By Tom Dever · January 23, 2018
Whether by word of mouth or consistent critical praise, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle firmly retained the box office champ for its fourth consecutive weekend. It received admirable but non-threatening competition from 12 Strong and Den of Thieves. 12 Strong was clearly hoping for the same breakaway success of similarly-toned American Sniper (2014), which rode a January wide release to the tune of near $550 million worldwide. Den of Thieves, the latest in the line of Gerard Butler films that all blend together at this point, can hope to break even after earning half of its $30 million budget.
January is typically a time for studios to unload releases they either lost confidence in or couldn’t figure out how to market, so its tough to glean too much from 2018’s first month’s weekend grosses. It is interesting to see Jumanji continuing to gain steam while The Last Jedi continues to fade out of the top ten. The Last Jedi still seems poised to win the overall box office number, having grossed over a billion worldwide, but the number has to be disappointing given The Force Awakens $2+ billion dollar haul.
Meanwhile, Jumanji is barreling toward a billion-dollar box office on half the production budget and a likely significantly smaller print and advertising price tag. Perhaps even more concerning is how there seems to be so much more energy, discussion and excitement around Jumanji, while The Last Jedi was met with varying levels of disappointment or indifference. Disney’s massive franchise will undoubtedly continue to make money, but with the perpetual dysfunction behind the camera and milquetoast reaction to releases, Star Wars could feasibly fall from its pedestal and become “just another tentpole.”
Please note: All box office grosses listed below are domestic.
Four teenagers are sucked into a magical video game, and the only way they can escape is to work together to finish the game.
Weekend Gross — $20MM
Gross to Date — $316MM
Director — Jake Kasdan: Jake Kasdan was born on October 28, 1974 in Detroit, Michigan, USA as Jacob Kasdan. He is a producer and director, known for Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), Zero Effect (1998) and The TV Set (2006). See full bio »
Screenwriter — Chris McKenna: Chris McKenna is known for his work on Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Community (2009). He is married to Sally Bradford. They have two children. See full bio »
Screenwriter — Erik Sommers: Erik Sommers is a producer and writer, known for Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and The LEGO Batman Movie (2017). See full bio »
Screenwriter — Scott Rosenberg: Scott Rosenberg was born on April 24, 1963 in Needham, Massachusetts, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Beautiful Girls (1996), Con Air (1997) and Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000). See full bio »
Screenwriter — Jeff Pinkner: Jeff Pinkner is a producer and writer, known for Fringe (2008), Alias (2001) and The Dark Tower (2017). See full bio »
Music — Henry Jackman: Henry Jackman, born in Hillingdon, Middlesex, UK, began composing his first symphony at age six, and was an accomplished composer by age nine. He went on to study classical music at St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir School, Eton College, Framlingham College and Oxford University. As a teenager, he became heavily influenced by the underground rave scene, … See full bio »
Cinematographer — Gyula Pados: In 1990, Gyula Pados, until then a Camera Assistant working for Vilmos Zsigmond, joined the Budapest Film School’s 4-year camera course which insists that, for two years, ‘everybody tries everything’. In his first year Gyula directed a short film Dawn which won four festival prizes outright and shared a First (at Munich), the Wim Wenders prize, … See full bio »
Editor — Steve Edwards: See full bio »
Editor — Mark Helfrich: Mark Helfrich is known for his work on X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Predator (1987) and R.I.P.D. (2013). See full bio »
12 Strong tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down for the Taliban.
Weekend Gross — $16MM
Gross to Date — $16MM
Director — Nicolai Fuglsig. Nicolai Fuglsig is a Danish film director and photojournalist. He graduated from the Danish School of Journalism. See full bio »
Screenwriter — Ted Tally. Ted Tally is an Academy Award-winning writer best known for his work on The Silence of The Lambs. See full bio »
Screenwriter — Peter Craig. Peter Craig is a writer-director best known for his work on The Town and The Hunger Games Trilogy. See full bio »
Screenwriter — Doug Stanton. Doug Stanton is a writer whose book was the basis for this film. See full bio »
Music — Lorne Balfe: Lorne Balfe is an Emmy-nominated composer best known for his work on Inception and Sherlock Holmes: The Game of Shadows. See full bio »
Cinematographer — Rasmus Videbæk: Rasmus Videbæk is a cinematographer best known for his work on The Dark Tower. See full bio »
Editor — Lisa Lassek: Lisa Lassek is an editor best known for her work on The Avengers and The Avengers: Age of Ultron See full bio »
A gritty crime saga which follows the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.
Weekend Gross — $15MM
Gross to Date — $15MM
Director — Christian Gudegast . Christian Gudegast is a writer/director best known for his work on London Has Fallen. See full bio »
Screenwriter — Christian Guegast. See above.
