By Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer
After spending one weekend in second place, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" proved it still had some fight left. Sony's superhero juggernaut swung back to first place in its sixth weekend in theaters and became the sixth highest grossing film of all time, globally.
The film topped the North American charts with $14.1 million, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Globally, it's now grossed nearly $1.7 billion, passing the total earnings of both "Jurassic World" and "The Lion King." And in North America its $721 million make it the fourth biggest release ever.
Peter Parker also stole first place back from " Scream," which fell about 59% — a typical drop for a horror— in its second weekend with an estimated $12.4 million in ticket sales. The Paramount release has grossed $51.3 million so far.
Universal and Illumination's "Sing 2" landed in third place in its fifth weekend, with $5.7 million. The animated title has earned $241.2 million worldwide.
There was little competition for the holdovers to contend with this weekend. The only two fresh offerings nationwide in theaters were comparatively lower-profile releases: "The King's Daughter," a fairy tale with Pierce Brosnan that was filmed in 2014 and held until now (it bombed with $750,000 from over 2,000 locations), and "Redeeming Love," a faith-based historical romance with Nina Dobrev that cracked the top five with $3.7 million.
"This is a very slow weekend," said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. "January is typically not a big month for box office. It may be a while before we have another big breakout hit, but once we do the floodgates may open."
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "Spider-Man: No Way Home," $14.1 million.
2. "Scream," $12.4 million.
3. "Sing 2," $5.7 million.
4. "Redeeming Love," $3.7 million.
5. "The King's Man," $1.8 million.
6. "The 355," $1.6 million.
7. "American Underdog," $1.2 million.
8. "The King's Daughter," $750,000.
9. "West Side Story," $689,000.
10. "Licorice Pizza," $683,357.
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More