles at the equivalent point in release:
Film |
Wish total after last weekend |
Wish total now |
Trendline |
2004’s Shrek 2 |
-66% |
-64% |
Up |
2007’s Shrek the Third |
-57% |
-54% |
Up |
2010’s Shrek Forever After |
-43% |
-39% |
Up |
2011’s Puss in Boots |
-7% |
+0.6% |
Up |
Overseas, Wish has earned $193.3M from 79 markets, for a $334.1M global total.
So far, the film has earned 58% of its global total from overseas. That’s considerably less than the original Boots during its run, at 73% overseas.
For comparison, Boots earned $405.7M overseas and $554.9M globally. Wish is currently at only 47% of its predecessor overseas and 60% globally.
The top five overseas totals to date for Wish are:
- France ($19.0M)
- Mexico ($19.5M)
- Germany ($13.6M)
- Australia ($12.7M)
- Brazil ($11.6M)
A Man Called Otto
In its third frame of wide release, Sony Pictures’ comedy A Man Called Otto rises from fifth place to third place, declining only -23% to $6.7M.
Through three weekends of wide release, it’s now earned $46.0M. Here’s how that compares to other Tom Hanks films from the past dozen years which debuted comparably to Otto’s $12.8M wide opening.
Film |
Otto wide opening was: |
Otto total after two wide frames |
Otto total now, after three wide frames |
Trendline |
2019’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood |
-3% |
+2% |
+6% |
Up |
2015’s Bridge of Spies |
-16% |
+8% |
+1% |
Down |
2011’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close |
+27% |
+67% |
+72% |
Up |
2013’s Saving Mr. Banks |
+32% |
-40% |
+66% |
Up |
2017’s The Post |
-33% |
-21% |
-21% |
Steady |
2011’s Larry Crowne |
-2% |
+34% |
+45% |
Up |
2016’s Inferno |
-13% |
+35% |
+45% |
Up |
M3GAN
Now In its fourth frame, Universal’s PG-13 horror M3GAN declines -34% to $6.3M, falling from third to fourth place.
Through 24 days, M3GAN has earned $82.2M total. Compared to some other comparable horror releases of recent years, here’s how the film opened and how it’s performing now:
Film |
M3GAN opened |
M3GAN’s total after last weekend |
M3GAN’S total now |
Trendline |
2022’s Smile |
+34% |
+2% |
-2% |
Down |
2022’s Barbarian |
2.88x |
2.57x |
2.48x |
Down |
2022’s The Black Phone |
+28% |
+17% |
+14% |
Down |
2019’s Escape Room |
+66% |
+78% |
+72% |
Down |
2019’s Child’s Play |
2.15x |
2.73x |
2.89x |
Up |
Overseas, M3GAN has earned $63.7M in 75 markets, for a $146.0M global total. The top five overseas market totals include:
- Mexico ($8.5M)
- U.K. ($7.3M)
- Australia ($3.8M)
- France ($3.6M)
- Germany ($3.5M)
Pathaan
Yash Raj Films’ Indian Hindi-language action thriller Pathaan began in fifth place with $5.9M. Following its midweek release last Wednesday, the film has now earned $8.5M through five days.
Missing
Last weekend, Sony Pictures’ mystery thriller Missing opened in fourth place with $9.1M. That was above pre-release industry projections, which were around $5M-$7M and had it opening as low as sixth place.
That opening was also +53% above 2018’s Searching ($6.0M). Again, some pre-release projections had it opening below Searching entirely.
Now in its sophomore frame, Missing falls -38% to $5.6M, dropping from fourth to sixth place. That’s a steeper drop than Searching, which fell -25%.
Through 10 days, Missing has now earned $17.5M. Compared to some other similar films:
Film |
Missing opened wide |
Missing’s total after one wide frame |
Missing’s total now, after two wide frames |
Trendline |
2018’s Searching |
+51% |
+51% |
+22% |
Down |
2015’s Unfriended |
-42% |
-42% |
-30% |
Up |
Plane
Now in its third frame, Lionsgate’s action thriller Plane starring Gerard Butler falls -28% to $3.8M, dropping from sixth to seventh place.
Through 17 days, Plane has earned $25.3M total. Here’s how that compares to other action thrillers starring Butler in recent years:
Film |
Plane opened |
Plane’s total after last weekend |
Plane’s total now |
Trendline |
2018’s Den of Thieves |
-32.4% |
-32.1% |
-29% |
Up |
2016’s Angel Has Fallen |
-51.9% |
-52.2% |
-52.5% |
Down |
2018’s Hunter Killer |
+54% |
+50% |
+67% |
Up |
2021’s CopShop |
4.43x |
4.34x |
4.95x |
Up |
Elsewhere at the box office
- Neon’s sci-fi horror Infinity Pool opened with $2.7M.
- Fathom Events’ special Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist debuted with $2.3M.
- Following its Academy Award-leading 11 nominations last Tuesday, including Best Picture, A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once was re-released in 1,400 theaters and earned $1.0M.
- After Universal’s The Fabelmans was also nominated for several of the biggest Academy Award categories this week, it expands into 1,962 theaters, its widest release yet. However, its $760K was only its fifth biggest frame to date.
