By Ben Miller
As Smile and The Black Phone proved in 2022, no genre gets more bang for their buck than horror. Avatar: The Way of Water was the top draw at theaters this weekend, but it's the murderous robot M3GAN that made the biggest splash. Budgeted at a mere $12 million, Gerard Jonstone's film grossed a shocking $30 million to go along with jubiliant critical praise (93% on Rotten Tomatoes!). After all, she is our new horror princess. The Way of Water managed just a 33% drop in its fourth week with $45 million as it barrells it's way towards $2 billion worldwide. Despite only being in theaters for four weeks, it's the seventh highest grossing movie of all-time. James Cameron cannot miss (at least financially).
| Weekend Box Office (actuals) Jan 6th-8th 🔺 = new or expanding / ★ = Recommended |
|
| WIDE (OVER 800 SCREENS) | LIMITED / PLATFORM |
 M3GAN |
 A MAN CALLED OTTO |
| 1 ★ AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER $45.8 (cum. $517.6) 4340 screens |
1 🔺 A MAN CALLED OTTO $4.2 (cum. $4.2) 637 screens |
| 2 🔺 ★ M3GAN $30.4 *NEW* 3509 screens |
2 🔺 ★ CORSAGE $251k (cum. $342k) 317 screens |
| 3 PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH $13.5 (cum. $88.1) 3919 screens |
3 🔺 ★ WOMEN TALKING $142k (cum. $339k) 29 screens |
| 4 BLACK PANTHER WAKANDA FOREVER $3.5 (cum. $445.5) 2255 screens |
4 🔺★ EO $79k (cum. $568k) 62 screens |
|
5 WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY $2.4 (cum. $19.7) 3184 screnes |
5 🔺★ BROKER $73k (cum. $147k) 44 screens |
|
6 🔺 THE WHALE $1.5 (cum. $8.5) 835 screens |
6 ★ TÁR $57k (cum. $5.6) 45 screens |
 THE WHALE |
 LIVING |
|
7 BABYLON $1.4 (cum. $13.5) 2381 screens |
7 ★ THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN $53k (cum. $9.1) 75 screens |
|
8 VIOLENT NIGHT $706k (cum. $49.3) 1981 screens |
8 EMPIRE OF LIGHT $52k (cum. $1.0) 300 screens |
|
9 ★ THE MENU $685k (cum. $37.6) 800 screens |
9 🔺★ LIVING $41k (cum. $118k) 11 screens |
|
10 ★ THE FABELMANS $590k (cum. $13.3) 998 screens |
|
|
Only ten films are in wide release (>800 screens) |
11 ★ TRIANGLE OF SADNESS $18k (cum. $4.1) 14 screens |
Elsewhere, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish continues steady business on its way to $100+ million and maybe an Oscar nomination. The Whale continues to be the indie hit of the holiday season, adding another $1.5 million to its total. The Brendan Fraser drama has already outgrossed several other Oscar contenders and now has The Fabelmans and Babylon in its sights. In fact, this week is the first time the film has been on more than 800 screens. I still think we are all underestimating its Oscar chances.
On the platform/limited side, never underestimate the power of Tom Hanks. Despite playing on just 637 screens, A Man Called Otto made $4.2 million, good for fourth overall at the box office. Low expectations play a factor (67% critics on RT), but moviegoers are loving it (97% audience). It expands wide on Friday.
Just outside the list Spain's Oscar submission Alcarràs finally opened in 5 theaters earning $11k
Next Weekend - In addition to Otto's expansion, we get treated to the newest Gerard Butler action-flick Plane, which could be dumb fun. The Czech-produced The Devil Conspiracy also opens. It looks like an angels vs. demons horror thriller (and I haven't heard of it until today).
What did you watch this weekend? I've been catching up on lots of the short films on the Oscar shortlists. I also found time to watch 1927 Oscar-winner Sunrise as well as the 1962 classic What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?