Weekend Box Office: Repeats and "Missing"
Monday, January 23, 2023 at 6:15PM By Ben Miller
Hollywood is becoming exceedingly lazy in getting out new films these days. Maybe it's the hangover from the pandemic, or maybe economics are finally starting to catch up with studios. Regardless, Avatar: The Way of Water stayed comfortably at the top box office spot for the sixth week. James Cameron's film is now the 13th-highest grossing domestic hit and the sixth film (and third Cameron film) to gross $2 billion worldwide. The only new release of note was Missing, the psuedo-sequel to 2019's Searching. Budgeted at a reasonable $7 million, it made back its money in one week. Good reviews (82% on Rotten Tomatoes) could help its legs in the coming weeks...
| Weekend Box Office (actuals) Jan 20th-22nd 🔺 = new or expanding / ★ = Recommended |
|
| WIDE (OVER 800 SCREENS) | LIMITED / PLATFORM |
 THE WAY OF WATER |
 THE SON |
| 1 ★ AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER $20 (cum. $598.2) 3790 screens |
1 🔺★ WOMEN TALKING $380k (cum. $1.1) 153 screens |
| 2 ★ PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH $11.5 (cum. $126.4) 3,611 screens |
2 🔺 THE SON $239k *NEW* 554 screens |
| 3 ★ M3GAN PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH $9.8 (cum. $73.2) 3,628 screens |
3 ★ BROKER $150k (cum. $845k) 206 screens |
|
4 🔺 MISSING $9.3 *NEW* 3025 screens |
4 🔺 WHEN YOU FINISH SAVING THE WORLD $140k *new* 403 screens |
|
5 A MAN CALLED OTTO $9 (cum. $35.3) |
5 🔺★ LIVING $130k (cum. $400k) 39 screens |
|
6 PLANE $5.2 (cum. $19.4) 3060 screens |
6 🔺 ALICE DARLING $101k 65 theaters |
 THE FABELMANS |
 EO |
|
7 HOUSE PARTY $1.7 (cum. $7.1) 1400 screens |
7 ★ TÁR $70k (cum. $5.9) on 106 screens |
|
8 🔺 THAT TIME I GOT REINCARNATED AS A... $1.4 *NEW* 1473 screens |
8 🔺★ EO $55k (cum. $752k) on 80 screens |
|
9 THE WHALE $1.2 (cum. $13.1) 1591 screens |
9 ★ CORSAGE $36k (cum. $661k) 70 screens |
|
10 BLACK PANTHER WAKANDA FOREVER $1.2 (cum. $451.7) 1591 screens |
10 TURN EVERY PAGE... $30k (cum. $112K) 15 screens |
|
11 I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY $500k (cum. $23) 1308 screens |
11 ★ SAINT OMER $27k (cum. $143k) 25 screens |
|
12 THE FABELMANS $430k (cum. $14.9) 947 screens |
12 NO BEARS $22k (cum. $83k) 6 screens |
|
13 🔺 SKINAMARINK $420k (cum. $1.4) 809 screens |
13 ★ THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN $19k (cum. $9.3) cum. $155 screens |
|
there are only 13 movies currently in wide release |
14 ★ ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED $17k (cum. $377k) 24 screens |
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, M3GAN, and A Man Called Otto all had a nice weekend, holding on to nice grosses multiple weeks in. Outside of Avatar, those three films are the only ones that have shown their ability to make solid money over mulitple weeks in 2023.
On the platform/limited side, The Son made less that $500 per screen. Director Florian Zeller's follow-up to his Oscar-winning The Father has been getting butchered by critics and audiences followed suit. Jessie Eisenberg's directorial debut When You Finish Saving the World did even worse, managing only $350 per screen.
Next weekend - Whether or not the Oscar nominations give a boost to any of the movies in release, expect Avatar to rule again. The only wide releases are another low-budget horror film called Fear and Brandon Cronenberg's Infinity Pool.
What did you watch this weekend? I finally caught Eddie Redmayne's Oscar-buzzed performance in The Good Nurse (it's perfectly fine, as is he), a rewatch of Jumanji with my kids, and The Magnificent Ambersons: Orson Welles' 1942 follow-up to Citizen Kane.
James Cameron, Missing, The Son, box office
Reader Comments (8)
Finally watched WHITE NOISE, which is surprisingly good. The neuroses of DeLillo's novel fit Baumbach like a glove, and Driver and Gerwig are giving some of their best performances ever. The production design by genius Jess Gonchor deserves an Oscar nom.
I saw the usual bunch of silliness and seriousness
She Said Fascinating,Mulligan wonderful,was that really Goop on the phone.
Pearl I am still thinkng about this days later and everything Blanchett is doing in Tar Mia Goth is doing just as well in this,Oscar should come knocking.
Spasms 1983 Oliver Reed snake thriller
Vivienne Westwood documentary what a force
Terror at London Bridge silly Hasselhoff 80's thriller
The Menu enjoyed it more than Triangle of Sadness,Midsommar style ending a let down.
I saw Broker at the theatre. Great Koreeda film, many moving moments. Fantastic screenplay. Really baffled at how Song Kang-ho’s Cannes Best Actor win never gave him a moment’s consideration in the current race considering that 5th spot has been wide open forever. He’s miles above the unimpressive mimicry of Austin Butler’s performance that is bafflingly guaranteed a nomination.
I watched Bruiser through the Film Independent screeners. Talk about a great indie that nobody is talking about. Trevante Rhodes is definitely getting my vote for supporting actor. And like Song Kang-ho, he absolutely should be in the current conversation. He’s probably better than all the actors in the running. He’s that good. And the film is really strong too.
In addition to starting Sundance screenings I saw THE SON which... what happened here? Florian Zeller's debut was so strong but this is not a worthy follow up. Feels so stiff and artificial.
A short on MUBI, a re-watch of Geri's Game on Disney+, Charlotte Wells' first short Tuesday on YouTube and for much of the whole week, The Kingdom: Exodus.
If this project is to be Lars von Trier's final work, then what a way to go.
I watched:
Till--Strong lead performance, the movie itself is just OK.
Blonde--I had some problems with it (who doesn't?) but I liked it more than most. And Ana de Armas is sensational--she totally deserves a nod. If people actually liked the movie, I feel like she'd be in the conversation as a potential winner.
I got out to:
LIVING - I've never seen IKIRU and I know I need to rectify that. Lovely and moving - Bill Nighy is great. (but he always is!) I also really liked the faded technicolor cinematography which is reason enough to see it in theatres.
WOMEN TALKING - FINALLY was released near me. I have qualms with the screenplay (philosophical in ways that don't always feel true to the characters) and cinematography (fugly) that keep me from top 10 of the year praise, but it's an incredible ensemble and a powerful experience. Definitely deserves way more attention! (The Whale building word of mouth and everything else flopping is driving me insane)
THE SON - ugh. I just don't really see the purpose here. A cautionary guide on how not to parent in that situation? May be useful, but the misery porn and manipulation really bothered me and every performance feels off.
I saw Living in the theater. Good performances from Bill Nighy and Aimee Lou Wood, but this mainly just made me want to rewatch Ikiru.
I also watched Ticket to Paradise at home. The script was weak, but I was so charmed by Julia Roberts and George Clooney that I didn't mind. I miss movie stars.
On tv, I finished Welcome to Chippendale's, which was entertaining enough to keep me interested, and have been making my way through Call My Agent!/Dix Pour Cent (I love the featured roles from famous French actors).