Weekend Box Office Report: 1917 charges into first place!

1917 wins the box office battle!

Audiences were drawn to the chaos of war this weekend as 1917 raced to the top of the box office with an estimated $36.5 million!

The R-rated World War I drama from director Sam Mendes (SKYFALL, ROAD TO PERDITION) has a domestic total of $39.2 million after two strong weeks in limited release.

Filmed as though the action takes place in a single long tracking shot, the story of two young soldiers (George MacKay and "Game of Thrones" royalty Dean-Charles Chapman) rushing through enemy territory cost a reported $90 million.

Compared to other war-related movies that received a wide January release (after a limited "awards consideration" December platform), the gritty new thriller was close to LONE SURVIVOR ($37.7 million in 2014) but far below director Clint Eastwood's AMERICAN SNIPER, which holds the January record for a wide release with $89.2 million in 2015.

Also featuring familiar faces like Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden and Mark Strong during the lads' hectic mission, the Golden Globe winner and Oscar contender has also collected $21.2 million from overseas for a worldwide total of $60.4 million.

Critics were riveted by the immersive technical accomplishment, giving the movie a 90% average on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 79 on Metacritic. Scramble through the trenches to the JoBlo review HERE.

After three weekends in first, the PG-13 trilogy-topper STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER descended to second place with $15 million. The supposed end of the Skywalker saga from director J.J. Abrams now has a domestic total of $478.1 million and a wolrdwide total of $989.5 million, on a reported cost of $275 million.

The sequel JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL wasn't far behind with $14 million in third place. On its fifth weekend, the PG-13 action-comedy from director Jake Kasdan has a domestic total of $257.2 million and a worldwide total of $671.1 million worldwide, on a reported cost of $125 million.

In fourth place was the new Michael B. Jordan/Jamie Foxx legal drama JUST MERCY with $10 million as it expanded into wide release.

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (SHORT TERM 12 and Marvel's upcoming SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS), the fact-based PG-13 story has a domestic total of $10.4 million after two weeks in limited release.

Critics commended the courtroom proceedings with an average of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 68 on Metacritic. You can find the JoBlo verdict HERE.

Neck-and-neck with JUST MERCY was the new comedy LIKE A BOSS in fifth place with an estimated opening of $10 million (tomorrow's actual receipts will determine the winner).

Set in the beauty industry, the R-rated pairing of Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne and their struggle with corporate mogul Salma Hayek cost a reported $29 million.

Critics weren't laughing at the cosmetics merger, giving the movie a 21% average on Rotten Tomatoes and a 32 score on Metacritic. Get a little touch-up with the JoBlo review HERE.

In sixth place was the PG-13 period drama LITTLE WOMEN with $7.6 million. After three weeks, the $40 million literary adaptation from writer-director Greta Gerwig has a domestic total of $74 million and a worldwide total of $94.2 million.

The new PG-13 thriller UNDERWATER got off to a soggy start in seventh place with an opening of $7 million.

Starring Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassel and Jessica Henwick, Fox's subaquatic sci-fi/horror movie from director William Eubank (THE SIGNAL) also caught $7.1 million from international audiences for a worldwide total of $14.1 million, on a reported cost of $50 million.

Critics found the submerged terror to be overly familiar, giving the movie a 53% average on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 49 on Metacritic. Take a dip with the JoBlo review HERE.

In eighth place was the Disney sequel FROZEN II with $5.7 million on its eighth weekend in release. The PG-rated animated fairy tale follow-up has a domestic total of $459.3 million and a worldwide total of $1.37 billion, on an estimated cost of $150 million.

Writer-director Rian Johnson's PG-13 murder mystery KNIVES OUT was in ninth place with $5.7 million. After seven weeks, the $40 million crime-comedy has a domestic total of $139.6 million and a worldwide total of $256.5 million (with more of Daniel Craig's unflappable detective on the way). 

Closing out the list was animated espionage comedy SPIES IN DISGUISE with $5.1 million. The PG-rated Fox release family movie (featuring the voices of Will Smith and Tom Holland) has a domestic total of $54.6 million and a worldwide total of $115 million, on a reported cost of $100 million.

Outside the chart, the horror sequel/spinoff THE GRUDGE was scared out of the Top 10 after one weekend, dropping 69% with $3.5 million for a ten-day domestic total of $17.9 million.

Also departing the list was the live-action musical CATS, the R-rated Fox News drama BOMBSHELL and the acclaimed Adam Sandler crime thriller UNCUT GEMS.

Next weekend brings back Miami cops Will Smith and Martin Lawrence for a third assignment in BAD BOYS FOR LIFE, and Robert Downey Jr. chats with the animals in DOLITTLE, while limited releases include the Justin Long sci-fi movie THE WAVE.

What is your favorite World War I movie? VOTE HERE!