Box Office: ‘Star Is Born’ Tops $350M, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Tops ‘Greatest Showman’ And ‘La La Land’

In other global milestones, Warner Bros. A Star Is Born has topped $350 million. The Bradley Cooper/Lady Gaga romantic drama/musical remake has earned $191m domestic and $353m worldwide as of today, making a $200m+ finish a sure thing even if it doesn’t end up ruling the Oscars. And while it’s not a comparative mega-hit overseas, a $36m budget means (like Crazy Rich Asians) it didn’t have to be. Sure it’s trailing Bohemian Rhapsody ($472m worldwide), but it’s still a massive across-the-board win for all parties. Sure, I’ve been giving WB a little hell for Fantastic Beasts 2, but that artistic miss (and box office stumble) doesn’t erase WB’s banner year (The Meg, Ready Player One, Ocean’s 8, etc.).

Illumination and Universal/Comcast Corp.’s The Grinch earned another solid $30 million (-21%) in its third Fri-Sun frame to give it a $42m Wed-Sun haul and $180m 17-day cume. The $75m-budgeted Dr. Seuss adaptation is still looking like a $250m+ domestic grosser, and it’s certainly passing the (unadjusted) $213m domestic total of The Lorax from back in 2012. Bohemian Rhapsody earned another $13.85m (-14%) for a new $152m domestic cume and aforementioned absurd $472m global total. That includes an absurd $320m overseas, with plenty more still to come. The Freddie Mercury biopic has already passed The Greatest Showman ($434m) and La La Land ($441m) among recent musical hits. Fox didn’t need X-Men to rule the pre-holiday season.

Paramount/Viacom Inc.’s Instant Family earned another $12.5 million (-14%) in its second Fri-Sun frame for a promising $35.751m ten-day cume. The Mark Wahlberg/Rose Byrne foster family dramedy balances unapologetic black comedy with grounded melodrama for an uncommonly satisfying mainstream studio experience. I sincerely hope it finds an audience over the next month. Ditto for Steven McQueen and Gillian Flynn’s Widows, which blends pulp with prestige for a top-notch crime drama that happens to have a lot on its mind. That Viola Davis (and friends) film earned $7.955m (-36%) in its second Fri-Sun frame. That’s a $25.5m ten-day cume, so it still needs post-holiday legs, awards-season love or an overseas miracle. Vote with your wallet!

In other odds and ends, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms earned $2.725 million (-43%) as it lost 878 theaters over the holiday. The $130m Walt Disney flick has earned $49.1m domestic and $122m worldwide. Boy Erased has earned $4.539m in four weekends for Focus Features as the Nicole Kidman/Russell Crowe gay conversion therapy drama makes a run at Oscar glory. Overlord topped $20m (it deserved much better) while Nobody’s Fool topped $30m over the weekend. Oh, and Sony’s The Front Runner earned just $630k (+736%) in 807 theaters for a poor $781-per-theater average and $1.069m 20-day cume. It’s time to call time of death for Jason Reitman’s Hugh Jackman-as-Gary Hart biopic.

Source: forbes.com