Weekend Box Office Report: February 17-19, 2017

LEGO Batman is still on top!

For a second weekend, the brick-form Dark Knight ruled the box office to keep THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE at #1 with an estimated $34.2 million!

Will Arnett's crescent-fisted superhero dipped only 35% from the solo movie's opening last weekend, gliding to a ten-day domestic total of $98.7 million.

The animated adventure of Bruce Wayne's alter-ego and his extensive supporting cast also has a worldwide total of $170.7 million (on a reported $80 million production cost).

The sequel FIFTY SHADES DARKER remained in second place with $20.9 million, losing 55% of business from last week's opening. In that regard, the racy romance fared better than FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, which dropped 72% in its second weekend in February 2015.

The adaptation of E.L. James' BDSM bestseller, which cost a reported $55 million, has a ten-day domestic total of $89.6 million and has collected $276 million worldwide so far.

Opening in third place was the new action-fantasy THE GREAT WALL with $18 million.

Matt Damon joined Hong Kong stars like Andy Lau and Tian Jing for the $150 million epic adventure from director Zhang Yimou (HERO, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS), but the PG-13 release made a much stronger impression with international audiences — it has gathered $244 million just from overseas.

Critics weren't roused by the big-budget historical monster fight, giving the movie an average of 36% on Rotten Tomatoes. You can check out the JoBlo review HERE.

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 shot into fourth place with $16.5 million, down 45% from its opening last week. With a ten-day domestic total of $58.6 million, the Keanu Reeves hitman sequel has already blown past the $43 million domestic finish of the first JOHN WICK.

The R-rated murder marathon, which cost a reported $40 million, also now has a worldwide total of $90.4 million.

Ice Cube and Charlie Day's fracas FIST FIGHT opened in fifth place with $12 million. The new R-rated release had a lower start than recent Cube comedies that paired him with Kevin Hart (RIDE ALONG – $41.5 million; RIDE ALONG 2 – $35.2 million) or haircut equipment (BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT – $20.2 million).

The adult variation of 80s teen comedy THREE O'CLOCK HIGH cost a reported $25 million, and got shoved around by critics with 32% on Rotten Tomatoes (the JoBlo review is HERE).

The Oscar-nominated NASA drama HIDDEN FIGURES was still strong in sixth with $7.1 million for a domestic total of $142.5 million after nine weekends in theaters (on a $25 million reported cost). M. Night Shyamalan's low-budget thriller SPLIT followed closely in seventh with $7 million. Its $123.9 million total makes it the biggest domestic release of 2017.

In eighth was the "man's best friend" drama A DOG'S PURPOSE with $5.5 million and a $50.6 million domestic total after a month in release. Oscar contender LA LA LAND came in ninth with $4.5 million, now at a worldwide total of $339 million for the Ryan Gosling/Emma Stone romance.

Opening down at the bottom spot was the new R-rated horror movie A CURE FOR WELLNESS with $4.2 million. The original thriller from Gore Verbinski cost a reported $40 million, and critics gave it an unhealthy 38% average on Rotten Tomatoes (the JoBlo review rests HERE).

Outside the chart, THE SPACE BETWEEN US drifted away with horror sequel RINGS and Oscar nominee LION. Also, Vin Diesel's sequel XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE now has a worldwide total of $308 million, which technically makes it the highest-grossing global release of 2017 so far.

Next weekend offers the Jordan Peele-directed horror movie GET OUT, along with the Nicholas Hoult/Felicity Jones action movie COLLIDE and the animated ROCK DOG.

Which movie do you most want to wint the Oscar for Best Picture? VOTE HERE!