There are actually three new wide releases this weekend, though no one really gives a shit about Friend Request. Let’s just be real honest. The other two, Ninjago and Kingsman are both tracking around 40M, which is quite astounding. I doubt they can both do that, with It also making 25-30M this weekend. So let’s discuss.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle is not getting the same critical acclaim the first film got. The first managed a 74% on Rotten Tomatoes. The sequel is getting a 56%. That’s not terrible. Honestly, most of the reviews I’ve seen for Kingsman: The Golden Circle are positive, in the circle of critics I follow and trust the most. I don’t know who the primary haters are dragging down the sequel.
It is launching against Ninjago, which has yet to screen for critics. That’s odd… considering how critics loved The Lego Movie and The Lego Batman Movie. The LEGO Movie has a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and LEGO Batman has a 91%. So the fact that this either isn’t screening for critics, or has a review embargo is baffling. It must be fucking awful. When studios pull this kind of crap with late-reviews and embargos, I always assume the worst. On top of that, there’s no reason this film should be playing the late game anyway, when the first two films were so beloved by critics. The big question here is, will Ninjago have an adult-only audience in the way the last two LEGO movies were able to pull in?
Also opening is Friend Request.
And expanding into 450 screens, we have Brad’s Status, which should manage to crack the top 10 (because the top 10 is so weak, aside from the new releases, It, and American Assassin).
1) The LEGO Ninjago Movie- 40M Opening Weekend, 40M Total
2) The Kingsman: The Golden Circle- 32M Opening Weekend, 32M Total
3) It- 27M Weekend, 262M Total
4) American Assassin- 6.5M Weekend, 26M Total
5) Home Again- 3.5M Weekend, 22M Total
6) Mother!- 3M Weekend, 12M Total
7) Brad’s Status- 2.5M Weekend, 2.5M Total
8) The Hitman’s Bodyguard- 2M Weekend, 73M Total
9) Wind River- 2M Weekend, 32M Total
10) Friend Request- 2M Weekend, 2M Total
