Weekend Box Office: M3GAN is Another Slasher Hit
Monday, January 9, 2023 at 10:00PM By Ben Miller
As Smile and The Black Phone proved in 2022, no genre gets more bang for their buck than horror. Avatar: The Way of Water was the top draw at theaters this weekend, but it's the murderous robot M3GAN that made the biggest splash. Budgeted at a mere $12 million, Gerard Jonstone's film grossed a shocking $30 million to go along with jubiliant critical praise (93% on Rotten Tomatoes!). After all, she is our new horror princess. The Way of Water managed just a 33% drop in its fourth week with $45 million as it barrells it's way towards $2 billion worldwide. Despite only being in theaters for four weeks, it's the seventh highest grossing movie of all-time. James Cameron cannot miss (at least financially).
| Weekend Box Office (actuals) Jan 6th-8th 🔺 = new or expanding / ★ = Recommended |
|
| WIDE (OVER 800 SCREENS) | LIMITED / PLATFORM |
 M3GAN |
 A MAN CALLED OTTO |
| 1 ★ AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER $45.8 (cum. $517.6) 4340 screens |
1 🔺 A MAN CALLED OTTO $4.2 (cum. $4.2) 637 screens |
| 2 🔺 ★ M3GAN $30.4 *NEW* 3509 screens |
2 🔺 ★ CORSAGE $251k (cum. $342k) 317 screens |
| 3 PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH $13.5 (cum. $88.1) 3919 screens |
3 🔺 ★ WOMEN TALKING $142k (cum. $339k) 29 screens |
| 4 BLACK PANTHER WAKANDA FOREVER $3.5 (cum. $445.5) 2255 screens |
4 🔺★ EO $79k (cum. $568k) 62 screens |
|
5 WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY $2.4 (cum. $19.7) 3184 screnes |
5 🔺★ BROKER $73k (cum. $147k) 44 screens |
|
6 🔺 THE WHALE $1.5 (cum. $8.5) 835 screens |
6 ★ TÁR $57k (cum. $5.6) 45 screens |
 THE WHALE |
 LIVING |
|
7 BABYLON $1.4 (cum. $13.5) 2381 screens |
7 ★ THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN $53k (cum. $9.1) 75 screens |
|
8 VIOLENT NIGHT $706k (cum. $49.3) 1981 screens |
8 EMPIRE OF LIGHT $52k (cum. $1.0) 300 screens |
|
9 ★ THE MENU $685k (cum. $37.6) 800 screens |
9 🔺★ LIVING $41k (cum. $118k) 11 screens |
|
10 ★ THE FABELMANS $590k (cum. $13.3) 998 screens |
|
|
Only ten films are in wide release (>800 screens) |
11 ★ TRIANGLE OF SADNESS $18k (cum. $4.1) 14 screens |
Elsewhere, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish continues steady business on its way to $100+ million and maybe an Oscar nomination. The Whale continues to be the indie hit of the holiday season, adding another $1.5 million to its total. The Brendan Fraser drama has already outgrossed several other Oscar contenders and now has The Fabelmans and Babylon in its sights. In fact, this week is the first time the film has been on more than 800 screens. I still think we are all underestimating its Oscar chances.
On the platform/limited side, never underestimate the power of Tom Hanks. Despite playing on just 637 screens, A Man Called Otto made $4.2 million, good for fourth overall at the box office. Low expectations play a factor (67% critics on RT), but moviegoers are loving it (97% audience). It expands wide on Friday.
Just outside the list Spain's Oscar submission Alcarràs finally opened in 5 theaters earning $11k
Next Weekend - In addition to Otto's expansion, we get treated to the newest Gerard Butler action-flick Plane, which could be dumb fun. The Czech-produced The Devil Conspiracy also opens. It looks like an angels vs. demons horror thriller (and I haven't heard of it until today).
What did you watch this weekend? I've been catching up on lots of the short films on the Oscar shortlists. I also found time to watch 1927 Oscar-winner Sunrise as well as the 1962 classic What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
A Man Called Otto, M3GAN, The Whale, Tom Hanks, box office
Reader Comments (12)
Went out to:
- Corsage: Vicky Krieps continues to be a wonderful presence, but the movie didn't live up to her performance - felt half-baked and airless
- M3gan: so much fun!
- The Whale: vile.
Also saw Ava2ar again and watched The Player for the first time. Really loved it - there's a lot of Altman on different streaming platforms right now, so I'll probably check off some of my blindspots. (3 Women soon)
I caught two awards contenders.
