Flight Risk Flops Despite Topping Box Office in Record-Low Weekend

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Over the past weekend, Flight Risk took the lead at the box office, however, it only managed to earn approximately $12 million domestically (as reported by The Numbers). Regrettably, this is Lionsgate’s second number one film of the year, with Den of Thieves 2: Pantera being the other. Unfortunately, this premiere occurred during the least profitable weekend of 2025 so far, with gross earnings totaling $66.3 million. Despite the NFL airing the NFC and AFC Championship games on Sunday, January 26, which may have drawn some viewers away, it’s still a letdown for the film industry.

Historically, studios have avoided releasing big movies in January as it’s often a slow period for moviegoers. However, contrary to the norm, box office numbers from this year showed an improvement compared to 2024. This was despite the poorly received film Flight Risk being the top earner. In contrast, during the same weekend last year, a more popular title, Mean Girls, was at the top spot, but still managed less overall domestic earnings of $56.6 million, which was $10 million lower than this year’s total.

The Lion King,” seized an opportunity during a supposedly competitive weak weekend and climbed up to the second position at the box office, earning $8.7 million. To date, it has grossed a total of $626.7 million globally across its sixth week in theaters. “One of Them Days” landed at number three with $8 million, while “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” took fourth place with $5.5 million and “Moana 2” completed the Top 5 with a revenue of $4.3 million, approaching a significant box office achievement.

‘Moana 2’ Breaks the Billion-Dollar Mark at the Box Office Over a Weak Weekend

January has seen some rather awkward movie titles in previous years. For instance, Flight Risk took the top spot this past weekend, but it’s Moana 2 that’s making waves at the box office, having surpassed the billion-dollar mark ($1.026 billion). The Mouse House is rejoicing, while Universal finds itself on the sidelines as its newest horror film experiences a steep drop of 69% between its first and second weekends.

Indeed, “Wolf Man” dropped significantly from the third spot last week to number seven, earning just $3.4 million. Contrary to speculations of boredom with horror movies, it’s more about quality. For example, Focus Features’ “Nosferatu,” a global success worth $100 million ($166.4 million to be precise), has thrived due to its impressive Rotten Tomatoes rating (85% on the Tomatometer) and a “B-” CinemaScore. In stark contrast, Universal’s modern take on their 1941 classic “The Wolf Man,” featuring Lon Chaney Jr., Evelyn Ankers, and Claude Rains, could only muster a 53% Tomatometer and a “C-” CinemaScore.

Neon’s film titled “Presence,” which earned $3.4 million, was the only other new release in the Top 10 over the weekend. However, the company also made some noise at No. 14 with “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” This movie, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, is a political drama that premiered in theaters on November 27, 2024. After being in cinemas for nine weeks, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” saw an astonishing increase in its performance between the last two weekends by an impressive 3,172%!

The movie “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” earned an impressive $1.244 million, playing in just 16 cinemas, resulting in a remarkable per-theater average of $77,750 over the weekend. On the other hand, the documentary “Liza: An Absolutely True Story” debuted in a solitary theater and grossed an impressive $19,000 on its opening day. This film, directed by Bruce David Klein, delves into the life of Liza Minnelli, a renowned singing sensation and actress who is well-known to contemporary audiences for her recurring role on “Arrested Development.

The highly praised film titled “Companion” featuring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid is set to premiere in theaters on Jan 31, and this one-of-a-kind horror-romantic comedy will also be accessible on high-end screens such as IMAX. Additionally, “Dog Man” (an animated production), as well as “Love Me” starring Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun, along with “Valiant One“, are all scheduled to debut in January, gratefully making way for February.

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2025-01-27 02:33