By Jake Coyle, Film Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --M. Night Shyamalan's multiple-personality thriller "Split" led the box office for a third-straight week, an unusual streak for a low-budget horror film.
According to studio estimates Sunday, "Split" came out on top again with $14.6 million in North American ticket sales, bringing the Universal Pictures release's three-week haul to $98.7 million.
The run for the Universal Pictures release has come in an especially slow period at multiplexes. Hollywood traditionally skips significant new releases on Super Bowl weekend due to the game's enormous television audience.
Surely hurt by the continued strength of "Split," Paramount's horror option, "Rings," came in second with an estimated $13 million. The sequel was an attempted revival the dormant franchise begun with 2002's "The Ring" and followed up with 2005's "The Ring Two."
That release, though, opened with $35.1 million. Like "Independence Day Resurgence," ''Bad Santa 2" and many more, "Rings" served as yet another questionable decision to recharge a franchise long out of theaters. It cost a relatively minimal $25 million to make and pulled in $15.2 million internationally over the weekend. But it won't come close to the $249.3 million the first installment made globally, or the $161.5 million "The Ring Two" made.
The weekend's other debut, "The Space Between Us," flopped altogether. The STX Entertainment release, starring Asa Butterfield as a boy who comes to Earth after being raised by astronauts on Mars, made a mere $3.8 million. It cost $30 million to make.
Universal's "A Dog's Purpose" came in third with $10.8 million in its second weekend. Audiences have largely shrugged off the outcry over a leaked video from the film's production of a frightened German shepherd being urged into churning water.
On Saturday, the group responsible for overseeing animal safety on the set, American Humane, released findings from an independent animal-cruelty expert. The unidentified veterinarian said the video mischaracterized the events on the set, though the vet acknowledged the dog should have been handled more gently in the scene shown in the video.
Several Oscar contenders continued to pad their totals. "Hidden Figures" earned $10.1 million for a seven-week total of $119.4 million. "La La Land" added $7.5 million to bring its domestic total to $118.3 million in nine weeks of release. And "Lion" took in $4 million in its 11th week for a cumulative total of $24.7 million.
"La La Land," in particular, is doing exceptional business worldwide. The best-picture favorite made $20.1 million overseas on the weekend, bringing its global haul to nearly $270 million.
More box office was found in China, where Chinese New Year titles like "Kung Fu Yoga," ''Journey to the West: Demons Strike Back" and "Duckweed" took in sums that dwarfed the North American market.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers also are included. Final three-day domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "Split," $14.6 million ($14.6 million international).
2. "Rings," $13 million ($15.2 million international).
3. "A Dog's Purpose," $10.8 million.
4. "Hidden Figures," $10.1 million.
5. "La La Land," $7.5 million.
6. "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter," $4.5 million.
7. "Sing," $4.1 million.
8. "Lion," $4 million.
9. "The Space Between Us," $3.8 million.
10. "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage," $3.7 million ($12.4 million international).
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to comScore:
1. "Kung Fu Yoga," $51.4 million.
2. "Journey to the West: Demons Strike Back," $35.3 million.
3. "Duckweed," $29.5 million.
4. "La La Land," $20.1 million.
5. "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter," $16.5 million.
6. "Rings," $15.2 million.
7. "Split," $14.6 million.
8. "Buddies in India," $12.7 million.
9. "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage," $12.4 million.
10. "Boonie Bears: Entangled Worlds," $12.1 million.
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More