Skip to main content

‘Jumanji’ stays on top, but ‘The Last Jedi’ passes a big box office milestone

star wars: the last jedi review
Image used with permission by copyright holder
A pair of over-performing new releases weren’t enough to end the three-week reign of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle at the top of the weekend box office — but that wasn’t the only film making headlines.

Jumanji added another $20 million to its domestic ticket sales over the weekend, retaining its hold on the box office and moving past 2012’s Skyfall to become the fifth highest-grossing film of all time for Sony Pictures. (It’s also the only film in the studio’s top five movies that doesn’t have “Spider-Man” in its title). With not much in the way of competition until Black Panther hits theaters, Jumanji is well on its way to bona fide blockbuster status.

Recommended Videos

On the subject of blockbusters, Star Wars: The Last Jedi was the eighth highest-grossing film over the weekend, but the tickets it sold moved it past Disney’s 2013 animated feature Frozen to become the ninth highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide. It also became just the sixth movie to earn more than $600 million in U.S. theaters during its domestic run, continuing the record-setting ways for the Star Wars franchise.

# Title  Weekend    U.S. Total   Worldwide Total 
1. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle  $20M $316.9M $767.7M
2. 12 Strong $16.5M $16.5M $16.5M
3. Den of Thieves $15.3M $15.3M $15.3M
4. The Post $12.1M $45.1M $55M
5. The Greatest Showman $11M $113.4M $231.4M
6. Paddington 2 $8.2M $25M $172.2M
7. The Commuter $6.6M $25.7M $36.3M
8. Star Wars: The Last Jedi $6.5M $604.2M $1.2B
9. Insidious: The Last Key $5.9M $58.7M $126.8M
10. Forever My Girl $4.7M $4.7M $4.7M

As for the weekend’s new releases, war drama 12 Strong and crime drama Den of Thieves both outperformed expectations and finished in second and third place, respectively, over the weekend. Neither film received particularly good reviews from professional critics, but 12 Strong did receive an “A” grade from ticket-buying audiences (via CinemaScore). Den of Thieves wasn’t so fortunate, and earned a less-impressive grade of “B+” from audiences.

The only other new release to crack the weekend’s top ten movies was the romantic drama Forever My Girl, which squeaked into the charts with a mere $4.7 million opening weekend. Given that the movie has a 18-percent positive score on Rotten Tomatoes at this point, its top-ten position probably says more about the competition (or lack thereof) than the quality of the film.

This upcoming week’s new releases include the long-delayed finale to the Maze Runner trilogy, Maze Runner: The Death Cure, as well as the next installment of the Kickboxer series, Kickboxer: Retaliation, and the the quirky, Star Trek-themed comedy Please Stand By.

Rick Marshall
A veteran journalist with more than two decades of experience covering local and national news, arts and entertainment, and…
Watch Yellowstone season 5, episode 11: release date, time, channel, and plot
A man and woman stand across and face each other.

Yellowstone season 5, part 2 wasted no time addressing Kevin Costner's departure. John Dutton is dead, and now his children are in an all-out war. On one side, Jamie (Wes Bentley) is plotting to take over his father's position as governor of Montana. On the other side, Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Kayce (Luke Grimes) are looking into how their father died, with Beth convinced that Jamie orchestrated the murder.

With only four episodes remaining, Taylor Sheridan still has many loose ends to tie up. Something tells us that John won't be the only Dutton to die this season. Find out how to watch the next episode of Yellowstone below.
Yellowstone season 5, episode 11: release date, time, and channel
This Season on Yellowstone | Paramount Network

Read more
3 Netflix shows we can’t wait to see in December 2024
Two people sit in a car in Black Doves.

It's hard to believe December is just around the corner. It seems like it was only yesterday that I was watching Twisters in the movie theater and enjoying the warm summer weather. Now, I have to stress out about traveling for the holidays and shopping for loved ones.

As an escape, I tend to turn to Netflix to find my next latest binge-worthy series. And the streamer's December lineup looks like it won't disappoint. From a British spy show to a black comedy about a desirable L.A. home, Netflix might be saving its best shows for last in 2024.

Read more
Get Glicked: 3 great double features like Wicked and Gladiator 2 you need to watch
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Wicked and Pedro Pascal and Paul Mescal in Gladiator II.

Movie industry executives are sanguine that this weekend’s releases of Wicked and Gladiator II can provide a repeat of last summer’s “Barbenheimer” box office miracle. Some have even, optimistically, nicknamed the future phenomenon “Glicked.”

It seems Hollywood’s plan for the future is the juxtaposition of films that are monumentally different in tone. It's a return to the "double features" that were once regularly booked in America's theaters. If you’re looking for similarly incongruous double bills, look no further.
'Melancholia and Coronets': Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) and Melancholia (2011)

Read more