Moana topped the box office for the third consecutive weekend, reaching a $145 million domestic cume after earning $18.8 million in its latest outing. The animated film played at 3,875 locations, dropping a modest 33% from last weekend and registering a $4,862 per-screen average. Moana is pacing similarly to Walt Disney Animation’s Big Hero 6, which had grossed $135.7 million domestically at the same point release in 2015. Big Hero 6 went on to finish its run in North America with $222.5 million.
Moana finished the weekend overseas with $23.5 million from 32 territories, lifting its overseas total to $93.8 million. No significant markets opened this weekend, but the second week of grosses across Europe delivered solid holds in France ($11.5M), the UK ($6M), and Spain ($5.4M). Top overseas markets in other regions at this point in release are led by China ($26.2M), Russia ($9M), and Mexico ($6.2M).
Moana has grossed a total of $238.8 million worldwide and will add more key markets in the coming months, including Germany and Italy on December 22, Australia on December 26, Brazil on January 5, South Korea on January 19, and Japan on March 10.
Paramount’s Office Christmas Party settled for a second place finish in its opening weekend, grossing $17.5 million from 3,210 locations. The debut ranks above recent R-rated comedies in this corridor; Horrible Bosses 2 opened to $15.4 million in 2014 ($54M Total) while last year’s Sisters saw a $13.9 million bow ($87M Total).
The adult-skewing comedy played in over 30 territories overseas this weekend, claiming a weekend gross of $8.9 million and lifting its overseas cume to $16.4 million. It also finished in second place in its debut in Russia ($2.3M / 1,000 locations) and Mexico ($855k / 594 locations). The film failed to break into the Top 3 in other major markets, however, including Italy (648k / 200 locations) and Brazil ($620k / 277 locations). Office Christmas Party has grossed a total of $33.9 million worldwide.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them finished its third weekend in release on the verge of hitting the $200 million mark in North America. The film hauled in $10.785 million from 3,626 screens in its latest frame, placing third overall. The film continues its great run overseas, taking in $33.1 million from 67 markets this weekend. Top markets include China ($82.4M), the UK ($52.3M), Japan ($37.4M), and South Korea ($32M). Fantastic Beasts has grossed a total of $480.7 million outside of North America and $679.7 million worldwide.
LIMITED RELEASE
The big story of the weekend took place in limited release as Damien Chazelle’s La La Land claimed the highest per-screen average of the year after an $855k debut from 5 locations. According to Lionsgate, it is the biggest per-location average of all time for a release in 5 theater release and the second highest overall average for any film. The audience breakdown skewed female, with 52% of admissions coming from women, while 53% of the audience was 30-years old and over. The musical expands to 200 additional locations next weekend, providing a compelling alternative to Star Wars: Rogue One for older audiences. Critical response has been very favorable, currently occupying a 96% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and entering awards season with strong momentum following its Best Picture designation from the New York Film Critics Circle.
La La Land opened in 6 overseas markets day-and-date with North America as well. South Korea, the only major market of the bunch, contributed $4 million of that figure. Upcoming key markets for the musical include the Netherlands (Dec. 22) and Australia (Dec. 26) with a wider international roll-out to follow beginning in mid-January.
This weekend saw two important expansions that wound up with mixed results. First the good news: Manchester by the Sea snuck into the Top 10 despite playing in under 1,000 screens. The drama added 210 screens, playing in a total of 366 locations, and finished the weekend with a $3.15 million haul to lift its domestic total of $8.3 million. Unfortunately, Miss Sloane couldn’t find similar success in its own expansion; the film grossed $1.9 million after adding 1,644 screens. The film averaged $1,153 per-screen, playing in a total of 1,648 locations, and has grossed a total of $2 million in its theatrical run.
Other limited releases that are punching above their weight class (or, you know, screen count) include Fox Searchlight’s Jackie and The Weinstein Company’s Lion. Lion grossed $171k from 15 locations, bringing in a robust $11,461 per-screen average and launching it to a $494k haul after three weeks in limited release. Jackie brought in $495k in its second weekend, playing in a total of 26 locations for a $19,038 per-screen average. The awards contender enters awards season with an $859k domestic haul.
