411 Box Office Report: How to Train Your Dragon Holds Off Madea Family Funeral For Second Win

It was a weekend for holdovers at the box office, with How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World beating Madea Family Funeral for #1. The DreamWorks Animation threequel claimed the top spot with $30 million, down a fairly solid 45% from its opening weekend. That’s on the higher end for animated efforts but considering Dragon’s big $55 million bow, it’s very tolerable.

Things are looking very good for the film overall. Domestically it has $97.7 million thus far, with $375.4 million worldwide. Audiences are clearly down for the final film in the trilogy, and it has already passed the intervational take of the first film. As of now the film seems on course for around $180 million domestically and will be a huge money maker for DreamWorks to end its run.

Meanwhile, Tyler Perry’s latest Madea comedy clocked in at #2. A Madea Family Funeral brought in $27.1 million, which is on the high end of where most expected it to be. While it’s not a #1 win, it’s still a strong showing and comparable to Boo! A Madea Halloween which was a financial return to form for the series. Sure, critics hate the Madea films, and this one is no different with a 24% consensus on Rotten Tomatoes. But these films are generally pretty critic-proof, and Perry’s audience has proven it will come out to see him.

There honestly isn’t a ton to say about Family Funeral; if you know how Perry’s comedies generally play at the box office, it all applies here. Audiences are enjoying it, and it’s another example of the loyalty of Perry’s audience. They always come out in force in the first weekend, which means that this one will likely suffer the usual 50% to 60% second-weekend drop next frame. A Madea film has yet to achieve a 3.0 multiple for its final domestic gross and this won’t be the first. A final take of $65 million to $70 million seems likely, which is going to be enough for profit against Perry’s typically small budgets and targeted marketing.

Alita: Battle Angel was down to #3 in its third weekend with $7 million. That’s a 43% drop from last weekend, bringing its domestic total to $72.2 million. On its face, that’s not a great number. However, this film wasn’t necessarily made for American audiences, and the overseas numbers are what really matter here. It’s doing well on that front with $278.2 million thus far for a $350.5 million worldwide total. Alita will still need to find more strength if it wants to be profitable enough for a sequel, but it’s looking a little less anxiety-inducing for Twentieth Centuty Fox based on its $170 million budget plus an expoensive marketing campaign. It should hit around $105 million domestically by the end of its run.

The Lego Movie 2 was down a decent 32% in its fourth weekend, bringing in $6.6 million. The animated sequel brought its totals to $91.7 million domestically and $152.8 million worldwide, which aren’t great numbers compared to its $99 million budget plus marketing. Still, the film shouldn’t be huge money loser if international grosses continue to come in. It should end its run in the US with $110 million or so.

Green Book translated its Best Picture win into a boosted box office, up 121% in its fifteenth weekend with $4.7 million. The period rama now has $75.9 million domestically and $188 million worldwide, making it a hit against its $23 million budget. It should now finish its run with about $85 million to $90 million domestically, giving it an impressive fifteen to sixteen multilpe of its initial $5.5 million start back in November.

Fighting With My Family had a solid hold after its moderate start last weekend. The Paige biopic scored $4.7 million, down an even 40% from its $7.8 million start. That’s right about where MGM and WWE Studios were hoping it would be. The movie is up to $14.9 million domestically and got off to a solid start in the UK with $2.6 million for $17.5 million worldwide thus far. On a reported $11 million budget, it should be in fine shape with a final domestic take around $22 million or so.

Romantic comedy Isn’t It Romantic was down 35% in its third weekend with $4.6 million. The Rebel Wilson-starring satire is in solid shape so far with $40.3 million, with a $55 million final domestic gross well within the realm of probability. Once international grosses start, it should be able to break even against its $31 million budget plus marketing.

New thriller Greta opened without many chills, bringing in a mere $4.6 million. That’s actually somewhat better than some predictions which had it in the $3.5 million to $4 million range. This isn’t anything to celebrate though. It’s the lowest start for a wide release Chloe Moretz film to date, beating the previous low set by Let Me In in October of 2010.

The reason here is simple: awareness wasn’t great for the dramatic thriller, and no one was particularly enthused about it. Critics were mild on it with a 57% Rotten Tomatoes consensus, and audiences didn’t have much of an interest. Greta is the kind of film that plays to a more adult-skewing crowd, and that audience pays more attention to film reviews. Focus Films threw out plenty of marketing, but none of it was particularly effective at selling the film. Greta also isn’t the kind of fime that’s going to do much overseas, leaving this as a misfire. Right now the film is looking likely for around $15 million or so by the end of its run. Even with the relatively light $4 million to $6 million that Focus spent to pick up the film, this will be a money loser with the addition of marketing costs thrown in.

What Men Want was off 49% in its fourth weekend with $2.7 million. Taraji P. Henson female take on Mel Gibson’s What Women Want now has $49.6 million domestically and $55.9 million worldwide, making a minor profit for Paramount against its $20 million budget. A $60 million final take should be in play, which is a fine result for the film.

Happy Death Day 2U was down 49% as well, scoring $2.5 million. The sequel to the horror hit has totalled $25.3 million domestically and $54.5 million worldwide thus far. That’s not bad and makes it profitable against a $9 million budget, but it’s a far cry from the $125.5 million worldwide total of the first film.

Next weekend will be all about Captain Marvel. The Marvel Cinematic Universe film is tracking for anywhere from $110 million to $140 million, and could go higher. Wisely, no other wide releases are scheduled.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – $30 million ($97.7 million total)
2. A Madea Family Funeral – $27.1 million ($27.1 million total)
3. Alita: Battle Angel – $7 million ($72.2 million total)
4. The Lego Movie 2 – $6.6 million ($91.7 million total)
5. Green Book – $4.7 million ($75.9 million total)
6. Fighting With My Family – $4.7 million ($14.9 million total)
7. Isn’t It Romantic – $4.6 million ($40.3 million total)
8. Greta – $4.6 million ($4.6 million total)
9. What Men Want – $2.7 million ($49.6 million total)
10. Happy Death Day 2U – $2.5 million ($25.3 million total)