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Box Office
Holland’s latest adventure ‘Uncharted’ tops box office
Lindsey Bahr
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tom Holland might be without his Spider-Man suit in “Uncharted,” but his latest actionadventure is still doing good business at the North American box office.
The video game adaptation starring Holland and Mark Wahlberg is on its way to earning $51 million over the long Presidents Day weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. Sony Pictures estimated its Friday through Sunday grosses will be $44.2 million, putting it at No. 1.
Though not a superhero payday, it’s enough for the industry to breathe a sigh of relief as it’s the biggest opening weekend since “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” The weekend’s other new opener, “Dog” found a modest audience too and landed in second place.
The unpredictability of pandemic-era audiences made “Uncharted” a bit of a wild card, and the poor reviews from critics had some going into the weekend with cautious optimism. The Ruben Fleischer-directed pic, based on a PlayStation game, opened on 4,275 screens.
“This result is yet another extraordinary testament to the appetite for the theatrical experience that Sony Pictures bet on,” said Josh Greenstein, the president of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, in a statement.
Sony also released the megahit “Spider-Man: No Way Home” exclusively in theaters late last year. That Holland-led enterprise has now earned over $770.1 million in North America and is the No. 3 domestic release of all time.
“Tom Holland is a megastar regardless of whether he’s Peter Parker or Nathan Drake,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “For many of the actors who have portrayed superheroes, breaking out of that role and having big box office success outside of that is a tough go.”
“Uncharted” does have a ways to go to make up its $120 million production budget, which will likely be heavily offset by overseas earnings. Its global total has already surpassed $100 million and, unlike “Spider-Man,” “Uncharted” will also get the benefit of a release in China, beginning March 14.
Channing Tatum’s “Dog,” which he co-directed (with his longtime producing partner Reid Carolin) and stars in, also opened on 3,677 screens this weekend. United Artists estimates that it’ll earn $15.1 million for the weekend and $18.1 million including Monday. Tatum plays an Army ranger tasked with driving a traumatized military dog from Oregon to Arizona for her handler’s funeral in the film, which was received well by critics and audiences. Plus, it only cost around $15 million to make.
The PostTrak survey shows that the opening weekend audience for “Dog” was 53% over age 35 and 54% was female.
“To have two movies do really solid business makes it feel like 2019 all over again,” Dergarabedian said.
In its second weekend Kenneth Branagh’s “Death on the Nile” landed in fourth place with $6.3 million, behind “Spider-Man,” while “Jackass Forever” took fifth place with $5.2 million.
According to Dergarabedian, the momentum from this weekend should be the “perfect leadup” to the already highly anticipated release of Warner Bros. “The Batman” on March 4.
“Think about all the people in the movie theater this weekend being exposed to trailers,” Dergarabedian said. “This is great news for ‘The Batman.’ ”
Mark Wahlberg, left, and Tom Holland star in “Uncharted,” a video game adaptation from Sony
Pictures. CLAY ENOS/AP Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday. 1. “Uncharted,” $44.2 million. 2. “Dog,” $15.1 million.
3. “Spider-Man: No Way
Home,” $7.2 million.
4. “Death on the Nile,”
$6.3 million.
5. “Jackass Forever,”
$5.2 million.
6. “Marry Me,” $3.7 million. 7. “Sing 2,” $2.8 million. 8. “Scream,” $2 million. 9. “Blacklight,” $1.8 million. 10. “The Cursed,” $1.7 million.
Larbi
role in healthcare while continuing to nourish the community in his role as a restauranteur. “I‘d still like to go to medical school someday,” he shared. “Until then, I’m focused on putting a smile on people’s faces — that’s a skill that translates easily from the hospital to the kitchen.”
To learn more about Edward M. Kennedy Health Center, visit www.kennedychc.org/. If you are interested in joining a board or commission in the City of Worcester, please explore current vacancies at: tinyurl.com/WorcesterBoardVacancies.
5 THINGS TO DO
‘MACBETH,’ ANIMATED OSCAR NOMINEES, ‘FLORA IN WINTER’ ...
Richard Duckett Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK
Daggers from a scene in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.”
ANDREW HOWE/GETTY IMAGES
Beware as fair is foul and foul is fair as The Hanover Theatre Conservatory Youth Acting Company delves into Shakespeare’s classic haunted tragedy “Macbeth” at The BrickBox Theater Feb. 25 to 26. The Hanover Theatre Repertory artistic director Livy Scanlon presents her 75-minute adaptation of what some of us superstitious types prefer to call “The Scottish Play.” A trio of otherworldly spirits prophesize that Macbeth, the beloved war general, will one day be king of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and urged on by Lady Macbeth, Macbeth kills the king in the night to take the kingdom. Macbeth will soon be haunted by ghosts, guilt, and deadly challenges to the throne.
What: “Macbeth” — The Hanover Theatre Conservatory Youth Acting Company When: 7 p.m. Feb. 25 and 26; 2 p.m. Feb. 27 Where: The BrickBox Theater at the JMAC, 20 Franklin St., Worcester How much: $15. Seating is general admission. www.thehanovertheatre.org; (877) 571-7469. The BrickBox currently requires all audience members to wear masks and show proof of vaccination.
“Flora in Winter” is one of the Worcester Art Museum’s most popular events, displaying flower arrangements inspired by art in the museum’s collection and created by top floral designers from throughout Central Massachusetts. The theme this year is “Love in Bloom” with inspiration from WAM’s current exhibition, “Love Stories from the National Portrait Gallery, London.” Visitors can explore the galleries while encountering beautiful and dynamic floral designs. Related programming includes a range of demonstrations, workshops, tours, music and more. For complete information, visit www.worcesterart.org. What: “Flora in Winter” When: March 3 to 6 Where: Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester How much: Admission is free for members, including business partners; $14 for institutional members; $28 for nonmembers; and $5 for youth 4-17. Additional costs apply for some related programming. Visitors must purchase advance tickets and register for related programs at www.worcesterart.org. Proof of vaccination required for admission. An arrangement from a past “Flora in Winter” at Worcester Art Museum. TROY B. THOMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY
A still from “Affairs of the Art,” by Joanna Quinn and Les
Mills. BERYL PRODUCTIONS
An evening of animated short Oscar nominees
The Oscar nominees for Animated Short Film have been described as amusing, touchy, edgy, and in some instances warranting an R-rating. Get to make your pick ahead of Oscar night when cinema-worcester presents a collection of all five nominees Feb. 25 in the Park View Room. The nominees are: “Affairs of the Art,” Joanna Quinn and Les Mills, UK/Canada; “Besita,” Hugo Covarrubias and Tevo Díaz, Chile; “Boxballet,” Hugo Covarrubias and Tevo Díaz, Russia; “Robin Robin,” Dan Ojari and Mikey Please, UK; “The Windshield Wiper,” Alberto Mielgo and Leo Sanchez, USA/Spain.
What: Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts Collection, presented by cinema-worcester When: 7 p.m. Feb. 25 Where: Park View Room, 230 Park Ave., Worcester How much: $10: $8.50 students and seniors. www.cinema-worcester.com