Screenwriter — Paul Scheuringeter: Paul Scheuring is a writer best known for his work on The Experiment and the television series Prison Break. See full bio »
Music — Cliff Martinez: Cliff Martinez is a BAFTA-winning composer best known for his work on Drive, The Neon Demon and War Dogs. He is a former member of the rock band, The Red Hot Chili Peppers. See full bio »
Cinematographer — Terry Stacey: Terry Stacey is a cinematographer best known for his work on 50/50 and P.S. I Love You. See full bio »
Editor — Joel Cox: Joel Cox is an Academy Award-winning editor best known for his work on Unforgiven, Mystic River and American Sniper. See full bio »
A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country’s first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between the press and the government.
Weekend Gross — $12MM
Gross to Date — $45MM
Director — Steven Spielberg. Undoubtedly one of the most influential personalities in the history of film, Steven Spielberg is perhaps Hollywood’s best-known director and certainly one of the wealthiest filmmakers in the world. Spielberg has countless big-grossing, critically acclaimed credits to his name, as a producer, director and writer. … See full bio »
Screenwriter — Liz Hannah: Liz Hannah is a writer and director, best known for her work on Reign Over Me.
Screenwriter — Josh Singer: Josh Singer is a writer who previously wrote for The West Wing and won an Academy Award for his work on Spotlight.
Music — John Williams: As one of the best known, awarded, and financially successful composers in US history, John Williams is as easy to recall as John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland or Leonard Bernstein, illustrating why he is “America’s composer” time and again. With a massive list of awards that includes over 41 Oscar nominations (five wins), twenty-odd Gold and … See full bio »
Cinematographer — Janusz Kaminski: Janusz Kaminski is a Polish cinematographer and film director. He has established a partnership with Steven Spielberg, working as a cinematographer on his movies since 1993. He won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Schindler’s List (1993) and Saving Private Ryan (1998).
Editor — Michael Kahn: Michael Kahn is three-time Academy Award-winning editor who has previously worked with Spielberg on Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Minority Report (2001).
Celebrates the birth of show business, and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
Weekend Gross — $11MM
Gross to Date — $113MM
Director — Michael Gracey: Michael Gracey is known for his work on The Greatest Showman (2017), Naruto and Ned Kelly (2003). See full bio »
Screenwriter — Jenny Bicks: Jenny Bicks was born on July 30, 1963 in the USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Sex and the City (1998), The Greatest Showman (2017) and Rio 2 (2014). See full bio »
Screenwriter — Bill Condon: Bill Condon was born on October 22, 1955 in New York City, New York, USA as William Patrick Condon. He is a director and writer, known for Kinsey (2004), Dreamgirls (2006) and Gods and Monsters (1998). See full bio »
Music — John Debney: John Debney’s career seemed destined for Hollywood. The son of Disney Studios producer Louis Debney, John grew up in nearby Glendale, California, where he got early inspiration for film and music growing up on the Disney Studio lot. The child of two musicians, John showed an early aptitude for music and began guitar lessons at age six, later … See full bio »
Music — Benj Pasek: Benj Pasek was born on June 9, 1985 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. See full bio »
Music — Justin Paul: Justin Paul was born on January 3, 1985 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. See full bio »
Music — Joseph Trapanese: Joseph Trapanese is best known for his sleek, ominous score work for blockbuster films like “Tron: Legacy,” “Straight Outta Compton,” “Oblivion,” and the “Raid” series. As a composer, arranger, and producer for movie, television, theater, and video game music, he has collaborated with a number of mainstream musical acts. His first major break came… See full bio »
Cinematographer — Seamus McGarvey: Seamus McGarvey BSC, born 29 June 1967 in Armagh, Northern Ireland, is an Irish cinematographer who began his career as a still photographer before attending film school at the University of Westminster in London. Upon graduating in 1988 he began shooting short films and documentaries, including Skin, which was nominated for a Royal Television … See full bio »
Editor — Tom Cross: Tom Cross is known for his work on Whiplash (2014), Joy (2015) and La La Land (2016). See full bio »
Editor — Robert Duffy: See full bio »
Editor — Joe Hutshing: Joe Hutshing can definitely be included among the greatest film editors of all time due not only to his impressive resume with works from directors like Oliver Stone, Cameron Crowe and John Woo, but also due to his innovative techniques and amazing eye for details in order to compose a great cinematic story. His first cinema credit was as an … See full bio »
Editor — Michael McCusker: See full bio »
Editor — Jon Poll: Jon Poll is an editor and producer, known for Charlie Bartlett (2007), Meet the Parents (2000) and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016). See full bio »
Editor — Spencer Susser: Spencer Susser is an editor and director, known for Hesher (2010), I Love Sarah Jane (2008) and The Greatest Showman (2017). See full bio »
Paddington, now happily settled with the Brown family and a popular member of the local community, picks up a series of odd jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy’s 100th birthday, only for the gift to be stolen.
