Filmgoers still wild for ‘Coco’
Disney Pixar’s Day of the Dead-themed release retains its top spot at the box office.
The Pixar animated film maintains its top spot at the box office for the second weekend in a row.
As moviegoers gear up for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” on Dec. 15, “Coco” is maintaining its box-office hold for the second consecutive week, while awards contenders “Lady Bird” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” posted strong ticket sales as they expanded nationwide.
The latest picture from Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios took in an estimated $26.1 million this weekend, for a total of $108.7 million, according to measurement firm ComScore.
The Dia de Los Muertosthemed computer-animated film, about a young boy who meets his ancestors in the Land of the Dead, was a hit both with audiences and critics. “Coco” earned a stellar A-plus rating on CineComing maScore and a 97% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
“The movie is just beloved by audiences,” said senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “Movies that generate this kind of passion among moviegoers are very rare. And the direct result of that outpouring of support for the movie is the staying power of the film and its ability to consistently draw audiences to the movie theater.”
Disney’s “The Last Jedi” is also expected to draw audiences in droves.
“With ‘Force Awakens’ having opened to $248 million a couple of years ago, that was the highest gross in a North American weekend ever,” Dergarabedian said. “That’s an incredibly high bar, and it was a total outlier. But the general consensus seems to be that a $200-million plus opening would not be outside the realm of possibility for ‘The Last Jedi.’ ”
In second place, Warner Bros.’ “Justice League” took in $16.6 million in its third week, a 60% decline, for a total of $197.3 million.
in third, Lionsgate’s emotional drama “Wonder” took in $12.5 million in its third week, a 45% decline, for a cumulative total of $88 million.
Now in its fifth weekend, Disney’s “Thor: Ragnarok” made $9.7 million, for a gross of $291.4 million.
Rounding out the top five, Paramount’s “Daddy’s Home 2” earned $7.5 million, a 43% drop, for a cumulative $82.8 million in earnings.
“Lady Bird,” directed by Greta Gerwig, and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” both in this season’s awards conversation, expanded to additional theaters over the weekend and came in seventh and eighth, respectively. Each brought in $4.5 million at the box office, with “Lady Bird” earning a cumulative $17.1 million and “Three Billboards” earning $13.7 million.
Meanwhile, Fox Searchlight’s fantasy drama “The Shape of Water,” also expected to be in the Oscars mix, opened in New York in two theaters with $166,800, for a per-screen average of $83,400. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the movie stars Sally Hawkins as a mute cleaning lady working in a high-security government lab. The picture, which earned a 95% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, opens Friday in Los Angeles.
A24’s “The Disaster Artist” opened in 19 theaters to $1.2 million, for a per-screen average of $64,254. Directed by and starring James Franco, the film chronicles the making of Tommy Wiseau’s cult classic “The Room” and earned a 95% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
AMA debuted Woody Allen’s “Wonder Wheel” in five locations with $140,555, for a per-theater average of $28,111. The movie earned a 41% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
This week, Broad Green Pictures opens “Just Getting Started,” starring Morgan Freeman and Tommy Lee Jones. Neon debuts the Margot Robbie-led comedy “I, Tonya” in limited release.