After a record-setting weekend, Disney’s live-action adaptation of the Tale as Old as Time has proven that age truly is just a number. Beauty and the Beast (2017) now boasts the biggest March opening (domestically speaking), with a $174.8 million take. It beat out Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice for the honor, which set the record just last year with $166 million. This ferocious haul also makes Beauty and the Beast the sixth largest domestic opening ever (Disney now owns six of the top seven).
This box office ravaging reinforces our current nostalgia culture. In fact, the films taking second and third place this weekend, in some fashion or another, appeal to our collective desire to relive the good ol’ days. Kong: Skull Island, for instance, is just the next step in the evolution of movies’ favorite monkey and Logan concludes Hugh Jackman’s run of (arguably) the most iconic superhero of the past two decades.
Challenging nostalgia culture, however, is Jordan Peele’s social thriller Get Out. The film only dropped 36.1% in its fourth weekend, which is fantastic considering the average drop-off for a movie going from week one into week two is around 50%. There’s no doubt that part of Get Out‘s prolonged success is its alternative programming appeal. It also helps that it’s a great film that continues to get great buzz. There is something to be said for true, quality filmmaking.
*Domestic= how much money a particular movie made in the U.S.
Here are this weekend’s specific numbers (all by the lovely boxofficemojo.com):
1.) Beauty and the Beast
Weekend gross (domestic): $174.8 million
% change: n/a
Total gross (domestic): $174.8 million
Total worldwide gross: $352.2
Original budget: $160 million
2.) Kong: Skull Island
Weekend gross (domestic): $28.85 million
% change: -53%
Total gross (domestic): $110 million
Total worldwide gross: $259.3 million
Original budget: $185 million
3.) Logan
Weekend gross (domestic): $17.5 million
% change: -54.1%
Total gross (domestic): $184.9 million
Total worldwide gross: $524.1 million (#1 worldwide release of 2017 so far)
Original budget: $97 million
4.) Get Out
Weekend gross (domestic): $13.2 million
% change: -36.1%
Total gross (domestic): $133 million
Total worldwide gross: $135.9 million (made international debut)
Original budget: $4.5 million
Opening this weekend are two reboot hopefuls. The first is the Power Rangers written (partially) by Hollywood’s own son, Max Landis (Chronicle, American Ultra). The next one up is CHiPS, written and directed by Dax Sheppard based on the 1970’s sitcom. Also visiting theaters will be the sci-fi horror flick Life, starring Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Rebecca Ferguson. Check back next weekend for the full work-up!
As always, folks, feel free to leave your comments. What do you think of the top four? Did you get to see any of them? Why or why not? How do you think next weekend will shake up? Let me know!
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