LOS ANGELES – The “Mean Girls” movie musical dominated the box office this weekend, while the sci-fi thriller “I.S.S.” failed to make an impact in its debut. “Mean Girls” earned an additional $11.7 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to $50 million. Despite a 59% decline in ticket sales from its opening, the film’s modest budget of $36 million helped to sustain its strong performance.
Overall, it was a lackluster weekend for the movie theater industry. The top five films included three releases from Christmas, highlighting the ongoing struggles faced by the industry. The absence of major studio releases contributed to the slow box office performance. David A. Gross, from movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, described it as a “hole” in the release schedule caused by strikes and the pandemic.
The only new release, “I.S.S.,” came in seventh place with a disappointing $3 million from 2,520 theaters. The film, starring Ariana DeBose and Chris Messina, received negative reviews and a grim “C-” CinemaScore from audiences. Meanwhile, “The Beekeeper,” directed by David Ayer, held onto second place with $8.3 million. The action thriller, featuring Jason Statham seeking revenge on behalf of a friend, has earned nearly $31 million in North America.
In third place, “Wonka,” a fantasy musical starring Timothée Chalamet as the iconic chocolatier, brought in $6.7 million. Since its release during the holidays, the film has continued to perform well, accumulating $187 million domestically and $513 million globally. With a production budget of $100 million, it has been a lucrative venture for Warner Bros. and cinema operators.
The R-rated romantic comedy “Anyone but You,” starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, landed at the fourth spot with $5.4 million. After five weeks in theaters, Sony’s film has grossed $64.2 million domestically and $100.2 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing R-rated rom-com since 2016’s “Bridget Jones’s Baby.” The film’s success demonstrates that rom-coms can still find an audience, as long as budgets are controlled.
Rounding out the top five is Universal and Illumination’s animated adventure “Migration,” which earned $5.3 million. Released around Christmas, the $72 million-budgeted film has collected $94.6 million in North America and $191.6 million worldwide.
Despite the sluggish weekend at the box office, “Mean Girls” has proven its staying power, while other films continue to generate substantial revenue. The industry will need to navigate through the challenges posed by the pandemic and find new ways to engage audiences to revitalize the movie theater experience.