It was expected to be a close race at the box office this weekend between Marvel’sBlack Panther, which had won the last four weekends in a row, and Warner Bros.‘Tomb Raiderreboot. That turned out to be true. However, whileTomb Raiderwas expected to dethroneBlack Panther, that didn’t happen, with the Marvel superhero adventure winning for a fifth weekend in a row with $27M, taking downTomb Raider, which debuted in second with a respectable $23.5M.
With this weekend’s bigbox officewin,Black Pantherbecomes the first movie sinceAvatarto win its first five weekends in a row, dropping just 33.8% in its fifth frame, with a respectable $7,049 per-screen average from 3,834 theaters, a 108-theater drop from last weekend. This weekend’s tally was also good enough to pushBlack Pantherover the $600 million domestic mark, becoming just the seventh movie in history to accomplish that feat. Its domestic tally now stands at $605.4 million, with an additional $577.1 million overseas for a worldwide tally of $1.18 billion
Black Pantherhasn’t posted a decrease of more than 50% in its five-week run, which is impressive, and also puts it well within striking distance to keep climbing up the all-time domestic charts. The movie will most likely surpassStar Wars: The Last Jedi($619.7 million) andThe Avengers($623.3 million) to become thehighest-grossing superhero movieof all time at the domestic box office. Still, it will have some work to do if it wants to surpassJurassic Worldin fourth place with $652.2 million,Titanicin third with $659.3 million,Avatarin second with $760.5 or the all time record holderStar Wars: The Last Jediwith $936.6 million. Regardless of where it ends up, its domestic and worldwide totals are quite impressive.
Despite receivingmixed reviews from critics(49% on Rotten Tomatoes),Tomb Raiderstill put up a solid showing with $23.5 million, debuting in 3,854 theaters for a solid $6,104 per-screen average. It fared even better internationally, taking in $102.5 million from foreign markets, for a worldwide total of $126 million, from a $94 million budget. The faith-basedI Can Only Imagineput up a surprising showing with $17 million, more than doubling its $7 million budget, with an impressive $10,476 per-screen average, the highest of all wide release movies, from 1,629 theaters. Disney’sA Wrinkle In Timedropped exactly 50% in its second frame with $16.5 million in fourth place, while 20th Century Fox’sLove, Simondebuted in fifth with $11.5 million, earning a $4,788 per-screen average from 2,402 theaters.
Rounding out the top 10 this weekend isGame Night($5.5 million),Peter Rabbit($5.2 million),Strangers: Prey at Night($4.8 million),Red Sparrow($4.4 million) andDeath Wish($3.3 million),7 Days in Entebbedebuted in 13th place with $1.6 million earning a paltry $1,943 per-screen average from 838 theaters.Flowerearned $57,851 from three theaters for a $19,284 per-screen average whileRamen Headsearned $7,014 from two theaters for a $3,507 per-screen average andJourney’s Endearned $6,350 from two theaters for a $3,175 per-screen average. Looking ahead to next weekend, five newcomersopen in wide release, with Universal’sPacific Rim Uprising, Open Road Films’Midnight Sun, Paramount’sSherlock Gnomes, Bleecker Street’sUnsaneand Sony’sPaul, Apostle of Christ. Take a look at the top 10 estimates for the weekend of March 16, courtesy ofBox Office Mojo.
