It’s a week until Oscars and contenders (see full list) are out in force adding screens ahead of March 2. This is always an odd period for the indie box office and statuettes will generally determine who ramps up and who tapers down, again. Also this weekend, a Chinese and an Indian film hit the top ten, testament to the ongoing importance of foreign films/alternative content at the U.S. box office that exhibitors have been touting this corporate earnings season. Becoming Led Zeppelin powers on and Universal Language has a nice expansion.
Chinese New Year juggernaut Ne Zha 2 from CMC Pictures sits at no. 5 spot in week two with $3.1 million on 785 screens and a North American cume of $14.85 million. Last week, it became the highest grossing animated film of all time at the global box office topping $1.7 billion and leader Inside Out 2.
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Chhaava, the Hindi historical action epic from Yash Raj Films is no. 9 with a $1.5 million three-day gross at 385 theaters and a $4.8 million cume, also in week 2.
Becoming Led Zeppelin, the hybrid documentary-concert film from Sony Pictures Classics, rings up $993k on 940 screens in week 3 for a cume of $7.4 million.
Oscilloscope Labs is seeing an estimated box office of $46k for Matthew Rankin’s Universal Language in week 2 on 24 screens from 2 for a cume of $97.2k.
New: Quiver Distribution opened the action film Cleaner, starring Daisy Ridley and directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) on 378 screens to an estimated $426k.
Greenwich Entertainment premiered Griffin Dunne-starring Ex-Husbands to $11k on screen. The dramady by Noah Pritzker expands to 135 screens next weekend. Premiered at the Hamptons Film Festival, see Deadline review.
In week 4, No Other Land, Oscar-nominated for Best Documentary Feature, is looking at a $96k weekend, doubling its screen count from 27 to 54 for a cume of $419.7k. Will expand through February and March. The highest grossing Oscar nominated doc so far took Best Documentary at yesterday’s Independent Spirit Awards.
Nominees making a push (assembled with help from Comscore): Searchlight Pictures’ Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown took in $750k at 730 locations — unchanged — in week 9 for a cume of $72.3 million.
I’m Still Here from SPC, now in week 6 at 762 theaters (up by 293), is eyeing a $445.9k gross and a $4.26 million cume.
The Brutalist from A24 is on 501 screens (up by 153) in week 10 taking in $353k for a cume of $15.1 million.
Universal’s Wicked, at 482 locations (up 126) in week 14, grossed $210k for a $472.8 million cume.
Focus Features’ Conclave now in weekend 18 saw 455k at 443 (up by 243) theaters for a cume of $32.2 million.
Sean Baker’s Cannes-winning Anora, which cleaned up at the Indie Spirits, is on 408 (up 190) screens for a $115k weekend and a $15.6 million cume in week 19.