A smart sci-fi film was the top new movie at the box office this week.
Arrival, which depicts an effort by the world’s governments to communicate with extra-terrestrials who have parked their spaceships over a dozen cities, landed in third place with an estimated $24 million between Thursday and Sunday nights. That was quite a bit better than the $12-18 million that some observers had predicted.
Arrival, which was produced for about $40 million, had the best first weekend of any film directed by Denis Villeneuve (beating the $20.8 million that Prisoners opened to in 2013), and it marks the second-best opening of any film with Amy Adams in the lead role (behind the $34.4 million that Enchanted opened to in 2007).
The top two films this week were identical to the top two films from last week.
Doctor Strange earned $43 million in its second week, a drop of only 49.4% from its debut last week. Among Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, only Iron Man (48.1%) and Thor (47.2%) have had less-steep second-weekend drops.
The film has earned $153 million so far in North America, and it is still tracking ahead of Thor: The Dark World, the only other MCU movie released outside of spring or summer. That film had earned $145.1 million by this point in its release.
Doctor Strange has also earned another $339.6 million overseas, which puts it ahead of all other MCU non-sequels except for Guardians of the Galaxy.1 The Sorcerer Supreme has also earned more money internationally than Iron Man 2.
Globally, Doctor Strange has earned $492.6 million altogether.
Trolls, for its part, dropped only 24.8% and took in $35.1 million, thereby raising its domestic cume to $94 million. The DreamWorks animated film has earned another $128.3 million overseas for a global total of $222.3 million so far.
There were two other wide releases in the top ten this week.
The comedy Almost Christmas landed in fourth place with $15.6 million, while the thriller Shut In landed in seventh with $3.7 million — the lowest wide-release opening for Naomi Watts since Stay opened to $2.2 million in 2005.
Meanwhile, in other box-office news…
Hacksaw Ridge earned $10.8 million and ranked fifth in its second week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $32.3 million. The film has earned another $2.1 million overseas for a global total of $34.4 million.
The Accountant earned $4.6 million and ranked sixth in its fifth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $77.7 million. The film has earned another $50.9 million overseas for a global total of $128.6 million.
Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween earned $3.6 million and ranked eighth in its fourth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $70.4 million. The film has earned another $1.1 million overseas for a global total of $71.5 million.
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back earned $3.33 million and ranked ninth in its fourth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $54.6 million. The film has earned another $73 million overseas for a global total of $127.6 million.
And Inferno earned $3.25 million and ranked tenth in its third week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $31.6 million. The film has earned another $171 million overseas for a global total of $202.6 million.
Now for a bit of extra data on the year’s top-grossing animated films:
In North America, The Secret Life of Pets still ranks eighth among animated films:
- 2016 — Finding Dory (Pixar) — $486.1 million
- 2004 — Shrek 2 (DreamWorks) — $441.2 million
- 1994 — The Lion King (Disney) — $422.8 million
- 2010 — Toy Story 3 (Pixar) — $415.0 million
- 2013 — Frozen (Disney) — $400.7 million
- 2003 — Finding Nemo (Pixar) — $380.8 million
- 2013 — Despicable Me 2 (Universal) — $368.1 million
- 2016 — The Secret Life of Pets (Universal) — $366.9 million
- 2015 — Inside Out (Pixar) — $356.5 million
- 2016 — Zootopia (Disney) — $341.3 million
Overseas, Finding Dory still ranks 10th while The Secret Life of Pets still ranks 13th:
- 2013 — Frozen (Disney) — $875.7 million
- 2015 — Minions (Universal) — $823.4 million
- 2012 — Ice Age: Continental Drift (Fox) — $715.9 million
- 2009 — Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Fox) — $690.1 million
- 2016 — Zootopia (Disney) — $682.4 million
- 2010 — Toy Story 3 (Pixar) — $648.2 million
- 2013 — Despicable Me 2 (Universal) — $602.7 million
- 2003 — Finding Nemo (Pixar) — $559.5 million
- 1994 — The Lion King (Disney) — $545.7 million
- 2016 — Finding Dory (Pixar) — $538.2 million
- 2012 — Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (DreamWorks) — $530.5 million
- 2010 — Shrek Forever After (DreamWorks) — $513.9 million
- 2016 — The Secret Life of Pets (Universal) — $505.1 million
- 2015 — Inside Out (Pixar) — $501.1 million
- 2011 — Kung Fu Panda 2 (DreamWorks) — $500.4 million
- 2004 — Shrek 2 (DreamWorks) — $478.6 million
- 2007 — Shrek the Third (DreamWorks) — $476.2 million
- 2013 — Monsters University (Pixar) — $475.7 million
- 2006 — Ice Age: The Meltdown (Fox) — $465.6 million
- 2014 — How to Train Your Dragon 2 (DreamWorks) — $444.5 million
And worldwide, Finding Dory still ranks fourth and The Secret Life of Pets still ranks 12th:
- 2013 — Frozen (Disney) — $400.7 + 875.7 = 1276.5 million
- 2015 — Minions (Universal) — $336.0 + 823.4 = 1159.4 million
- 2010 — Toy Story 3 (Pixar) — $415.0 + 648.2 = 1063.2 million
- 2016 — Finding Dory (Pixar) — $486.1 + 538.2 = 1024.3 million
- 2016 — Zootopia (Disney) — $341.3 + 682.4 = 1023.6 million
- 2013 — Despicable Me 2 (Universal) — $368.1 + 602.7 = 970.8 million
- 1994 — The Lion King (Disney) — $422.8 + 545.7 = 968.5 million
- 2003 — Finding Nemo (Pixar) — $380.8 + 559.5 = 940.3 million
- 2004 — Shrek 2 (DreamWorks) — $441.2 + 478.6 = 919.8 million
- 2009 — Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Fox) — $196.6 + 690.1 = 886.7 million
- 2012 — Ice Age: Continental Drift (Fox) — $161.3 + 715.9 = 877.2 million
- 2016 — The Secret Life of Pets (Universal) — $366.9 + 505.1 = 872.0 million
- 2015 — Inside Out (Pixar) — $356.5 + 501.1 = 857.6 million
- 2007 — Shrek the Third (DreamWorks) — $322.7 + 476.2 = 799.0 million
- 2010 — Shrek Forever After (DreamWorks) — $238.7 + 513.9 = 752.6 million
- 2012 — Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (DreamWorks) — $216.4 + 530.5 = 746.9 million
- 2013 — Monsters University (Pixar) — $268.5 + 475.7 = 744.2 million
- 2009 — Up (Pixar) — $293.0 + 442.1 = 735.1 million
- 2011 — Kung Fu Panda 2 (DreamWorks) — $165.2 + 500.4 = 665.7 million
- 2006 — Ice Age: The Meltdown (Fox) — $195.3 + 465.6 = 660.9 million
Next week brings us Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Bleed for This, The Edge of Seventeen and the expansion of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.
–
1. For the purposes of this discussion, the original Avengers was basically a mega-sequel, given that all of its major characters — heroes and villains alike — had been featured in earlier films.