The total for the weekend was around $10 million, with 11 films. (Disney’s reissue of “Alien” tied with Focus Features’ “Half Brothers” for No. 10.) The same weekend last year totaled $132 million. At this writing, 59 percent of all theaters remain closed by COVID-19 regulations. That includes some theaters that reopened this week, mostly in Colorado. According to industry sources, there’s no indications that theaters will close again — but some are considering reduced hours, opening only on weekends, and other cost-saving options. Lionsgate

These new theaters, along with some theaters bringing back earlier films, led to several titles increasing screen counts such as “Fatale” (which debuted on PVOD Friday). The current No. 3, “News of the World,” will add PVOD this week. Related ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Continues Surge, Most Other New Titles Swoon as Holiday Nears End ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Could Reach $600 Million Domestic, $2 Billion Worldwide Related Quentin Tarantino’s Favorite Movies: 48 Films the Director Wants You to See Oscars 2023: Best Visual Effects Predictions
This Friday will see one new release. Open Road, which grossed $14 million recently with “Honest Thief” as a theater-only release, will introduce another Liam Neeson vehicle, “The Marksman,” with a similar strategy. Anticipate that it will lead next weekend. In October, “Honest Thief” opened with $4.1 million. Warner Bros., which has limited its box-office reporting to weekend and full-week estimates and blocked daily numbers, reported that in Canada “Wonder Woman 1984” earned over $7.2 million in just over two weeks on PVOD. (No HBO Max in Canada.) That’s Canadian dollars; with the exchange rate, it equals about US$5.7 million. It’s tricky to make too much of this; about five percent of Canadian theaters are open. (Credit to the studio for revealing the figure.) One way to look at it: The U.S. has about nine times the population, so by measure we’d be looking at a $51 million PVOD performance. That’s still far from definitive, especially since PVOD saturation is further developed in America. One thing is clear: Whatever its viewing might be on HBO Max, the theatrical result is unimpressive. “Wonder Woman 1984” has grossed $32.6 million to date, heading toward $40 million. Worldwide theatrical is at $133 million. (Most European theaters remain closed, though Russia will release this Friday.) Optimistically speaking, industry sources hope normal stateside releases might return by May. That would call into question “No Time to Die,” currently slated April 2, but that’s a film expected to see up to 75 percent of its gross in foreign territories. American circumstances may not determine its future. Universal The Top Ten

  1. Wonder Woman 1984 (Warner Bros.) Week 3; Last weekend #1; also streaming $3,000,000 (-45%) in 2,218 theaters (+67); PTA: $1,353; Cumulative: $32,600,000
  2. Croods: A New Age (Universal) Week 7; Last weekend #2; also available on Premium Video on Demand $1,810,000 (-19%) in 1,818 theaters (+67); PTA: $996; Cumulative: $36,880,000
  3. News of the World (Universal) Week 3; Last weekend #3 $1,240,000 (-27%) in 1,986 theaters (+58); PTA: $624; Cumulative: $7,100,000
  4. Monster Hunter (Sony) Week 4; Last weekend #4 $1,100,000 (-13%) in 1,765 theaters (-42); PTA: $623; Cumulative: $7,805,000
  5. Fatale (Lionsgate) Week 4; Last weekend #5; also available on Premium Video on Demand $670,000 (-4%) in 1,222 theaters (+39); PTA: $548; Cumulative: $4,011,000
  6. Promising Young Woman (Focus) Week 3; Last weekend #6 $560,000 (-19%) in 1,448 theaters (+115); PTA: $548; Cumulative: $2,697,000
  7. Pinocchio (Lionsgate) Week 3; Last weekend #7 $208,770 (-29%) in 821 theaters (+26); PTA: $254; Cumulative: $1,113,000
  8. The War With Grandpa (101) Week 14; Last weekend #8; also available on Video on Demand $147,327 (+17%) in 385 theaters (+80); PTA: $383; Cumulative: $19,002,000
  9. Come Play (Focus) Week 11; Last weekend #10; also available on Premium Video on Demand $95,000 (+60%) in 151 theaters (+41); PTA: $629; Cumulative: $9,679,000
  10. (tie) Alien (Disney) REISSUE – Last weekend #9; also streaming $60,000 (-20%) in 456 theaters (-49); PTA: $132; Cumulative: $(adjusted) 320,200,000
  11. (tie) Half Brothers (Focus) Week 6 – Last weekend #12; also available on Premium Video on Demand $60,000 in 167 theaters (+27); PTA: $359; Cumulative: $2,128,000 Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.