OVERSEAS UPDATE
Clint Eastwood’s Sully stays on course after earning $13.6 million from 23 markets, elevating its overseas tally to $94 million. The film opened in China with $5.5 million over the weekend as it continues to make headway in leading markets Japan ($13.2M) and Australia ($9.9M). Sully has grossed $218.6 million worldwide.
Sing topped the box office in 8 of the 12 overseas territories where it opened this weekend, starting its performance outside of North America with $9.6 million. Germany was the top debut from the group with $4.8 million at 370 dates. The animated film expands to Greece, Netherlands, and Romania next weekend.
Underwood: Blood Wars continues to rack up business abroad ahead of its North American release. The genre flick earned $9.2 million from 55 markets, reaching a global total of $34.7 million.
Allied captured $4.8 million from 35 markets to reach a $33.9 million cume overseas. The film has grossed a total of $69.5 million worldwide with Germany scheduled for a December 22 release.
Trolls added $4 million from 40 markets to its overseas haul this weekend. The animated film has grossed a total of $171.4 million overseas and $316.8 million worldwide. Top markets include the UK ($28.3M), France ($18.3M), and Russia ($12.7M).
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is still inching towards the $200 million milestone overseas. The film earned $2.2 million from 731 screens in 5 markets over the weekend to reach a $191.2 million total outside of North America. Upcoming releases in Italy (December 15) and Japan (February 3) should help it hit that goal. The film has grossed a total of $277.6 million worldwide.
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back reached the $100 million milestone overseas following a $1.9 million weekend across 30 markets. The Tom Cruise vehicle has grossed a total of $101.6 million outside of North America and $159.4 million worldwide.
Nocturnal Animals grossed $1.2 million from 28 territories overseas, including a $500k from a limited debut at 356 sites in Russia. Argentina opened to $60k from 40 dates, while Turkey premiered in limited release with $43k from 35 dates. The Tom Ford thriller has grossed a total of $10 million outside of North America and $16.2 million worldwide.
Studio Weekend Estimates for Friday, December 9 – Sunday, December 11, 2016.
| # | TITLE | WEEKEND | LOCATIONS | AVG. | TOTAL | WKS. | DIST. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moana | $18,842,000 | -33% | 3,875 | 0 | $4,862 | $145,008,593 | 3 | Disney |
| 2 | Office Christmas Party | $17,500,000 | — | 3,210 | — | $5,452 | $17,500,000 | 1 | Paramount / DreamWorks |
| 3 | Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | $10,785,000 | -40% | 3,626 | -362 | $2,974 | $199,310,903 | 4 | Warner Bros. |
| 4 | Arrival | $5,600,000 | -23% | 3,115 | 200 | $1,798 | $81,451,708 | 5 | Paramount |
| 5 | Doctor Strange | $4,631,000 | -31% | 2,763 | -172 | $1,676 | $222,362,446 | 6 | Disney |
| 6 | Allied | $4,000,000 | -43% | 3,018 | -142 | $1,325 | $35,633,452 | 3 | Paramount |
| 7 | Nocturnal Animals | $3,193,685 | 356% | 1,262 | 1135 | $2,531 | $6,219,813 | 4 | Focus |
