How to Train Your Dragon takes wing
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World breathed some fire into a slumping box office with a franchise-best $55.5million (U.S.) debut over Oscar weekend. Writer-director Dean DeBlois’ third and final instalment in the How to Train Your Dragon series notched the best opening of the year in U.S. and Canadian theatres. Made for $129 million, The Hidden World exceeded the $43.7-million opening of the 2010 original and the $49-million opening of the 2014 sequel. The latest DreamWorks instalment similarly features the voices of Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera and Cate Blanchett.
Last week’s top film, Alita: Battle Angel, dropped steeply in its second weekend. That’s a slide of 58 per cent, and further trouble for the 20th Century Fox release. MGM’s Fighting With My Family, about professional wrestling star Saraya “Paige” Bevis, was the only other new film in wide release.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore. 1. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, $55.5 million
2. Alita: Battle Angel, $12 million
3. Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, $10 million
4. Fighting With My Family, $8 million
5. Isn’t it Romantic, $7.5 million
6. What Men Want, $5.2 million
7. Happy Death Day, $5 million 8. Cold Pursuit, $3.3 million 9. The Upside, $3.2 million 10. Run the Race, $2.3 million.