‘Croods 2’ Gives Universal seventh Straight No. 1 at Pandemic

With its theatrical window deal signed by AMC and Cinemark, Universal and Focus Features have continued to steer the struggling pandemic field workplace, as “The Croods: A New Age” earned its third straight No. 1 weekend and the studio’s seventh straight weekend atop the charts with $three million from 2,115 screens.

Overseas, the movie added $6.6 million in China and $8.four throughout all abroad markets, together with openings in Mexico and Ecuador. Globally, “Croods 2” now has a field workplace complete of $76 million as Universal prepares to launch the movie as a premium video on-demand title within the coming week as a part of its theatrical window deal. That deal, which permits Universal and Focus movies to hit PVOD after three weekends in theaters, can even be used on the studios’ two remaining 2020 movies: Paul Greengrass’ “News of the World” and Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman.”|

As was the case final weekend, “Croods 2” was the one movie to gross greater than $1 million this weekend. The second spot went to Focus’ “Half Brothers” with $490,000 in its second weekend to carry its complete to $1.three million. In third was a re-release of the Will Ferrell Christmas comedy “Elf” with $400,000 from 850 screens. Universal/Blumhouse’s “Freaky” is fourth with $315,000 and a complete of $8.2 million, and 101 Studios’ “The War With Grandpa” is approaching an $18 million complete after greater than two months in theaters with $260,000 this weekend.
Leading new restricted releases this weekend was John Patrick Shanley’s “Wild Mountain Thyme” with $100,466 from 450 theaters.

It was a tough week for theaters outdoors the field workplace, as hopes for a Congressional pandemic stimulus package deal had been shut down but once more by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whereas administrators like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve had been on the forefront of a backlash in opposition to Warner Bros. determination to launch all of its 2021 movies in theaters and on HBO Max concurrently.

Meanwhile, Disney introduced at its investor day convention that remakes of “Pinocchio” and “Peter Pan” that had been initially meant for theaters would transfer to Disney+, whereas “Raya and the Last Dragon” would get a day-and-date launch in theaters and PVOD in March. The studio held again on saying strikes for different theatrical releases like “Black Widow” however did announce new theatrical titles like Pixar’s “Luca” for 2021.