鈥淗ow to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World鈥� breathed some fire into a slumping box office with a franchise-best $55.5 million debut over Oscar weekend.
Writer-director Dean DeBlois鈥� third and supposedly final installment in the 鈥淗ow to Train Your Dragon鈥� series notched the best opening of the year in U.S. and Canadian theatres.
Going into the weekend, overall ticket sales for 2019 were down 18 per cent, according to Comscore, throwing cold water on the record box office of 2018.
But as Hollywood was set to gather for the Academy Awards on Sunday, 鈥淭he Hidden World鈥� lent the industry some good news 鈥� albeit not a hint at all of the magnitude of what that was in theatres last Oscar weekend when 鈥淏lack Panther鈥� was the top film.
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鈥� DreamWorks Animation (@DWAnimation)
Made for $129 million, 鈥淭he Hidden World鈥� rode good reviews (91 per cent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and warm audience reaction (an A CinemaScore) to exceed the $43.7 million opening of the 2010 original (which ultimately made $494.9 million worldwide) and the $49 million opening of the 2014 sequel (which amassed $621.5 million).
The latest installment, which similarly features the voices of Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera and Cate Blanchett, is the first DreamWorks Animation release under the Comcast-owned Universal, which bought Jeffrey Katzenberg鈥檚 company in 2016.
Universal trotted out 鈥淭he Hidden World鈥� abroad first. It鈥檚 been in release internationally since January, earning $216.9 million through Sunday.
Last week鈥檚 top film, 鈥淎lita: Battle Angel,鈥� dropped steeply in its second weekend with $12 million. That鈥檚 a slide of 58 per cent, and further trouble for the 20th Century Fox release from producer James Cameron and director Robert Rodriguez. The sci-fi film cost $170 million to make.
MGM鈥檚 鈥淔ighting With My Family,鈥� about professional wrestling star Saraya 鈥淧aige鈥� Bevis, was the only other new film in wide release. It expanded to 2,711 theatres after a limited release last weekend, grossing a modest $8 million.
Directed by Stephen Merchant, 鈥淔ighting With My Family鈥� stars Florence Pugh as Bevis and features a cameo supporting performance from Dwayne Johnson, an executive producer on the film. With an $11 million budget, it鈥檚 a far smaller film than Johnson is typically a part of.
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There was little of an Oscar bump for the Academy Awards nominees heading into Sunday鈥檚 show. Alfonso Cuaron鈥檚 鈥淩oma鈥� is tied for the most nominations with 10 but, as a Netflix release, it has been mostly streamed. Netflix has declined to give box-office figures for its theatrical release. The major theatre operators have refused to screen Netflix films since they don鈥檛 adhere to the traditional 90-day theatrical exclusivity window.
Of the nominees still in theatres, Peter Farrelly鈥檚 鈥淕reen Book鈥� fared the best, grossing $2.1 million on its 15th weekend. The best picture-nominated interracial road trip drama has grossed $69.6 million through Sunday.
Ahead of the Oscars, 鈥淰ice鈥� added $731,391 ($47.2 million total), 鈥淎 Star Is Born鈥� earned $700,000 ($210.9 million total), 鈥淏ohemian Rhapsody鈥� added $645,000 ($213.1 million total) and 鈥淭he Favourite鈥� pulled in $540,000 ($32.1 million total).
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included.
1. 鈥淗ow to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,鈥� $55.5 million ($34.7 million international).
2. 鈥淎lita: Battle Angel,鈥� $12 million.
3. 鈥淟ego Movie 2: The Second Part,鈥� $10 million ($10.3 million international).
4. 鈥淔ighting With My Family,鈥� $8 million.
5. 鈥淚sn鈥檛 it Romantic,鈥� $7.5 million.
6. 鈥淲hat Men Want,鈥� $5.2 million.
7. 鈥淗appy Death Day,鈥� $5 million.
8. 鈥淐old Pursuit,鈥� $3.3 million.
9. 鈥淭he Upside,鈥� $3.2 million.
10. 鈥淩un the Race,鈥� $2.3 million.
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Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
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