Fifty Shades of Green!
Audiences were keen on kink for Valentine's Day this weekend, putting FIFTY SHADES OF GREY on top at the box office this weekend with an estimated $81.6 million!
The adaptation of the BDSM bestseller marks the biggest debut by a woman director (ahead of TWILIGHT, FROZEN and BRAVE), and is the second-highest February opening behind THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST's $83.8 million in 2004. The R-rated erotic drama has also earned an additional $158 million from international crowds, all on a reported $40 million cost.
Still, the steamy domination didn't seem to satisfy moviegoers, who submitted a 'C+' CinemaScore. The rough romance also crossed limits for critics, judging by the current 26% average on Rotten Tomatoes.
Opening in second place was the action-espionage movie KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE with $35.6 million. The R-rated comic book adaptation, which cost a reported $81 million, is director Matthew Vaughn's second-best opening behind X-MEN: FIRST CLASS ($55.1 million).
Critics were mostly entertained by the stylish spy violence (71% on Rotten Tomatoes) while paying crowds gave it a 'B+' CinemaScore.
Sinking to third place was last week's winner THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER with $30.5 million, down 45% from its opening as it surfs toward $100 million. AMERICAN SNIPER was in fourth with another $16.4 million as it shot past a $300 million domestic total this weekend.
In fifth was the Wachowskis' sci-fi adventure JUPITER ASCENDING with $9.4 million, descending 48% from an already modest opening. The FX-filled space epic is up to a $91.4 million worldwide total on a reported $176 million budget. The costly action-fantasy SEVENTH SON was behind it in sixth with $4.1 million, a 42% drop from a weak first weekend.
The family feature PADDINGTON was in seventh with $4.1 million, followed by Oscar nominee THE IMITATION GAME, Kevin Hart's THE WEDDING PLANNER and the found-footage teen time-travel tale PROJECT ALMANAC.
Outside the chart, Kevin Costner's BLACK OR WHITE and Jennifer Lopez's THE BOY NEXT DOOR departed while in limited release, the vampire mocumentary WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS sunk its teeth into a solid $32k per-screen average.
Next weekend offers the time-jumping comedy sequel HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2, the Kevin Costner sports drama MCFARLAND USA, and the high school comedy THE DUFF.
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| # | MOVIE TITLE | WKND $ | TOTAL $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fifty Shades of Grey | $81.6 M | NEW |
| 2 | Kingsman: The Secret Service | $35.6 M | NEW |
| 3 | The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water | $30.5 M | $93.6 M |
| 4 | American Sniper | $16.4 M | $304.1 M |
| 5 | Jupiter Ascending | $9.4 M | $32.5 M |
| 6 | Paddington | $4.1 M | $62.3 M |
| 7 | Seventh Son | $4.1 M | $13.4 M |
| 8 | The Imitation Game | $3.5 M | $79.6 M |
| 9 | The Wedding Ringer | $3.4 M | $59.7 M |
| 10 | Project Almanac | $2.7 M | $19.5 M |