After a close race for the top spot in North America, Universal and DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” pulled ahead to secure the domestic box office crown.
The final installment in the “Dragon” trilogy stayed strong, adding another $30 million in its second weekend of release. The animated adventure is just shy of the $100 million mark in North America with its domestic tally currently sitting at $97.6 million.
While “How to Train Your Dragon 3” fended off newcomers to repeat No. 1, Tyler Perry’s “A Madea Family Funeral” still had a solid start of its own. Perry bid a farewell to his long-running Madea character in the 11th and final installment in the 15-year franchise. It opened ahead of expectations, pocketing $27 million from 2,442 theaters.
“Madea Family Funeral,” which Perry directs, stars, and produces, marks the end of his partnership with Lionsgate. Like previous “Madea” entries, audiences were more receptive to the eccentric character than critics were. The film nabbed a promising A- CinemaScore, while its Rotten Tomato score is a less-enthusiastic 25%. Moviegoers over the age of 25 accounted for 78% of its opening weekend, while 67% of crowds were female.
“Madea” had the best showing among new offerings. Focus Features’ “Greta” launched below projections heading into the weekend, bowing in seventh place with $4.5 million from 2,411 venues. Directed by Neil Jordan, the horror film follows a young woman (Chloe Grace Moretz) who befriends a widow (Isabelle Huppert) who is harboring a dark secret.
Meanwhile, Universal’s “Green Book” benefitted from Oscar glory. The film expanded back to 2,600 screens after nabbing the Academy Award for best picture. It secured fifth place in its 16th weekend of release, amassing $4.7 million. “Green Book” has earned $75 million in North America and $74 million overseas.
A number of holdovers rounded out the top five. Third place went to Fox’s “Alita: Battle Angel,” which earned $7 million in its third weekend of release. Produced by James Cameron and directed by Robert Rodriguez, the sci-fi adventure has pocketed $72.5 million at the domestic box office.
Warner Bros.’ “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” landed at No. 4 with $6 million, bringing its North American haul to $91 million.
More to come…
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