Weekend Box Office Report: February 22-24, 2019

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

How to Train Your Dragon flies to first!

Hiccup and Toothless made their return to theaters this weekend and took the top of the box office as HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD opened with an estimated $55.5 million!

Including a Fandango event from earlier in the month, the new sequel’s domestic total is at $58 million. The third movie in the series had the biggest start, overcoming the $43.7 million opening of the original HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON in 2010, and the $49.4 million opening of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 in 2014.

The fire-breathing follow-up from director Dean DeBlois (who has wrangled the whole trilogy) was already swooping around international regions for a few weekends, consuming $216.9 million for a current worldwide total of $274.9 million.

The PG-rated animated fantasy, with Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera and Gerard Butler once again voicing their characters, cost a reported $129 million.

Critics seemed glad to reunite with the Viking hero and his scaly companion for another adventure, giving the movie a 91% average on Rotten Tomatoes (the JoBlo review is HERE).

The live-action manga adaptation ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL moved to second place with $12 million, sliced by 58% from its opening last week for an 11-day domestic total of $60.6 million.

The PG-13 sci-fi saga from director Robert Rodriguez and producer/co-writer James Cameron has a worldwide total of $263.3 million (thanks in part to a strong performance in China this weekend), on a reported cost of $170 million.

In third place was THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART with $10 million on its third weekend. The PG-rated animated sequel has built up a domestic total of $83.6 million and a worldwide of $136.6 million, on a reported $100 million cost.

Entering the ring in fourth place was the wrestling comedy-drama FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY with $8 million for its first weekend in wide release.

The fact-based story of an aspiring young British wrestler has a domestic total of $8.2 million after its limited release debut last weekend. Director Stephen Merchant‘s PG-13 grappling tale with Florence Pugh, Nick Frost, Lena Headey and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson cost a reported $11 million.

Crfitics have been cheering the origin story of WWE Superstar Paige with a 90% Rotten Tomatoes average. Get the JoBlo review in a chokehold HERE.

The Rebel Wilson/Liam Hemsworth romantic comedy ISN’T IT ROMANTIC was in fifth place with $7.5 million, down by 47% from last weekend. The PG-13 romcom satire has a 12-day domestic total of $33.7 million on a reported $31 million cost.

In sixth place was the R-rated comedy WHAT MEN WANT with $5.2 million on its third weekend in theaters. The $20 million Taraji P. Henson romcom (a remake of the 2000 Mel Gibson movie WHAT WOMEN WANT) has a domestic total of $45 million, and a worldwide total of $49.6 million.

The PG-13 horror sequel HAPPY DEATH DAY 2 U was in seventh place with $4.9 million, slashed by 47% from its start last week. The $9 million follow-up has a 12-day domestic total of $21.6 million and $42.5 million worldwide.

In eighth place was revenge thriller COLD PURSUIT with $3.3 million. After three weekends, the R-rated Liam Neeson crime-drama has a domestic total of $27 million and a worldwide total of $35.4 million, on a reported $60 million cost.

The Kevin Hart/Bryan Cranston/Nicole Kidman drama THE UPSIDE was in ninth place with $3.2 million on its seventh week in the Top 10. The PG-13 remake of French film THE INTOUCHABLES has a domestic total of $99.7 million and $110.5 million worldwide, on a reported $37.5 million cost.

Opening in tenth place was the PG-rated high school melodrama RUN THE RACE with $2.2 million.

The faith-based small-town football story with Mykelti Williamson and Mario Van Peebles currently holds a critical average of 40% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Outside the chart, M. Night Shyamalan‘s GLASS left the list with $108 million domestic and $241 million worldwide. The R-rated horror movie THE PRODIGY also disappeared, and Oscar nominee GREEN BOOK finally drove out of sight (with nearly $150 million worldwide) on the same weekend as the Academy Awards ceremony.

Next weekend starts off March with the Chloe Moretz thriller GRETA and Tyler Perry‘s TYLER PERRY’S A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL, while the documentary APOLLO 11 lands in limited release.

Which March release are you most interested in seeing? VOTE HERE!