The debut of Pacific Rim Uprising led weekend viewing with an estimated $28 million. The session was rife with new releases but short on commercial dynamism. Animated Sherlock Gnomes charted fourth with $10.6 million while faith-targeted Paul, the Apostle failed to catch the I Can Only Imagine wave with a $5 million launch. At the back of the pack were YA romance Midnight Sun, which grossed $4.1 million and the low-budget thriller Unsane with $3.7 million.

Exclusive premieres were dominated by the stop-motion Isle of Dogs, which grossed $1.6 million from 27 locations. A swath of new Indian titles saw Hindi Hichki and Punjabi Sajjan Singh Rangroot with respective openings of $321,000 and $332,000, Also good was Filipino romcom My Perfect You, with $189,000 from 48 venues.

Revenues for the frame nudged past $130 million and slipped back 2% from last weekend. Once again it was a steeper 35% decline from 2017 when the second weekend of Beauty and the Beast led with $90.4 million and the opening of Power Rangers followed with $40.3 million.

Pacific Rim opened in 2013 (directed by Guillermo del Toro) and squeezed past $100 million domestically but trebled that figure overseas. Industry tracking had the follow-up opening on the high end at $25 million and, again, it’s shaping up to be propelled by international. Pacific Rim Uprising opened day-and-date in 61 international markets to an estimated $122 million with China dominant with $65 million. Other leading territories included South Korea with $6.9 million, Russia $6.8 million and Mexico bowing with $4.9 million. Studio exit polling identified the North American audience as 62% male with 53% of viewers 25 and older.

Sherlock Gnomes got into the domestic marketplace ahead of Gnome Alone and while expectations were modest it failed to reach predictions of $14-$16 million. Adding to the disappointment was the lack of a significant family animated competitor. The film had debuted in a handful of foreign markets a week earlier (notably Russia) to an OK $2.1 million. The current weekend saw the addition of 14 overseas territories and a carbon copy $2.1 million result.

Paul, Apostle of Christ continued the waning popularity of religious-themed pictures aimed at heartland audiences (I Can Only Imagine being the exception). Its audience skewed 54% female with plus 25-year-olds accounting for 77% of the flock.

Based on a 2006 Japanese film, Midnight Sun marked the first release of Global Road, which acquired Open Road (and foreign sales agent IM Global) in 2017. Although it was tracking to do no more than $6 million it reached its target audience with polling reflecting ticket buyers as 80% female with 66% 25 and younger.

It was close as the debut of Tomb Raider bowed with an estimated $23.5 million. Black Panther led the frame with $26.8 million. Two additional films had national openings including the musically inspirational I Can Only Imagine that opened with an unexpectedly strong $17 million and the gay teen comedy Love, Simon with $11.5 million.

In limited wide release the opening of 7 Days in Entebbe disappointed with $1.6 million. New releases from India included a good $422,000 start for the Hindi Raid and a soft bow of $183,000 for Telugu Kirrak Party. Among exclusive launches the best of the bunch were two dysfunctional family sagas, Flower , which grossed $56,200 from three screens and Keep the Change with $12,200 from a single engagement.

Revenues generated about $133 million and slipped back a modest 4% from the prior weekend. There was a 50% slump from 2017 when the launch of Beauty and the Beast grossed $174.7 million and Kong: Skull Island took second spot with $27.8 million.

The revival of the “Lara Croft” videogame comes 15 years since Angelina Jolie limbed the role in two films. Anticipation for the rebooted Tomb Raider remained modest with high end expectations of roughly $25 million. Studio exit polling identified her crowd as 56% female with 68% aged 25 and older.

Tomb Raider bowed internationally in nine Asian markets last weekend and grossed an impressive $14 million. It added 56 territories and grossed an estimated $84 million including a $41 million opening in China. Other top debuts included $4.4 million in Russia, the UK grossing $4.2 million and France with $3.2 million.

The weekend surprise was I Can Only Imagine, inspired by the contemporary Christian rock song and its band MercyMe. Tracking had it line with recent faith-targeted movies in the range of $6 million to $8 million. Its audience skewed 67% female with 80% of viewers aged 35 and older.

