Hello everybody and welcome to an abbreviated version of Charts with Dan. I am still here in Park City, covering the Sundance Film Festival. I'll be here for another week. I had a great time today and met up with my friend Scott Movieman. I've seen one movie today, and I have an ambitious five-movie schedule tomorrow. I am fitting this in where I can, but I have to bring you the latest in box office news.
This weekend was the lowest of the year due to a major winter storm that affected much of the country. The number one movie was 'Mercy,' which dethroned 'Avatar: Fire and Ash,' although not very impressively, making $10.8 million. 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' dropped 55.8% for a second-place finish at $6.4 million. 'Zootopia 2' dropped 42.2% to bring in $5.3 million, now over $400 million domestically.
'The Housemaid' had its biggest drop of 53.9% for a $3.9 million weekend, but it's over $115 million. 'Marty Supreme' dropped the least at 36.2%, taking $3.5 million as it attempts to become the first A24 film to break $100 million domestically. '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' fell 72.6% in its second weekend, earning $3.4 million. 'Return to Silent Hill' placed seventh with $3.25 million.
The re-release of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' brought in $2 million. 'Hamnit' made a big jump into the top 10 due to Oscar nominations, with a 37.5% business increase, earning $1.88 million. 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' rounds out the top 10, with some sources tied it with 'Return of the King' both at $1.6 million, but I have 'Two Towers' holding number 10 alone for a $4 million total in its re-release cycle.
Exiting the top 10 are 'Anaconda,' 'Primeate,' and 'Greenland 2: Migration.' Notably, 'Hamnet' had the largest growth with an expansion into 1,278 theaters. 'Is This Thing On,' once an awards contender, saw a massive decrease, losing 1,195 theaters. 'Madagascar' dropped 947 theaters, while 'One Battle After Another' added 855 theaters, although it didn't significantly boost the box office.
The comparison between 2026 and 2025 box office reveals a dip below last year's numbers due to storm impacts, down 13% from this weekend last year. Next week, I'll analyze January's figures, hopeful for a rebound in 2026.
In the competition for the top domestic release of 2025 between 'Minecraft,' 'Avatar: Fire and Ash,' and 'Zootopia 2,' 'Avatar' has leveled off. 'Zootopia 2' is closing in on 'Minecraft,' potentially overtaking it by March. Oscar nominees include 'Centers' and 'F1 the Movie.' The highest grossing best picture nominee was 'Centers,' with 'Marty Supreme' edging closer to the $100 million mark.
Internationally, 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' led with $28.1 million, followed by 'The Housemaid' with $21.3 million, and 'Zootopia 2' at $20 million. India's 'Border 2' and 'Return to Silent Hill' also performed well internationally.
Worldwide, the top five mirrored domestic trends with 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' at $35.1 million, nearing $1.4 billion globally. 'The Housemaid' is a sleeper hit, near $300 million worldwide.
On specialty charts, 'Arco,' nominated for Best Animated Feature, led per-theater averages with 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' leading documentaries. In limited release, 'Kika' topped the charts, while 'No Other Choice's' Oscar shutout hampered its momentum.
For 2026 domestic releases, 'Prime8' still leads, followed by '28 Years Later.' 'Mercy' and 'Return to Silent Hill' enter the charts. In streaming, Netflix's 'The Rip' and 'His and Hers' performed strongly.
This week, look for 'Wonderman' on Disney+, 'The Wrecking Crew' on Amazon Prime, and 'Send Help' in theaters. Streaming includes 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You' on HBO Max.
I'll continue my Sundance coverage, including 'Leviticus' potentially getting picked up by Neon, and 'The Invite' attracting buyers. More updates will follow!