London, UK – Paramount’s “Mean Girls” has taken the top spot at the UK and Ireland box office, grossing £3.2 million ($4.1 million) in its opening weekend, according to Comscore. After a strong run at the top, Warner Bros.’ “Wonka” slipped to second place with £1.6 million, bringing its total earnings to £58.3 million after seven weekends. Disney’s “Poor Things” secured the third spot, adding £1.09 million to its total of £3.7 million in its second weekend. Sony’s “Anyone But You” landed in fourth place, generating £1.07 million for a cumulative total of £7 million in its fourth weekend.
Warner Bros.’ “One Life” rounded off the top five, pulling in £858,245 in its third weekend and reaching a total of £7.4 million. The box office also saw two new entries in the top 10. Universal’s “The Holdovers,” a strong awards season contender with two Golden Globe wins and multiple Oscar and BAFTA nominations, debuted in sixth place with £689,771. Pathe Live’s concert film “Queen Rock Montreal” secured the ninth spot with £285,110.
In its fourth weekend, Elysian’s “The Boy and the Heron,” directed by renowned anime filmmaker Miyazaki Hayao and an Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe nominee, earned £266,130, making it Miyazaki’s highest-grossing title ever in the UK and Ireland. It surpassed the earnings of his previous films “Spirited Away” (£1.1 million, 2003), “Howl’s Moving Castle” (£999,000, 2005), and “Ponyo” (£880,000, 2010).
According to a spokesperson from Vue, a prominent European cinema chain, there is a growing demand for anime across all their markets in Europe. Looking ahead, Studiocanal’s horror film “Baghead” and Warner Bros.’ “The Color Purple” will both have wide releases in over 300 locations.
Disney is also set to release Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers,” starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal, a film that has received six BAFTA nominations and won several awards at the British Independent Film Awards. Curzon will release the documentary “Samsara,” which was honored at the 2023 Berlin and Thessaloniki festivals. Miracle Comms will introduce sci-fi romance “Forever Young,” Vertigo Releasing will present action-thriller “Jackdaw,” and Verve Pictures will release the documentary “This Blessed Pot.”
Additionally, Miracle/Dazzler is launching Abel Ferrara’s “Padre Pio,” featuring Shia LaBeouf, Asia Argento, and Marco Leonardi, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2022.
The UK and Ireland box office continues to showcase a diverse range of films, with various genres and themes attracting audiences and generating significant earnings.