Emergency
This film, an Independent Spirit nominee for screenplay, is thrilling. Three minority graduate students find a drunken and scantily clad white high school girl unconscious in their apartment. This was so real and so gripping. It may well make my list of the top films of the year.
She Said
I liked this much more than I thought I would. Director Maria Schrader (Unorthodox) does fine work. Though I knew the story well, I still found the film quite compelling with some outstanding cameo performances. Kudos to Samantha Morton, Ashley Judd, Patricia Clarkson, and Jennifer Ehle.
Saw M3GAN... I had fun, but I wanted more fun.
It wasn't a "good" movie, the script was underdeveloped, but I thought they didn't a pretty good with the camp. There were some solid laughs for me and my friends.
I thought the CEO (the asian dude) was really bad... just a one-note performance the entire time, high school acting class choices. *spoiler* His death should've been way more epic for how grating his character was.
I wanted one ICONIC line from Megan that I'd walk away repeating over and over, but I didn't get that.
I had fun, and with the state of the industry right now, I'm gonna be content and take it as a win. But I couldn't help but think of how much potential there really was here, and how much better the movie could've been if they really wanted it to be.
Loved the singing bits... loved the body rolls and kicks (those moments show how much potential there really was here).
Great Halloween costume, though!
I thought M3GAN was amusing, but I wanted it to be so much wilder and over the top than it was. Then I went home and watched The Menu and was similarly underwhelmed. It was so smug and nowhere near as funny or clever as it thought it was - definitely my least favorite of the recent spate of “Eat the Rich” movies.
And tonight I finally got around to Elvis. Butler does a really good job, but I was so disinterested.
Here’s hoping I watch something I enjoy soon! I sound like such a grouch lol
A couple of re-watches in a Donald Duck/Pete short and Jazzin' for Blue Jean as the latter to celebrate David Bowie's birthday and a first-timer in Glass Onion which is fucking great.
Tropic Thunder rewatch and I've been surprised that is one of the best ensemble cast and casting in movies. Everyone is perfect in his role, from Ben Stiller to Tom Cruise to Matthew McConaughey to Nick Nolte and Jay Baruchel. And you also feel that they're all having fun doing it. Downey Jr. is completely genius. I miss him before the MCU where you could find him in comedies like this or in most serious movies as Zodiac
I don't go to the cinema so I hope to see Megan soon,I love bad doll movies.
I saw
Dear Heart 64 Geraldine Page Drama.
Eye of the Devil Deborah Kerr/David Niven occult movie
Trilogy of Terror 75 TV movie with Karen Black
Harriet Craig hooty Joan Crawford melodrama.
I keep wondering why The Menu has done so much better than higher profile titles like Fabelmans,Banshees,Tar and Babylon and it also looks like The Whale will make money than those 4 mentioned.
I saw Babylon and really enjoyed it. Yes, it had some flaws, but it was very entertaining and I'm glad I saw it - I wouldn't have liked it half as much if I watched it at home. Tobey Maguire was the highlight and I almost wish he were in the race for Supporting Actor, though the performance is probably a bit too short. (His performance was definitely more notable than Brad Pitt's, though.)
The state of the movies in general this year is really depressing. It's tough to see something like M3gan earn 3x as much in its opening weekend as Banshees will earn in its entire theatrical run.
Oscarbait is slowly trickling into my regional market, so I'll be able to start checking some of those off my list soon. Until then ...
Took a dive in 1930s films this weekend with Gold Diggers of 1933 and Libeled Lady. Both were good fun, especially the latter. I had mistakenly thought it was a drama from the description, but it was a fun screwball comedy instead.
I watched She Said. Solid journalism flick. Good performances all around, but Carey Mulligan has zero business being anywhere near the supporting actress category. She's a co-lead, no question. She has top billing, too. Is she good? Yes. But Samantha Morton and Jennifer Ehle are the two actual supporting actresses that should be considered.
THE MENU - I like Ralph Fiennes when he's Voldermort/villain. I may never eat s'mores again.
SHE SAID is already gone from my area. So annoying. Will have to stream. Samantha Morton is a wonder in everything she does. Currently working my way through the "I Am..." series. She's in an episode called "I am Kirsty". Fantastic and heartbreaking. Such an amazing, naturalistic actress.
HAPPY VALLEY S3 E2, twice. Hoo boy, that ending with two acting powerhouses was some of the best 5 minutes of television.
REMEMBER THE NIGHT. Needed a Barbara Stanwyck fix.