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| Tom Cruise still flying high at UK box office with American Made | Tom Cruise still flying high at UK box office with American Made |
| (2 days later) | |
| Winner #1: American Made | Winner #1: American Made |
| Tom Cruise is at the top of the UK box office for the second week running with American Made. The Doug Liman-directed film declined a slim 9% and held the chart summit with a gross of £968,000. There the good news ends, because the film’s success says more about the uncompetitive nature of the market than it does about American Made’s popularity. | Tom Cruise is at the top of the UK box office for the second week running with American Made. The Doug Liman-directed film declined a slim 9% and held the chart summit with a gross of £968,000. There the good news ends, because the film’s success says more about the uncompetitive nature of the market than it does about American Made’s popularity. |
| This is the first time since June 2012 that a film has topped the official UK chart with less than £1m. On that occasion, Ice Age: Continental Drift did so from its release in Scotland and Ireland with a gross of just £853,000. (In fact, the Ice Age movie played previews that weekend in England and Wales, which were added in later, so the poor chart-topping tally was due to the industry’s eccentric box office measuring system.) Prior to that example, the last time a UK weekend chart was topped by a film grossing less than £1m was in October 2010: Will Ferrell’s The Other Guys took the No 1 spot on its third week of release, with £976,000, resisting the challenge of new titles Buried and Made in Dagenham. | This is the first time since June 2012 that a film has topped the official UK chart with less than £1m. On that occasion, Ice Age: Continental Drift did so from its release in Scotland and Ireland with a gross of just £853,000. (In fact, the Ice Age movie played previews that weekend in England and Wales, which were added in later, so the poor chart-topping tally was due to the industry’s eccentric box office measuring system.) Prior to that example, the last time a UK weekend chart was topped by a film grossing less than £1m was in October 2010: Will Ferrell’s The Other Guys took the No 1 spot on its third week of release, with £976,000, resisting the challenge of new titles Buried and Made in Dagenham. |
| Winner # 2: God’s Own Country | Winner # 2: God’s Own Country |
| Commercially successful British indie films are rare, so when one comes along it commands attention. God’s Own Country is by first-time feature director (and former actor) Francis Lee, features the relatively unknown actors Josh O’Connor and Alec Secareanu in its lead roles and is a low-budget gay drama set on a Yorkshire farm. Box office success was far from a given. | Commercially successful British indie films are rare, so when one comes along it commands attention. God’s Own Country is by first-time feature director (and former actor) Francis Lee, features the relatively unknown actors Josh O’Connor and Alec Secareanu in its lead roles and is a low-budget gay drama set on a Yorkshire farm. Box office success was far from a given. |
| The film opened with a very encouraging £136,000 from 45 cinemas, yielding a site average of £3,022. That is the third-best average for any film on release, behind new Pakistani movie Punjab Nahi Jaungi and a single-screen outing for Jean-Pierre Melville’s 1967 crime thriller Le Samouraï. Previews increase God’s Own Country tally to £168,000. | The film opened with a very encouraging £136,000 from 45 cinemas, yielding a site average of £3,022. That is the third-best average for any film on release, behind new Pakistani movie Punjab Nahi Jaungi and a single-screen outing for Jean-Pierre Melville’s 1967 crime thriller Le Samouraï. Previews increase God’s Own Country tally to £168,000. |
| Lee’s film follows the notable success earlier this year of British indie Lady Macbeth, which began with £153,000 from a much wider 104 sites, and £175,000 including previews. Lady Macbeth, by debut director William Oldroyd, went on to bring in more than £800,000. | Lee’s film follows the notable success earlier this year of British indie Lady Macbeth, which began with £153,000 from a much wider 104 sites, and £175,000 including previews. Lady Macbeth, by debut director William Oldroyd, went on to bring in more than £800,000. |
| Highest new entry: The Limehouse Golem | Highest new entry: The Limehouse Golem |
| A UK debut of £371,000 from 277 cinemas will hardly have its distributor Lionsgate turning cartwheels in jubilation, but literary chiller The Limehouse Golem nevertheless earned the distinction of being the weekend’s top new release. The film landed in ninth place in the official comScore chart, achieving a weak site average of £1,341. The literary source material (Peter Ackroyd’s novel), period setting (Victorian London) and a British cast led by Bill Nighy are elements that traditionally chime with the older audience that usually come out more strongly midweek – as it did recently for Their Finest. Still, the rather grisly genre positioning might not play so well for a weekday matinee crowd; this film isn’t exactly My Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. | A UK debut of £371,000 from 277 cinemas will hardly have its distributor Lionsgate turning cartwheels in jubilation, but literary chiller The Limehouse Golem nevertheless earned the distinction of being the weekend’s top new release. The film landed in ninth place in the official comScore chart, achieving a weak site average of £1,341. The literary source material (Peter Ackroyd’s novel), period setting (Victorian London) and a British cast led by Bill Nighy are elements that traditionally chime with the older audience that usually come out more strongly midweek – as it did recently for Their Finest. Still, the rather grisly genre positioning might not play so well for a weekday matinee crowd; this film isn’t exactly My Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. |