| 8 | Trolls | $3,110,000 | -34% | 2,786 | -370 | $1,116 | $145,490,004 | 6 | Fox / DreamWorks Animation |
| 9 | Hacksaw Ridge | $2,300,000 | -31% | 2,277 | -217 | $1,010 | $60,862,448 | 6 | Lionsgate |
| 10 | Miss Sloane | $1,900,000 | 4136% | 1,648 | 1644 | $1,153 | $2,038,365 | 3 | EuropaCorp |
| 11 | Almost Christmas | $1,400,000 | -45% | 1,258 | -298 | $1,113 | $40,236,485 | 5 | Universal |
| 12 | Bad Santa 2 | $1,235,485 | -62% | 2,034 | -911 | $607 | $16,800,252 | 3 | Broad Green Pictures |
| 13 | Incarnate | $1,098,000 | -57% | 1,737 | 0 | $632 | $4,240,138 | 2 | High Top / BH Tilt |
| # | TITLE | WEEKEND | LOCATIONS | AVG. | TOTAL | WKS. | DIST. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester By the Sea | $3,155,330 | 39% | 366 | 210 | $8,621 | $8,325,531 | 4 | Roadside / Amazon |
| 2 | Loving | $623,380 | -36% | 572 | 126 | $1,090 | $6,565,642 | 6 | Focus |
| 3 | The Edge of Seventeen | $620,000 | -61% | 932 | -676 | $665 | $13,879,697 | 4 | STX Entertainment |
| 4 | Moonlight (2016) | $589,627 | -30% | 449 | -125 | $1,313 | $10,804,377 | 8 | A24 |
| 5 | The Accountant | $460,000 | -39% | 455 | -153 | $1,011 | $85,002,171 | 9 | Warner Bros. |
| 6 | The Eagle Huntress | $210,052 | 3% | 122 | 41 | $1,722 | $210,052 | 6 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 7 | Jack Reacher: Never Go Back | $205,000 | -11% | 290 | -8 | $707 | $58,070,517 | 8 | Paramount |
| 8 | The Secret Life of Pets | $86,810 | -25% | 183 | -6 | $474 | $368,142,430 | 23 | Universal |
| 9 | The Girl on the Train (2016) | $75,645 | -42% | 154 | -23 | $491 | $75,222,235 | 10 | Universal |
| 10 | Deepwater Horizon | $75,000 | -33% | 144 | -22 | $521 | $61,401,021 | 11 | Lionsgate / Summit |
| 11 | Bleed for This | $66,580 | -77% | 210 | -439 | $317 | $5,049,699 | 4 | Open Road |
| 12 | Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween | $50,000 | -62% | 126 | -109 | $397 | $73,072,759 | 8 | Lionsgate |
| # | TITLE | WEEKEND | LOCATIONS | AVG. | TOTAL | WKS. | DIST. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La La Land | $855,000 | — | 5 | — | $171,000 | $855,000 | 1 | Lionsgate / Summit |
| 2 | Jackie | $495,000 | 78% | 26 | 21 | $19,038 | $859,825 | 2 | Fox Searchlight |
| 3 | Lion | $171,909 | 47% | 15 | 8 | $11,461 | $494,099 | 3 | Weinstein Company |
| 4 | Things To Come | $61,880 | — | 26 | — | $2,380 | $94,970 | 2 | IFC Films |
| 5 | Elle (2016) | $48,567 | -41% | 27 | -5 | $1,799 | $48,567 | 5 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 6 | A Man Called Ove | $43,764 | -35% | 56 | -19 | $782 | $3,233,909 | 11 | Music Box Films |
| 7 | Shut In | $22,500 | -64% | 53 | -68 | $425 | $6,836,320 | 5 | EuropaCorp Films |
| 8 | Queen of Katwe | $15,000 | 26% | 19 | -8 | $789 | $8,787,889 | 12 | Disney |
| 9 | Pete’s Dragon (2016) | $14,000 | -59% | 52 | -34 | $269 | $76,228,344 | 18 | Disney |
| 10 | Seasons | $9,664 | — | 16 | — | $604 | $78,257 | 3 | Music Box Films |
| 11 | The Brand New Testament | $8,808 | — | 5 | — | $1,762 | $8,808 | 1 | Music Box Films |
| 12 | Harry & Snowman | $6,000 | -62% | 5 | -2 | $1,200 | $536,815 | 11 | FilmRise |
| 13 | Christine (2016) | $1,896 | -83% | 13 | -15 | $146 | $294,049 | 9 | The Orchard |
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