Teen gay coming-of-age story Love, Simon was predicted to open in the $10 million to $12 million range. Its audience was largely female at 58% but younger with 59% of its crowd aged 35-years and younger.

Black Panther led weekend moviegoing for a fourth weekend with an estimated $41.1 million. Four national releases opened for the session but only the long-taught A Wrinkle in Time proved competitive at $33.4 million. Other freshmen included a fine start for chiller The Strangers: Prey at Night of $10.3 million and early-year casualty status for Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures’ The Hurricane Heist and STX’s Gringo, with respective bows of $3 million and $2.6 million.

Also new in limited wide was teen revenge tale Thoroughbreds with an OK $1.2 million. Exclusive openers were dominated by political satire The Death of Stalin with a potent $177,000 from four mausoleums. Punjabi Laung Laachi with a solid $204,000 launch led Indian imports.

Revenues were about $138 million, for a 7% decline from last weekend. It was also 18% off from 2017.

The adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 fantasy, A Wrinkle in Time, previously made in 2003 as a forgotten television feature, received mixed reviews. Industry tracking suggested an opening of about $35 million with high-end outliers at $40 million. Some tagged that as disappointing but basic appeal should translate into strong holds and sustained power, even if it doesn’t become a family film behemoth. The opening weekend audience was 57% female with 57% 25 and older, which suggests the fifty-six-year-old novel might have lost beloved status to more contemporary young adult fare. A Wrinkle in Time also opened in six international territories to an estimated $6.3 million, with Russia dominating with a $4.1 million debut.

Likely few viewers of The Strangers: Prey at Night were drawn based upon its decade-old first entry. Still, tracking was good and it fulfilled high-end crystal-balling of $10 million. It had a slight 51% female tilt with 55% of viewers 25 and older.

Expectations for both The Hurricane Heist and Gringo were modest, with respective high ends of $4 million and $3 million that proved to be overly confident. Heist opened in a handful of nations a week ago, including France and grossed $1.4 million. Its audience was 55% male and 73% 25 and older.

In fading Oscar glory, only The Shape of Water and foreign-language winner A Fantastic Woman added new engagements, and neither had a second wind. The other winners generally lost about half of their playdates and a sharper decline in their box office.

Black Panther held sway at the multiplex with a third weekend estimated tally of $66.3 million. The session’s two new national releases followed with Red Sparrow opening to $16.8 million and a resurrected MGM debuting Death Wish with $12.8 million.

Hindi Pari was off to a good start of $171,000. And best of the exclusive entries was the Israeli foreign language Oscar submission Foxtrot that grossed $35,300 from four locations.

Revenues for the frame generated about $145 million and shrank 24% from the prior weekend. It was a comparable 23% decline from 2017 when the debut of Oscar-nominated Logan led with a potent $88.4 million and Get Out’s second weekend followed with $28.2 million.

Red Sparrow, a tale of a Russian ballerina chained into espionage, was largely compared to Atomic Blonde and not in a positive fashion. It didn’t get to industry predictions that suggested an $18 million to $20 million start. Studio exit demos identified the audience as 53% female with 79% of viewers aged 25 and older.

The Jennifer Lawrence vehicle also opened in 65 foreign markets to an estimated $26 million. Its top grossing territories were Germany with $2.6 million, the UK grossing $2.5 million and Taiwan with $2.4 million.

The wisdom of getting back into the distribution arena by MGM certainly can’t be determined by a single picture… or the prospects of the next James Bond if it chooses not to auction off the rights to another studio. The original Death Wish back in 1974 was a huge commercial success as well as highly controversial for its perspective of vigilantism. Even its author Brian Garfield felt the screenplay perverted its message. Nonetheless it spawned a handful of sequels over two decades.

The author hasn’t weighed into its new incarnation but critics have largely savaged the effort. It too was slightly below tracking that pegged a $12 million to $14 million domestic launch. The film’s opening crowd was 57% male with 81% aged 25-years and older.

