The Weekend Report

Four decades have not tarnished the Star Wars universe as The Last Jedi debuts domestically with an estimated $219.6 million. More than three of every four tickets sold this past weekend were spent on the eighth installment of the series. Efforts to counterprogram put Ferdinand, the animated bull, in the ring, where he landed a distant second with $13.3 million.

There were no significant exclusive debuts but previously limited titles had significant expansions. Wonder Wheel added 489 playdates and fizzled with a $460,000 box office. Slow rollouts of awards contenders The Shape of Water, Darkest Hour and Call Me by Your Name maintained strong five-figure averages.

The only Indian import to register a pulse was the Telugu Aruvi that bowed to $52,400 at 27 venues. China’s Youth opened with a potent $267,000 from 30 sites while The Thousand Faces of Dunija had a disappointing $56,100 launch.

Revenues approached $280 million and saw an enormous 245% expansion from the prior weekend. It was also a significant 32% boost from 2016 when Rogue One launched with $155.1 and alternative Collateral Beauty slotted fourth with $7.1 million. Domestic box office cleared $10 billion on Wednesday but through the weekend it was still 3.5% behind the 2016 pace.

Predictions saw The Last Jedi opening to more than $200 million with high end estimates of $220 million. Despite the enormity of the film it failed to equal the opening strength of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The picture tilted fanboy with 57% of viewers and was 62% aged 25-years and older.

Last Jedi opened in the rest of the world with the exception of China (where it debuts early in 2018) to an estimated $230 million. Despite (or because) of the absence of the Asian behemoth it ranked as the fifth largest global box office opening of all time. Britain was the top opener with $36 million plus and it emerged unsurprisingly as the biggest debut of the year in many territories including France, Japan and Australia.

The industry consensus was bullish for Ferdinand with expectations of a $15 million to $17 million that didn’t happen. Still, it brought in a crowd that was 54% female with 63% aged 25 and younger and 75% identifying as families.

Ferdinand also had a modest international debut of $6.2 million in 18 foreign markets. Australia led the charge with $1.9 million and Germany grossed $950,000.

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