'Chappie' tops box office over slow weekend
The science-fiction action thriller Chappie won a lackluster weekend box office victory, earning $13.3 million for the top spot, according to studio estimates.
Director Neill Blomkamp's R-rated tale of an oppressive police droid reprogrammed for good was king of the second sluggish weekend in a row. Last weekend, Will Smith's R-rated Focus won with a weak $19.1 million.
"This is two slow weekends led by primarily R-rated films," says Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst for Rentrak. "We've been accustomed to 2015's box office overperforming. But the newcomers have not exactly set the world on fire. It's a setback, but temporary."
New offerings fared far better the same weekend last year, with strong earnings for 300: Rise of an Empire ($45 million) and Mr. Peabody & Sherman ($32.2 million), according to Rentrak. This weekend was down nearly 40% from 2014.
Chappie struggled with convincing critics, who gave the film a 30% approval rating on RottenTomatoes.com. Audiences assigned it a B grade on CinemaScore.
More impressive was the work of the art-house film Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel starring Richard Gere and Judi Dench, which pulled in $8.6 million and third place in only 1,500 theaters.
The film is the sequel to 2012's sleeper hit The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which earned $136 million worldwide. Second Best scored 64% with critics on RottenTomatoes and received a B-plus from audiences on CinemaScore.
"It's the only bright spot this weekend with a great opening for a primarily senior audience," says Jeff Bock, box office analyst for Exhibitor Relations. "And Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel will have legs, as well."
Focus took second place in its second weekend with $10 million ($34.6 million total). Colin Firth's Kingsman: The Secret Service continues to hang in with fourth place and $8.3 million in its fourth week ($98 million total).
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water rounded out the top five with $7 million in its fifth weekend ($149 million total).
Also noteworthy is the diminishing performance of Fifty Shades of Grey, which took $5.6 million for sixth place. The R-rated bondage film's worldwide total stands at an impressive $528 million.
Vince Vaughn's bawdy business-trip comedy Unfinished Business failed to crack the top five in its debut weekend with a limp $4.8 million. The R-rated film was savaged by critics with a 13% score on RottenTomatoes; audiences gave it a B-minus on CinemaScore.
Next weekend, Disney's live-action Cinderella should bust the box office out of the March doldrums.
Final weekend numbers are expected Monday.
