LOS ANGELES -- Warner Bros.' Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) unseated Columbia's Bad Boys for Life after three weeks of dominance at the box office but disappointed with a $33.3 million opening, significantly below analyst projections of $50 million to $55 million as well as the studio's more modest projection of $45 million, according to estimates from measurement firm Comscore. Internationally, it earned $48 million for a worldwide cumulative of $81.3 million.
The result comes on the heels of major DC Comics successes such as Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Joker. The latter grossed more than a billion dollars during its theatrical run and earned 11 Academy Awards nominations, winning two including Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix.
Directed by Cathy Yan, Birds of Prey is a spinoff of 2016's Suicide Squad with Margot Robbie reprising her role as the titular comic villainess. It is also the first female-led superhero movie that is neither a period piece nor a prequel.
The $80 million film also features the characters Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) and Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco), who unite against crime lord Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). The film was well-received with a B-plus CinemaScore and an 82% fresh rating on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.
In second place, Bad Boys for Life added $12 million in its fourth weekend for a cumulative $166.3 million. Globally, the film has grossed $336 million.
Coming in third, Universal's best picture nominee 1917 added $9 million in its seventh weekend for a cumulative $132.5 million. It has earned $287.4 million in worldwide receipts. The film was expected to take Best Motion Picture of the Year at the Academy Awards but lost to Parasite, which took that prize as well as Best International Feature Film.
In fourth place, the studio's Dolittle added $6.7 million in its fourth weekend for a cumulative $63.9 million. Globally, the film has earned $158.7 million.
Rounding out the top five, Columbia's Jumanji: The Next Level added $5.5 million in its ninth weekend for a cumulative $298.5 million. It currently stands at $768 million in global ticket sales.
At No. 6, STX Entertainment's The Gentlemen added $4.2 million in its third weekend for a cumulative $26.9 million.
In seventh place, United Artists Releasing's Gretel and Hansel added $3.5 million in its second weekend (a 43% drop) for a cumulative $11.5 million.
Lionsgate's Knives Out re-entered the top 10 at No. 8, adding $2.4 million in its 11th weekend for a cumulative $158.9 million.
In ninth place, Columbia's Little Women added $2.3 million in its seventh weekend for a cumulative $102.7 million.
Rounding out the top 10, Disney's Star Wars: Episode IX -- The Rise of Skywalker added $2.3 million in its eighth weekend for a cumulative $510.5 million.
In limited release, Neon's The Lodge opened in six locations to $78,104 for a per-screen average of $13,017.
The film stars Riley Keough as an unwelcome new addition to a family in mourning. It was positively received with a 76% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes.
ShortsTV and Magnolia Pictures' 2020 Oscar-Nominated Short Films expanded onto 535 screens (up from 460 last week) earning $825,000 in its second weekend for a per-screen average of $1,542 and a cumulative $2.6 million.
Bleecker Street expanded The Assistant into 21 additional locations (up from four in its debut last week) to $122,585 for a per-screen average of $4,903 and a cumulative $225,711.
This week, Paramount releases Sonic the Hedgehog, Columbia unveils Blumhouse's Fantasy Island, Universal opens the romantic drama The Photograph and Searchlight Pictures premieres Downhill.
MovieStyle on 02/14/2020