| The flop: Patti Cake$ | The flop: Patti Cake$ |
| Released on a very ambitious 223 prints, Sundance hit Patti Cake$ landed with a commercial thud, grossing £84,000 (£122,000 including previews). The scale of release seemed out of kilter with the film’s marketing visibility. And given limited awareness here for any of the film’s creative participants (such as director Geremy Jasper and lead actor Danielle Macdonald), distributor Fox was relying on critical support and social media buzz to get the film out of the starting gate. | Released on a very ambitious 223 prints, Sundance hit Patti Cake$ landed with a commercial thud, grossing £84,000 (£122,000 including previews). The scale of release seemed out of kilter with the film’s marketing visibility. And given limited awareness here for any of the film’s creative participants (such as director Geremy Jasper and lead actor Danielle Macdonald), distributor Fox was relying on critical support and social media buzz to get the film out of the starting gate. |
| The market | The market |
| Data gatherer comScore reports a 16% drop in box office this August compared to August 2016. The month lacked big releases found the same time last year, when Suicide Squad and powerful late-July titles Finding Dory and Jason Bourne were in cinemas. | Data gatherer comScore reports a 16% drop in box office this August compared to August 2016. The month lacked big releases found the same time last year, when Suicide Squad and powerful late-July titles Finding Dory and Jason Bourne were in cinemas. |
| Last month has been widely reported as a disastrous summer for Hollywood. However, the UK market performed much better than the US, and UK box office for the first eight months of the year is up 8% on the same period in 2016. | Last month has been widely reported as a disastrous summer for Hollywood. However, the UK market performed much better than the US, and UK box office for the first eight months of the year is up 8% on the same period in 2016. |
| As for the 1-3 September weekend, cinemas might be relieved that box office is down a mere 6% on the previous frame – given the lack of commercially potent new titles. That said, it is also 43% down on the equivalent session from 2016, when Sausage Party and Brotherhood landed in the top two places. Can this weekend’s big new film – theadaptation of Stephen King’s novel It – save the day for cinemas? | As for the 1-3 September weekend, cinemas might be relieved that box office is down a mere 6% on the previous frame – given the lack of commercially potent new titles. That said, it is also 43% down on the equivalent session from 2016, when Sausage Party and Brotherhood landed in the top two places. Can this weekend’s big new film – theadaptation of Stephen King’s novel It – save the day for cinemas? |
| Top 10 films, 1-3 September | Top 10 films, 1-3 September |
| 1. American Made, £968,068 from 556 sites. Total: £3,024,863 (two weeks) | 1. American Made, £968,068 from 556 sites. Total: £3,024,863 (two weeks) |
| 2. Dunkirk, £935,980 from 545 sites. Total: £53,735,483 (seven weeks) | 2. Dunkirk, £935,980 from 545 sites. Total: £53,735,483 (seven weeks) |
| 3. The Hitman’s Bodyguard, £718,328 from 507 sites. Total: £5,661,650 (three weeks) | 3. The Hitman’s Bodyguard, £718,328 from 507 sites. Total: £5,661,650 (three weeks) |
| 4. The Emoji Movie, £716,139 from 578 sites. Total: £12,289,905 (five weeks) | 4. The Emoji Movie, £716,139 from 578 sites. Total: £12,289,905 (five weeks) |
| 5. Logan Lucky, £632,648 from 532 sites. Total: £2,121,222 (two weeks) | 5. Logan Lucky, £632,648 from 532 sites. Total: £2,121,222 (two weeks) |
| 6. Annabelle: Creation, £572,226 from 427 sites. Total: £7,582,319 (four weeks) | 6. Annabelle: Creation, £572,226 from 427 sites. Total: £7,582,319 (four weeks) |
| 7. Despicable Me 3, £515,332 from 529 sites. Total: £45,561,378 (10 weeks) | 7. Despicable Me 3, £515,332 from 529 sites. Total: £45,561,378 (10 weeks) |
| 8. Detroit, £491,311 from 489 sites. Total: £1,709,135 (two weeks) | 8. Detroit, £491,311 from 489 sites. Total: £1,709,135 (two weeks) |
| 9. The Limehouse Golem, £371,412 from 277 sites (new) | 9. The Limehouse Golem, £371,412 from 277 sites (new) |
| 10. Girls Trip, £272,039 from 255 sites. Total: £8,295,986 (six weeks) | 10. Girls Trip, £272,039 from 255 sites. Total: £8,295,986 (six weeks) |
| Other openers | Other openers |
| Punjab Nahi Jaungi, £253,153 (including £6,784 previews) from 60 sites | Punjab Nahi Jaungi, £253,153 (including £6,784 previews) from 60 sites |
| God’s Own Country, £167,824 (including £31,732 previews) from 45 sites | God’s Own Country, £167,824 (including £31,732 previews) from 45 sites |
| Patti Cake$, £121,726 (including £37,274 previews) from 223 sites | Patti Cake$, £121,726 (including £37,274 previews) from 223 sites |
| Baadshaho, £81,229 from 49 sites | Baadshaho, £81,229 from 49 sites |
| Inhumans, £80,176 from 39 sites | Inhumans, £80,176 from 39 sites |
| Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, £29,542 from 31 sites | Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, £29,542 from 31 sites |
| Stratton, £27,638 from 145 sites | Stratton, £27,638 from 145 sites |
| Na Maloom Afraad 2, £17,854 from 31 sites | Na Maloom Afraad 2, £17,854 from 31 sites |
| Una, £5,968 from seven sites | Una, £5,968 from seven sites |
| Back to Burgundy, £4,542 from two sites | Back to Burgundy, £4,542 from two sites |
| Midnight Runners, £1,920 from two sites | Midnight Runners, £1,920 from two sites |
| Soulsmith, £1,133 from one site | Soulsmith, £1,133 from one site |
| • Thanks to comScore. All figures relate to takings in UK and Ireland cinemas. | • Thanks to comScore. All figures relate to takings in UK and Ireland cinemas. |
| •This article was amended on 6 September to correct the national origin of Punjab Nahi Jaungi. | •This article was amended on 6 September to correct the national origin of Punjab Nahi Jaungi. |