Weekend Gross — $8MM
Gross to Date — $25MM
Director — Paul King: Paul King is a writer and director best known for his work on Paddington (2014)
Screenwriter — Paul King: See above.
Screenwriter — Simon Farnaby: Simon Farnaby is a writer best known for his work on Your Highness (2011) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016).
Music — Dario Marianelli: Dario Marianelli is an Academy Award-winning composer best known for his work on Atonement (2007).
Cinematographer — Erik Wilson»
Editor — Jonathan Amos: See full bio »
Editor — Mark Everson: See full bio »
A businessman is caught up in a criminal conspiracy during his daily commute home.
Weekend Gross — $6.6MM
Gross to Date — $26MM
Director — Jaume Collet-Serra: Jaume Collet-Serra is a director best known for his previous work on The Shallows (2016) and Unknown (2011) and will be directing next year’s adaptation of The Jungle Cruise, starring Dwayne Johnson.
Screenwriter — Byron Willinger: Byron Willinger is a writer with multiple projects in development. This is his first feature.
Screenwriter — Philip de Blasi: Philip de Blasi is a writer with multiple projects in development. This is his first feature.
Screenwriter — Ryan Engle: Ryan Engle is a writer, director and producer best known for his work on Non-Stop (2014).
Music — Roque Baños: Roque Baños is a composer best known for his work on Evil Dead (2013) and In the Heart of the Sea (2015.)
Cinematographer — Paul Cameron: Paul Cameron is a cinematographer and director best known for his work on Collateral (2004) and Total Recall (2012).
Editor — Nicolas De Toth: Nicolas De Toth is an editor best known for his work on X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and Live Free or Die Hard (2007).
Weekend Gross — $6.6MM
Gross to Date — $604MM
Director — Rian Johnson: Rian Johnson was born in Maryland and at a young age, he moved to San Clemente, California, where he was raised. After graduating from high school, he went on to attend the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. His first feature film Brick (2005) was released in 2005 and was the metaphorical building block that launched his … See full bio »
Screenwriter — Rian Johnson: Same as above.
Music — John Williams: As one of the best known, awarded, and financially successful composers in US history, John Williams is as easy to recall as John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland or Leonard Bernstein, illustrating why he is “America’s composer” time and again. With a massive list of awards that includes over 41 Oscar nominations (five wins), twenty-odd Gold and … See full bio »
Cinematographer — Steve Yedlin: Member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) since 2015. See more trivia »
Editor — Bob Ducsay: Bob Ducsay is an editor and producer, known for Looper (2012), G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and Godzilla (2014). He has been married to Gabrielle Ducsay since September 2001. See full bio »
Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet – in her own family home.
Weekend Gross — $5.9MM
Gross to Date — $59MM
Director — Adam Robitel: Emmy-nominated producer, writer and director, Robitel graduated from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, a double major in film production and acting. Robitel is currently in Cape Town South Africa, prepping a thriller for producer Neal Moritz’s Original Films and Sony Pictures Studios. Robitel recently made headlines … See full bio »
Screenwriter — Leigh Whannel: Leigh Whannell grew up in Melbourne, Australia, where, at the age of four, he developed an obsession with telling stories. Whether it be through acting, writing or filmmaking, his primary love was getting a reaction from an audience. In 1995, at the age of 18, he was accepted into the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology’s prestigious Media … See full bio »
Music — Joseph Bishara: Joseph Bishara is known for his work on Insidious (2010), The Conjuring 2 (2016) and The Conjuring (2013). See full bio »
Cinematographer — Toby Oliver: Toby Oliver ACS is an award-winning cinematographer whose career extends from his native Australia to the United States and internationally. Named as one of Variety’s 10 Cinematographers to Watch in 2017, Toby now resides in Los Angeles and has forged a remarkable and varied range of credits on feature films, documentaries and television. In the … See full bio »
Editor — Timothy Alverson: See full bio »
After being gone for a decade a country star returns home to the love he left behind.
Weekend Gross — $4.2MM
Gross to Date — $4.2MM
Director — Bethany Ashton Wolf: Bethany Ashton Wolf is a writer, director and actress best known for her work in … See full bio »
Screenwriter — Bethany Ashton Wolfe: See above »
Screenwriter — Heidi McLaughlin: Heidi McLaughlin wrote the book upon which the film is based See full bio »
Music — Brett Boyett: See full bio »
Cinematographer — Duane Manwiller: See full bio »
Tom Dever writes for The Script Lab.
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Info taken from Box Office Mojo and IMDb.
Tom Dever · January 16, 2018
