Weekend Box Office Report: February 9-11, 2018

Fifty Shades Freed takes first!

Moviegoers were looking for a little romance this weekend and put FIFTY SHADES FREED on top at the box office with an estimated opening of $38.8 million!

The new R-rated erotic melodrama (once again timed for Valentine's Day) came out behind the $46.6 million opening of last year's sequel FIFTY SHADES DARKER, and far below the $85.1 million start of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY in 2015.

The third adaptation of writer E.L. James' novels cost a reported $55 million. The marriage of Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson's BDSM couple has also leashed an additional $98.1 million from international crowds for a worldwide opening weekend of $136.9 million, nudging the entire series over $1 billion worldwide (the original FIFTY SHADES OF GREY itself ended with a global total of $571 million).

Critics weren't exactly enamored by the conclusion of the FIFTY SHADES trilogy, giving it a bleak 11% average on Rotten Tomatoes (the JoBlo review is HERE).

Opening in second place was the new talking-animal family feature PETER RABBIT with $25 million.

Based on Beatrix Potter's classic children's stories, the PG-rated animation/live-action blend  cost a reported $50 million.

The antics of the mischievous titular hare and his rivalry with Domhnall Gleeson didn't win over all critics, who gave it an average of 58% on Rotten Tomatoes.

In third place was the new fact-based thriller THE 15:17 TO PARIS with an opening of $13.2 million.

Director Clint Eastwood's account of three Americans (cast as themselves) thwarting a 2015 terrorism attack cost a reported $30 million. (Eastwood's previous take on a true story was 2016's SULLY, which opened to $35 million and ended up cruising to $125 million domestic and $240 million worldwide.)

Critics admired the heroism a lot more than the depiction, giving the filmmaker’s latest a 20% average on Rotten Tomatoes. The JoBlo review can be found HERE.

The indefatigable adventure JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE moved down to fourth with $9.8 million after jumping to the top last week.

The PG-13 action-comedy now has a domestic total of $365 million, passing FURIOUS 7's $353 million finish to become star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's biggest domestic hit. After two months in theaters, the sequel also has a whopping worldwide total of $881 million, on a reported $90 million cost.

Hugh Jackman's tireless ringleader continues his strong performance with THE GREATEST SHOWMAN in fifth with $6.4 million on its eighth weekend on screens. The circus musical has rounded up $146 million domestic and $314 million worldwide on a reported cost of $84 million.

MAZE RUNNER: THE DEATH CURE dragged its feet from second down to sixth place with $6 million for a $49 million domestic total. The $62 million finale of the post-apocalyptic trilogy has a worldwide total of $229 million.

The Helen Mirren haunted house movie WINCHESTER was in seventh with $5 million, scaring away 45% of business from its opening last weekend for a ten-day domestic total of $17 million.

Director Steven Spielberg's drama THE POST was in eighth with $3.5 million for a domestic total of $72.8 million and $123 million worldwide (on a $50 million reported cost).

Academy Award darling THE SHAPE OF WATER was in ninth place with $3 million, bringing Guillermo del Toro's R-rated creature romance to nearly $50 million domestic. The Gerard Butler cops-and-robbers thriller DEN OF THIEVES finished out the list with $2.8 million.

Outside the chart, PADDINGTON 2 waved goodbye while 12 STRONG and HOSTILES rode into the sunset. Various Oscar contenders continue to attract audiences at lower theater counts — THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI is now up to $45.3 million domestic, DARKEST HOUR is at $51.4 million, LADY BIRD has flown to $45 million, PHANTOM THREAD is at $16.3 million and I, TONYA has skated to $25.2 million.

Next weekend has Marvel's Wakandan warrior take center stage in BLACK PANTHER, plus the Aardman-animated caveman comedy EARLY MAN.

What is your favorite movie directed by Clint Eastwood? VOTE HERE!