The Big Show will broadcast in a few hours. It’s an odd year in the sense that there’s less of a feeling that someone, anyone will finally receive a long-overdue Oscar; and a tilt toward who will be a surprise winner. With the Academy Awards unspooling three months after the first prize announcements back in December something called award malaise sets in. While far from a scientific study, talking to Academy members in the past two weeks certainly reveals that most are tired of seeing the predictable honorees get yet another shelf ornament. If this admittedly small sampling were the consensus the likes of Paul Thomas Anderson, Willem Dafoe and Laurie Metcalf would be tripping over good luck charms on the way to the podium. Good viewing… we can hope.

Black Panther’s 46% decline can be viewed as a moderate downturn, but its estimated $108.2 million weekend box office is formidable. The modest opposition saw three new national release, with the best of the bunch, the antic comedy Game Night, slotted second with $16.7 million while head-trip adventure Annihilation opened to $10.8 million. The resurrected Orion Pictures label provided the young adult fantasy romance Every Day with a low spark of $2.9 million.

Best of the exclusive bows was Raoul Peck’s follow-up to I Am Not Your Negro, fictional biopic The Young Karl Marx, which grossed $27,200 on three battlements.

A pair of Hindi films bowed to OK results of $244,000 for Sonu Ke Titi Ki Sweety and disappointment for Welcome to New York with $133,000. China entries featured a potent $474,000 start for Operation Red Sea and a modest $58,200 for spy spoof Agent Mr. Chan. In Québec, animated Nelly et Simon: Mission Yeti misfired with a $54,300 tally while local drama Pour vivre ici was moderately better with a $35,600 box office from 12 venues.

Revenues for the session topped $185 million and slipped 35% from the prior weekend. It was conversely a 59% boost from 2017 when the debut of Get Out opened to $33.4 million and The Lego Batman movie took the silver with $19.2 million.

Jason Bateman has backed into the role of comedy’s hard-pressed everyman and in Game Night mines the tricky balance of fun and mayhem. Tracking suggested a $15 million to $17 million debut with a result tilting to the high side. Its audience was 56% female with 86% 25 and older.

The intensity of Annihilation contributed to its 58% skew toward male viewers. It had high-end expectations of $10 million that it exceeded, but its ferocity is likely to translate into sharp declines even as March releases aren’t expected to prompt significant sales. 67% of viewers were aged 25 and older.

Barring a miracle, 2018 looks like the year Oscar nominees failed to generate significant momentum for potential honorees. No film has emerged as the inevitable best picture winner and, contrary to reason, the absence of a perceived winner has historically worked against viewership levels. Commentators are unified in best acting statuettes for Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour and Francis McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, but their films have had sustained rather than expanding commercial returns. And with one exception all contender pictures are well into their respective international campaigns. The only potential beneficiary of major overseas boosts is Lady Bird, which began its international exposure last weekend in 12 markets that included the U.K., Australia, Mexico and Brazil with a $2.4 million gross.

Black Panther devoured seventy percent or more of the marketplace, with a record-setting box office estimated at $192.2 million (all numbers reflect three-day portion of holiday weekend). Two films premiered nationally as counterprogrammers: animated Early Man wound up slotting seventh with $3.1 million, while faith-targeted biblical drama Samson earned $1.9 million.

Best of exclusive freshmen were black-comic The Party with $35,800 at a trio of dinner tables, and Russian foreign-language Oscar nominee Loveless, which grossed $27,600 from three investigations. Another wave of Indian imports included strong results for Telugu Awe of $478,000, as well as Punjabi Laavaan Phere with $139,000. Chinese movies capitalized on New Year celebrations. In North America, Detective Chinatown 2 led with a $670,000 tally, followed by Monster Hunt 2 that grossed $340,000, and Monkey King 3 trailing with $89,300. In China, Monster Hunt 2 opened to $190 million with Detective Chinatown 2 grossing $155 million and Monkey King 3 opening to $80 million.

Revenues topped $275 million for a 96% boost from last weekend. It was a 91% improvement from 2017 when the second weekend of The Lego Batman Movie led with $42.7 million and newcomer The Great Wall bowed with $21.5 million.

