Paramount Pictures has a winner on its hands withSonic the Hedgehog, the movie adaptation of the popular Sega video game of the same name.Parks & RecreationalumBen Schwartzlends his voice to this wee mammal speedster whileJim Carreysteps into the role of his mad scientist enemy, Robotnik. Oh, and of course,James Marsdenis along for the ride as a local sheriff who befriends Sonic and must help him defeat Robotnik before it’s too late. Classic.
Sonic the Hedgehoghit $57 million domestic through Sunday. Since this is a four-day holiday weekend, we’ll have to wait until Tuesday to get the complete picture onSonic’s opening weekend. But, for now with $57 million in the bank,Sonic the Hedgehoghas officially become the video game adaptation with the highest earning opening weekend, beatingDetective Pikachu’s $53.4 million domestic opening weekend in the process. The Paramount feature opened on 4,167 screens nationwide, averaging $13,679 per screen. Overseas, the movie opened to $43 million across 40 markets, meaningSonichad a global opening weekend total of more than $100 million. Carrying the bonus of being kid-friendly and PG-rated,Sonicalso scooped up an A CinemaScore based on audience response. If our favorite blue speedy boy keeps it up, he and the movie he stars in could end up with somewhere between $65 and $70 million when the President’s Day weekend wraps.
Sonic the Hedgehogwas not the only movie opening over this long holiday weekend. In an unusually jam-packed schedule fellow featuresFantasy Island,The Photograph, andDownhillalso premiered, each offering something different for moviegoers. At number three is the Sony Pictures/Blumhouse releaseFantasy Island, starringLucy HaleandMichael Peñain a scary update on the popular ’70s TV show. Getting a tepid C- CinemaScore, the new take onFantasy Islandearned $12.4 million domestic over the weekend, averaging $4,454 per screen. Considering it was made on supremely lean reported budget of $7 million, these are solid results for the Blumhouse release. In fourth place is the romantic dramaThe Photograph, starringIssa RaeandLaKeith Stanfield. Universal’s latest brought in $12.3 million domestic, averaging $4,877 per screen and scoring a very solid B+ CinemaScore.
As forDownhill, well, this might be the most surprising disappointment of the weekend and ultimately one of the most disappointing openings of 2020 (so far) given its pedigree. The Searchlight Pictures release opened in 10th place this weekend with $4.7 million domestic. Granted,Downhillopened in about half the number of theaters as its fellow new releases — 2,301 screens nationwide — so that may have been a contributing factor to its opening weekend total. However, the feature is also saddled with a brutal D CinemaScore and a 41% on Rotten Tomatoes. What happened?! Despite boasting the star power and box office pull of leadsWill FerrellandJulia Louis-Dreyfus, the film based on the 2014 international comedyForce Majeureseemingly couldn’t stick the landing. Reviews for the U.S. adaptation co-directed and co-written byNat Faxon(The Descendants) andJim Rash(Community) come to the overall consensus that parts of the film work better than the whole and side with its source material as the still-superior feature. Yes,Downhill’s box office fortunes could change if it ups its theater count or catches some strong word-of-mouth buzz. For now, things are going, well, downhill.
Elsewhere in this weekend’s top 10,Birds of Preyis holding on to its number two spot with $17.1 million earned domestic in its second weekend. Overseas, the Warner Bros. film earned $23 million and showed on 14,923 screens across 78 markets. All told,Birds of Prey’s worldwide total at the end of weekend two is $142.9 million. Also, at number eight isParasite. Following its stunning performance at the 2020 Oscars, where itwon Best Pictureamong other big awards, thefilm has expandedacross the U.S. and is currently showing on more than 2,000 screens. The Neon feature earned $5.5 million domestic, bringing its stateside total up to $43.2 million.
you may check out the full top 10 weekend box office chart below. For more, check out ourSonic the Hedgehogreviewplus cast interviews withBen Schwartz,Jim Carrey, andJames Marsden.
Sonic the Hedgehog
$57,000,000
Birds of Prey
$17,115,000
$59,273,302
Fantasy Island
$12,400,000
The Photograph
$12,270,000
Bad Boys For Life
$11,305,000
$181,327,306
$8,090,000
$144,414,984
Jumanji: The Next Level
$5,700,000
$305,716,286
$5,500,500
$43,188,044
$5,050,000
$70,501,515
$4,671,000
