After shatteringbox officerecords left and right last weekend,Star Wars: The Force Awakensenters its second frame, poised to take even more records down. DirectorJ.J. Abrams' sci-fi blockbuster faces four new releases opening on Christmas Day, Sony’sConcussion, 20th Century Fox’sJoy, Warner Bros.‘Point Breakand Paramount’sDaddy’s Home, with the studio’sThe Big Shortexpanding nationwide on December 23.The Hateful EightandThe Revenantalso debut in limited release, before expanding nationwide over the next few weeks. Do any of these newcomers stand a chance against the behemoth that isStar Wars: The Force Awakens? According to the projections atPro.BoxOffice.com, the short answer is: no.
Last weekend,Star Wars: The Force AwakensshatteredJurassic World’s opening weekend record of $208.8 million with a whopping $238 million.Star Wars: The Force Awakensalso set new marks for highest Thursday preview gross with $57 million, the biggest Friday and single-day gross with $120.5 million, making it the first film ever to earn $100 million in a single day. It also became the fastest movie to reach both the $100 million and $200 million domestic box office milestones, while shattering the December opening weekend gross of $84.6 million. It also set new records for biggestIMAXThursday night preview ($5.7 million), single-day ($14 million, Friday), and weekend ($30.1 million), and the highest per- theater average for a wide release ($57,568).
There is one record it didn’t break, though, whichJurassic Worldwas able to hold on to.Star Wars: The Force Awakensearned $279 million in international territories this weekend, for a worldwideopening weekendtally of $517 million, just behindJurassic World’s mark of $524.9 million.Star Wars: The Force Awakensis just the second movie ever to earn more than $500 million globally in one weekend, behindJurassic World, and its international take of $279 million is the third best of all time, behindJurassic World’s $316.1 million, which includes a whopping $96 million from China, andHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, which earned $314 million in its international opening weekend back in 2011.
This weekend, directorJ.J. Abrams’ blockbuster takes aim at another one ofJurassic World’s records, largest second weekend. The record currently stands at $106.5 million, but we’re projecting thatStar Wars: The Force Awakensshould easily be able to break that record with a second weekend tally of $116.7 million. We’re guessing it will also breakJurassic World’s records of being the fastest movie to reach $300 million, $350 million and $400 million, which could all fall sometime within this week. Of the four newcomers with the gigantic task ahead of them,Joyis expected to have the best weekend of the bunch.
Joyis projected to take in $18 million in its opening weekend, which will be good for a distant second place.Joyis the wild story of a family across four generations centered on the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty and becomes a matriarch in her own right. Betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocence and the scars of love, pave the road in this intense emotional and human comedy about becoming a true boss of family and enterprise facing a world of unforgiving commerce. Allies become adversaries and adversaries become allies, both inside and outside the family, as Joy’s inner life and fierce imagination carry her through the storm she faces.Jennifer Lawrencereunites withSilver Linings Playbookco-starsBradley CooperandRobert De Niro, along withEdgar Ramirez, Isabella Rossellini, Diane Ladd andVirginia Madsen.
Paramount’sDaddy’s Homeis expected to follow in third place with $14.5 million withConcussionin fourth place with $12 million andPoint Breakrounding out the top 5 with $10 million. Of the four movies opening in wide release this weekend,Concussionhas the best critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, with 65% “Fresh,” withJoyscoring a 61% “Fresh rating.Daddy’s Homeis currently on the “Rotten” side with 38%, while there aren’t enough reviews posted yet forPoint Breakto determine a Tomatometer score.Daddy’s Homeopens in 3,200 theaters this weekend, withPoint Breakopening in approximately 2,750 theaters,Joyopening in 2,700 theaters andConcussionarriving in 2,600 theaters. An exact theater count hasn’t been given forThe Big Short’s expansion at this time, but we don’t think it will crack the top 10 this weekend.
Rounding out the top 10 will beAlvin and The Chipmunks: The Road Chip($7.4 million),Sisters($6.2 million),The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2($3.1 million),Creed($2.6 million) andThe Good Dinosaur($2.2 million).The Big Shorthas been performing well in limited release, taking in $705,527 from eight theaters over the weekend of December 11, pulling in a spectacular $88,191 per-screen average. Since we don’t know how many theaters it will expand into starting tomorrow, it’s tough to tell whether or not it will crack the top 10. Earlier this year,Steve Jobsopened to astounding limited release numbers, only to flounder when it opened nationwide. We’ll have to wait and see ifThe Big Shortcan avoid the same fate. Also opening in limited release isThe Hateful Eight,The Revenantand 45 Years
Looking ahead to next weekend, there aren’t any new movies opening in wide release, butThe Hateful Eightwill be expanding nationwide starting Thursday, December 31. Paramount’s stop motion movieAnomalisaalso opens in New York and Los Angeles on December 30, and Yosemite opens on New Year’s Day, January 1. The first true weekend of 2016 will be January 8, whenThe Forestand The Masked Saint hit theaters. Be sure to check back on Sunday to see how all of these new releases fared over the Christmas holiday, and come back next Tuesday for the final 2015 box office predictions. In the meantime, take a look at this weekend’s predictions.