The amount of earnest media attention given to Black Panther is also superheroic, and the movie was up to the challenge with its cultural, gender and other resonances. It readily exceeded the record for a February release, previously held by Deadpool at $132 million, and ranks as the fifth-biggest opening of all time.

Black Panther exceeded industry expectations that marked it as high as $185 million and a studio conservative estimate of $175 million. Exit demos identified the audience as 55% male with 61% of viewers 25 and older. Unsurprisingly, a studio spokesman said its performance in key cities, as well as regionally, indicated a larger-than-typical African-American audience.

On the international front the picture opened in virtually all markets with China, Japan and Russia the only major territories held back. Studio estimates for its first overseas wave is $169 million with South Korea (even in the midst of the Olympics) and Great Britain in the forefront, respectively with $25.3 million and $24.8 million. The list of records by territory is staggering, especially among African nations.

Early Man’s audience was 51% male with 62% of viewers 25 and older. Statistics on families were unavailable.

Fifty Shades Freed topped weekend moviegoing with an estimated $38.8 million, followed by two other national newcomers, the free adaptation of Peter Rabbit, with $24.8 million, while clipped-from-the-headlines The 15:17 to Paris went hand-to-hand for $12.4 million.

The annual Oscar-nominated shorts program had its strongest start of $512,000. Among exclusives the downbeat Brooklyn families drama Golden Exits had the most encouraging start of $12,600 from a single walk-up, its own 35mm engagement, and just prior to video-on-demand.

Crosscultural La Boda da Valentina opened simultaneously in Mexico with domestic earnings of $1.1 million. Indian imports opened during national holidays but only Hindi Pad Man ($730,000) and Telugu TholiPrema ($611,000) broke through.

Revenues for the session generated more than $140 million and expanded an impressive 45%. It lagged behind 2017 by 27% when debuts of The Lego Batman Movie, Fifty Shades Darker and John Wick: Chapter Two led with openings of $53 million, $46.6 million and $30.4 million.

Critics have largely dismissed the sexual candor and kink of the billion-dollar-grossing Fifty Shades franchise, but audiences have embraced its sanitized sauciness. Tracking was in line with its first number. The concluding episode attracted a 75% female audience with 55% aged 25 and younger. The tale of the happy couple opened in 57 international markets as well, to an estimated $98 million. Top territories included Germany with $10.6 million, the UK $8.8 million and Franc $8.6 million.

Beatrix Potter’s beloved bunny exceeded tracking that suggested an $18-$20 million debut. The live-action animated mélange (a la Stuart Little) transported him to contemporary realms. Studio exit demos identified the audience as 58% female with 63% of the crowd 25 and younger. Family stats were unavailable but 34% classified as parents.

The run-up to The 15:17 to Paris was worrisome, including the casting of the real-life trio (non-actors) who foiled a terrorist plot cast as themselves. Real or imagined borders blurred and the result provided modest response, a $12-$14 million opening. While perceived as a “boys’ movie,” exit demos revealed a 51% female audience with 86% of ticket buyers aged 25 and younger. Internationally, the film opened day-and-date in 23 markets to a modest $5.3 million. The top-grossing territories were Italy with $1.5 million and France, where much of the country was shut down by crippling blizzards, with $1.4 million.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle returned to the top of the weekend viewing charts with an estimated $11 million. As the Patriots and Eagles await kick off of Super Bowl LII in frigid Minneapolis, moviegoing takes a back seat. And with that chill in mind the sole national newcomer – haunted house Winchester – opened in third with $9.1 million.

Exclusive debuts were led by Chilean Oscar nominee A Fantastic Woman with a $69,500 box office from five screens. Another foreign-language nominee, Lebanon’s The Insult, has had an effective slow rollout, generating $121,000. A third nominee, Hungary’s Of Body and Soul, also opened this weekend; results were not available.

There was a strong start of $513,000 for Telugu import Chalo at the expense of Touch Chesi Chudu with a $149,000 kickoff. Also of note was the impressive 298 theater count for Emirate epic Bilal: A New Breed of Hero that grossed $308,000.

