A thunderous boom from ‘Thor’ and more
‘Ragnarok’ remains No. 1; ‘Daddy’s Home 2’ and ‘Orient Express’ debut in the top 5.
Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok” continues to reign supreme at the box office, with newcomers “Daddy’s Home 2” and “Murder on the Orient Express” also among the top five.
Now in its second week, Disney’s big-budget action fantasy took in an estimated $56.6 million in the U.S. and Canada, a 54% drop since last week, for a cumulative total of $211.6 million, according to figures from measurement firm ComScore.
Paramount’s PG-13 comedy “Daddy’s Home 2” debuted at No. 2, with $30 million, 23% below the original’s $38.7-million opening in 2015.
The latest entry sees Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell join forces once again as co-parenting dads trying to make a memorable Christmas for the kids. The movie, directed by Sean Anders, received mixed reviews from audiences and critics, earning an A-minus rating on CinemaScore and a 16% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Mel Gibson and John Lithgow also star.
Debuting at No. 3, Fox’s thriller “Murder on the Orient Express” took in $28.2 million.
The latest adaptation of Agatha Christie’s murder mystery stars Kenneth Branagh as detective Hercule Poirot, who is tasked with solving a homicide on a luxury train in the 1930s. The film earned a B from CinemaScore and a 58% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe and Daisy Ridley also star.
In fourth place, STX Entertainment’s “A Bad Moms Christmas” added $11.5 million to its earnings, for a total of $39.9 million.
Rounding out the top five was Lionsgate’s “Jigsaw,” which took in $3.4 million over the weekend, a 48% drop since last week, for a gross of $34.4 million.
In limited release, A24’s comedy drama “Lady Bird” expanded to 37 locations and added $1.2 million to its earnings, a 243% increase since last weekend. Now in its second week, the film has performed exceptionally well, earning a cumulative $1.8 million.
Written and directed by Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird” is a coming-of-age story starring Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf and earned a 100% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Fox Searchlight’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” had a strong debut, earning $320,000 in four theaters, for a per-screen average of $80,000. That was the third best per-screen average of the year, following “Lady Bird,” which opened last week with $375,612 and “The Big Sick,” which opened in June with $435,000.
Starring Frances McDormand as a bereaved mother struggling with the gruesome killing of her daughter, it’s proving to be popular among moviegoers, earning a 95% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, an audience approval rating of 97% and playing to capacity crowds all weekend with many soldout showings. Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell and Peter Dinklage also star.
This week, Warner Bros. unveils “Justice League,” Columbia Pictures debuts “The Star” and Lionsgate opens “Wonder.” IFC premieres “Sweet Virginia” in limited release.