- Slowly expanding, United Artists Releasing’s Best Picture nominee Women Talking is now playing in 554 theaters. That’s its widest release yet, more than triple its previous high of 153 from last frame. It also cracks the $1M mark for the first time, earning $1.0M.
Weekend comparisons
Total box office this weekend came in around $68.3M. Compared to the same weekend last frame, last year, and in the last pre-pandemic year of 2019:
Weekend |
Total |
This weekend is: |
Notes |
Last weekend |
$74.1M |
-7% |
Avatar: The Way of Water led for a sixth consecutive frame ($20.1M) |
Same weekend in 2022 |
$35.0M |
+95% |
Spider-Man: No Way Home led for a sixth nonconsecutive frame ($11.0M) |
Same weekend in 2019 |
$103.5M |
-34% |
Glass led for a second consecutive frame ($18.8M) |
YTD comparisons
Year-to-date box office stands around $533.4M, which is:
Year |
YTD total |
2022 YTD after last weekend: |
2022 YTD now: |
Trendline |
2022 |
$361.1M |
+45.2% |
+47.7% |
Up |
2019 |
$785.5M |
-31.1% |
-32.0% |
Down |
Top distributors
Grouped by parent company, the YTD leaders are:
- Disney ($241.0M)
- Universal ($175.2M)
- Sony Pictures ($76.0M)
- Warner Bros. ($8.5M)
- Paramount ($6.2M)
Sunday’s Studio Weekend Estimates:
Title | Estimated weekend | % change | Locations | Location change | Average | Total | Weekend | Distributor |
Avatar: The Way of Water | $15,700,000 | -22% | 3,600 | -190 | $4,361 | $620,580,771 | 7 | 20th Century Studios (Disney) |
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | $10,620,000 | -10% | 3,452 | -159 | $3,076 | $140,834,910 | 6 | Universal |
A Man Called Otto | $6,750,000 | -23% | 3,957 | 155 | $1,706 | $46,052,864 | 5 | Sony Pictures |
M3GAN | $6,370,000 | -34% | 3,416 | -212 | $1,865 | $82,273,725 | 4 | Universal |
Pathaan | $5,947,369 | 695 | $8,557 | $8,548,444 | 1 | Yash Raj Films | ||
Missing | $5,675,000 | -38% | 3,025 | $1,876 | $17,569,417 | 2 | Sony Pictures | |
Plane | $3,825,000 | -28% | 2,852 | -208 | $1,341 | $25,374,765 | 3 | Lionsgate |
The Wandering Earth 2 | $3,000,000 | 142 | $21,127 | $3,000,000 | 2 | Well Go USA | ||
Infinity Pool | $2,725,000 | 1,835 | $1,485 | $2,725,000 | 1 | Neon | ||
Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist | $2,362,074 | 1,405 | $1,681 | $2,972,648 | 1 | Fathom Events | ||
Fear | $1,280,942 | 974 | $1,315 | $1,280,942 | 1 | Hidden Empire Releasing | ||
Everything Everywhere All At Once | $1,014,578 | 1,400 | $725 | $71,023,171 | A24 | |||
The Whale | $1,013,271 | -20% | 1,721 | 130 | $589 | $14,915,742 | 8 | A24 |
Women Talking | $1,013,000 | 167% | 554 | 401 | $1,829 | $2,394,146 | 6 | United Artists |
House Party | $800,000 | -52% | 1,400 | n/c | $571 | $8,440,509 | 3 | Warner Bros. |
The Fabelmans | $760,000 | 73% | 1,962 | 1,015 | $387 | $16,024,110 | 12 | Universal |
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | $758,000 | -44% | 1,030 | -495 | $736 | $453,031,893 | 12 | Walt Disney |
Maybe I Do | $562,000 | 465 | $1,209 | $562,000 | 1 | Vertical Entertainment | ||
The Banshees of Inisherin | $353,000 | 382% | 1,205 | 1,050 | $293 | $9,807,128 | 15 | Searchlight (Disney) |
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody | $235,000 | -53% | 1,308 | $180 | $23,434,606 | 6 | Sony Pictures | |
TÁR | $173,000 | 138% | 537 | 431 | $322 | $6,150,475 | 17 | Focus Features (Universal) |
Skinamarink | $124,000 | -72% | 275 | -534 | $451 | $1,861,725 | 3 | IFC Midnight |
Broker | $70,000 | -52% | 75 | -131 | $933 | $1,000,010 | 5 | Neon |
Close | $68,143 | 4 | $17,036 | $68,143 | 9 | A24 | ||
EO | $45,300 | -21% | 64 | -16 | $708 | $829,530 | 11 | Janus Films |
The Menu | $29,000 | -72% | 60 | -135 | $483 | $38,488,437 | 11 | Searchlight (Disney) |
All The Beauty And The Bloodshed | $17,000 | n/c | 26 | 2 | $654 | $404,818 | 10 | Neon |
Strange World | $14,000 | -64% | 60 | -110 | $233 | $37,963,386 | 10 | Walt Disney |
Violent Night | $12,000 | 3% | 75 | -15 | $160 | $49,722,200 | 9 | Universal |
No Bears | $10,800 | -42% | 10 | 4 | $1,080 | $103,476 | 6 | Janus Films |
The Devil Conspiracy | $3,750 | -96% | 32 | -428 | $117 | $763,581 | 3 | Third Day Productions |
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