The RedState Box Office Report -- Oscar Weekend Cages the Birds

Time to perform the autopsy on why this went claws-up on the newspaper.

Traditionally the weekend of the Academy Awards is considered a weak release window. Movie lovers are focused on other movies, literally, for that frame, so if they are not staying home to stream titles they may be getting a last minute viewing of a contender still in theaters. New releases tend to be anti-Oscar bait.

So as cineastes were raving about ‘’Parasite’’ and mewling over the lack of female directors they were not storming the theaters, so a softer result was not shocking. Here is what happened in theaters while everyone else was focused on what was happening on stage last night.

1. BIRDS OF PREY — $33.25 Million
This one never took flight. Tracking had predicted the spinoff from ‘’Suicide Squad’’ would earn north of $50 million, and take in over $100 globally while it only reached $80 million, so this a massive disappointment for a comic book property with expectations. There are a number of reasons this missed, some of which we covered this week on Disasters In The Making. For a Harley Quinn film to be named after her support staff, who was not prominently featured, was a curiously distancing decision. Some of the woke feminist messaging is also holding audiences at arm’s length. There is plenty of head-shaking taking place at Warner Brothers this week.

2. BAD BOYS FOR LIFE – $12.01m
The first big hit of the year continues to impress. It has been out for a full month now and only sees a drop of -32%, as it now stands as the most successful January release ever. Did we mention they are going to make a fourth?

3. 1917 – $9.0m
The surprising, if not shocking, upset at the Oscars should not diminish this war epic too much. Though it was expected to win Best Picture and get Sam Mendes Best Director, losing both to ‘’Parasite’’, this is still a massive cinematic achievement worth seeing on the large screen.

4. DOOLITTLE – $6.67m
Still chugging along though woefully far behind the pace needed to overcome a massive budget. It is rather odd to see a film stumble at the opening and then go on to persevere with at least a respectable run after.

5. JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL – $5.53m
Another film with strong legs, it has been out now for 9 weeks and it is approaching the $300 million mark soon. After, Sony will be watching to see if it can achieve $800 million globally.

6. THE GENTLEMEN – $4.18m
The latest Guy Ritchie caper film is not turning many heads, though it is doing slightly better overseas, hitting the $60 million level worldwide.

7. GERTEL AND HANSEL – $3.51m
A decent second-week drop of -43% is mitigated by it having a miserable opening to begin with last week. It is barely over $11 million and will soon be quickly forgotten

8. KNIVES OUT – $2.35m
This was a thanksgiving-time release, and it is STILL lingering around as numerous newer releases have already disappeared. (‘’Underwater’’, where did you sink to??)

9. LITTLE WOMEN – $2.23m
There was plenty of love from the Oscars crowd last night, though not enough really voted for it. It nabbed a Best Costume trophy.

10. STAR WARS: EPISODE IX – THE RISE OF SKYWALKER – $2.27m
This lagging Star Wars entry could not even salvage its run with a Best Visual Effects Oscar last night.