Revenues for the frame came up slightly short of $100 million and ebbed back 34% from last weekend. It was a slim 2% decline from 2017 when the third weekend of Split topped the charts with $14.4 million and newcomer Rings took second spot with $13 million.

Winchester, inspired by a real-life San Jose mansion, had tepid critical response. However it proved to be an ample guilty pleasure and football diversion to exceed high-end expectations of $8 million. Studio exit polling identified the audience as 58% female with 64% of viewers 25 and older.

Last night’s Directors Guild award to Guillermo del Toro for The Shape of Water (also cited by the Producers Guild) gives the imaginative fable an edge in the continuing Oscar race. Still there’s not a strong sense of inevitability or even a feeling of rising momentum for it or really any of the other contenders including Lady Bird and Three Billboards. One can only imagine the buildup of mounting dread at Academy central as officials brace for what could be one of the lowest rated broadcasts of the past decade.

The final installment of Maze Runner, The Death Cure, navigated to the top of the weekend charts with an estimated $23.6 million. Also debuting nationally was Hostiles following five weeks in limited release. Padmaavat cracked the top 10 with a near-record $4.4 million. Following several delays it was released worldwide Thursday and sparked violent demonstrations in India by fundamentalists.

Another Indian import – Telugu Bhaagamathe – also had a strong start of $763,000 and the Filipino comedy Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes had a potent $237,000 opening.

Capitalizing on last week’s Oscar nominations the likes of The Shape of Water, Lady Bird, I, Tonya and Three Billboards added a significant number of playdates. The result can be best characterized as an Oscar flutter that should continue through the remainder of the awards season. This year’s absence of a clear frontrunner is a mixed blessing with a greater number of films benefitting from exposure but no film getting a dramatic boost.

Revenues for the frame inched close to $145 million and experienced a modest 4% gain from last weekend. It was an infinitesimal 0.6% improvement from 2017 when the second weekend of Split led with $25.6 million and newcomer A Dog’s Purpose took the bridesmaid spot with $18.2 million.

The dystopian YA series Maze Runner trotted to the finish line with The Death Cure. Never quite The Hunger Games commercially the trilogy has been a decent performer especially in the international arena where this installment opened last weekend in four territories to an impressive $15 million. Studio exit polls identified the domestic crowd as 51% female with 57% of viewers 25 and younger.

The Death Cure opened in an additional 68 territories this weekend and added about $62 million to its larder with a handful of major markets including France, Germany and Mexico yet to open.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle continued at the top of the weekend charts with an estimated $19.7 million. Two newcomers followed with OK launches. 12 Strong — a fire-and-fury saga of the Afghan conflict — grossed $16.3 while the bank heist caper Den of Thieves had a $15.2 million opening. In limited wide, the musical romance Forever My Love bowed with a sentimental $4.5 million.

Revenues for the frame generated about $140 million and slid 13% from last weekend. It was a slight 6% decline from 2017 when debuts of Split and xXx: The Return of Xander Cage led with respective starts of $40 million and $20.1 million.

In the tradition of recent flag wavers 12 Strong gave the big salute to men in service and played well. Definitely tilted toward heroism rather than politics, studio exit polls identified the crowd as 55% male with 79% of viewers aged 25-years and older. Den of Thieves targeted a similar demographic.

In the awards race, Phantom Thread and Call Me by Your Name had major expansions, with both films holding ground against a field with no clear-cut frontrunner. The SAG awards will have observers closely eyeing the prize for ensemble. It’s likely that Lady Bird, The Shape of Water, Darkest Hour and Three Billboards will experience modest commercial flutters rather than sharp turns, and the Oscar bump will be only a blip after nominations morning.

Japan anime hit Mary and the Witch’s Flower had a potent weekend of $410,000 following a special Thursday preview, which brewed up $1.1 million. In Québec. Canada’s foreign-language Oscar submission Hochelaga: terre des âmes bowed with a solid $148,000. Puerto Rican romantic comedy Colao had a strong debut of $127,000 from seven screens. It’s played in the Caribbean for two months and amassed more than $1 million.

Decidedly the marketplace counter-programmer, Forever My Girl delivered an audience that was 78% female with 64% of the audience aged 25 and older.