Black Panther sets February box office record

For the weekend of February 16-18, 2018, Black Panther has shattered February box office records. Deadpool's $132 million was the previous record holder for February opening weekend. In fact, Black Panther is the fifth highest opening ever, behind Star Wars 7 & 8, Jurassic World, and The Avengers.

The other new releases, Early Man and Samson, flopped. Aardman's been having less and less success domestically, but they tend to make their budgets back overseas.

Jumanji and Greatest Showman are continuing their amazing runs.

Opens February 23
GAME NIGHT with Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams and Kyle Chandler.
ANNIHILATION with Natalie Portman, Oscar Isaac and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
EVERY DAY with Debby Ryan, Maria Bello, Owen Teague and Colin Ford.

Fifty Shades Freed is #1

For the weekend of February 9-11, 2018, Fifty Shades Freed opened large. Maybe not as much as the first two, but it's still very profitable for a trilogy nearly universally hated.

Peter Rabbit entered the family-film market but this feels like it should have gotten out of Black Panther's way and opened closer to Easter. But what do I know?

The 15:17 to Paris needed good reviews to get traction, but it's been largely panned and I expect it will disappear quickly.

Expect next week to see many films in the Top 15 to fall 50%, 60%, 70% because Black Panther sucks up all the oxygen. It's tracking to open north of $150 million at this point.

Opens February 16
BLACK PANTHER with Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong'o.
EARLY MAN with the voices of Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Redmayne and Maisie Williams.
SAMSON with Taylor James, Jackson Rathbone, Billy Zane and Caitlin Leahy.