Weekend Box Office Estimates: Bad Boys for Life Targets $30M+ Second Frame; 1917 & Dolittle Hold Well; The Gentlemen Scores $10M+ Debut

Saturday Update: Sony reports that Bad Boys for Life added $8.925 million on Friday, bringing its domestic cume to $95.6 million through eight days of play. The breakout sequel continues to draw strong turnout after its excellent holiday weekend start and could top $30 million for its sophomore frame this weekend.

1917 claimed second place for Universal yesterday with another $4.02 million. The WWI epic regained some premium screens this weekend and now stands at $92.1 million domestically. We’re projecting a $14.3 million third weekend in wide release.

STX’s The Gentlemen debuted in third place on Friday with $3.72 million, in the middle of our expected range entering the weekend. That figure bests the $3.65 million first day of Cold Pursuit last year and sets the Guy Ritchie film on course for an opening weekend north of $10 million.

In fourth place, Dolittle tacked on $2.74 million to begin its second weekend. The family film now stands at $34.9 million stateside after eight days, eyeing a $13 million sophomore frame.

Capping off the top five, The Turning debuted to $2.51 million on Friday — comparable to Underwater‘s $2.5 million earlier this month. We’re projecting around $6.9 million for the overall debut weekend.

Meanwhile, Jumanji: The Next Level is again showing its staying power with another $1.7 million earned on Friday — now claiming $277.3 million domestically — and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker added $1.26 million as it looks to clear the $500 million domestic threshold before the end of Sunday.

Early Weekend Estimates (Domestic)
FRI, JAN. 24 – SUN, JAN. 26

WIDE (1000+)

# TITLE WEEKEND   LOCATIONS   AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 Bad Boys For Life $30,000,000 -52% 3,775 0 $7,947 $116,644,165 2 Sony / Columbia
2 1917 $14,300,000 -35% 3,937 325 $3,632 $102,383,309 5 Universal Pictures
3 Dolittle $13,000,000 -40% 4,155 0 $3,129 $45,184,730 2 Universal
4 The Gentlemen $10,900,000 2,165 $5,035 $10,900,000 1 STX Entertainment
5 Jumanji: The Next Level $7,100,000 -27% 3,121 -202 $2,275 $282,645,800 7 Sony Pictures
6 The Turning $6,900,000 2,571 $2,684 $6,900,000 1 Universal Pictures
7 Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker $5,300,000 -36% 2,800 -258 $1,893 $501,710,140 6 Disney
8 Little Women $4,500,000 -29% 2,528 25 $1,780 $93,527,401 5 Sony Pictures
9 Just Mercy $3,900,000 -32% 2,408 -49 $1,620 $26,923,382 5 Warner Bros.
10 Knives Out $3,300,000 -23% 1,677 10 $1,968 $151,515,922 9 Lionsgate
11 Frozen II $2,200,000 -42% 1,750 -330 $1,257 $469,463,568 10 Disney
12 Like a Boss $1,500,000 -63% 1,723 -1358 $871 $20,497,029 3 Paramount Pictures
13 Spies in Disguise $1,500,000 -44% 1,323 -438 $1,134 $61,759,741 5 20th Century Fox
14 Jojo Rabbit $1,300,000 -13% 1,160 155 $1,121 $1,300,000 15 Fox Searchlight
15 Underwater $1,000,000 -73% 1,677 -1114 $596 $15,710,984 3 20th Century Fox

LIMITED (100 — 999)

# TITLE WEEKEND   LOCATIONS   AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 Ford v. Ferrari $760,000 -29% 804 -276 $945 $114,290,875 11 20th Century Fox
2 Bombshell $540,000 -12% 596 186 $906 $30,217,418 7 Lionsgate
3 The Grudge $280,000 -69% 420 -557 $667 $20,727,664 4 Sony Pictures
4 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood $200,000 -32% 240 -125 $833 $60,922,027 10 Sony Pictures
5 Panga $200,000 102 $1,961 $200,000 1 FIP
6 Once Upon a Time In Hollywood $110,000 -66% 325 -380 $338 $141,823,823 27 Sony Pictures

PLATFORM (1 — 99)

# TITLE WEEKEND   LOCATIONS   AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 Maleficent: Mistress of Evil $55,000 -23% 90 -15 $611 $113,838,669 15 Disney
2 A Hidden Life $38,000 -20% 43 -12 $884 $1,692,540 7 Fox Searchlight
3 Chhapaak $18,000 -83% 21 -79 $857 $603,302 3 FIP

Friday Report: STX and Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen got off to a solid start with $725K from last night’s opening shows at 1,885 locations domestically, setting the stage for a healthy debut weekend. The R-rated crime comedy registered ahead of last year’s Cold Pursuit ($540K) and just behind The Foreigner‘s $775K back in autumn 2017.

Meanwhile, Universal’s The Turning earned $425K from its 7pm start at 2,220 locations last night. That figure comes in just south of Underwater ($500K) earlier this month and slightly better than The Prodigy ($350K) one year ago.

As covered in our earlier forecast for the weekend, Bad Boys for Life will easily retain the top spot again this weekend after its second-best-ever MLK opening one frame ago. Holdovers 1917 and Dolittle should fill out the top three ahead of this weekend’s wide openers, though The Gentlemen could be a dark horse candidate to challenge for third place if it breaks out beyond expectations after Thursday night.

More updates to follow throughout the weekend.