IT Chapter Two No one younger than 15 may see a 15 film in a cinema.

BBFC

Each week we present a rundown of the UK box office chart headlines on this same week from last year to 1990.

A year ago (2019)

Making its debut at the top was IT Chapter Two starring Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy and directed by Andy Muschietti

The film with the longest run was Casino Royale which had been on the box office for 27 weeks.

The top total grossing film of the week was The Lion King which had taken £73.1 Million after 8 weeks of release.

Five years ago (2015)

The number one film was Straight Outta Compton which had been at the top for 2 weeks.

The top new film of the week was No Escape directed by John Erick Dowdle and starring Owen Wilson and Lake Bell which entered the box office at number 3.

The film with the longest run was Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back which had been on the box office for 36 weeks.

The top total grossing film of the week was Inside Out which had taken £36 Million after 7 weeks of release.

Ten years ago (2010)

Another film making its debut at the top was The Last Exorcism starring Patrick Fabian and Ashley Bell and directed by Daniel Stamm

The longerst run on the box office and the top total grossing film was Avatar which had taken £93.4 Million over 18 weeks of release.

Fifteen years ago (2005)

Making its debut at the top was The 40 Year Old Virgin starring Steve Carell and Catherine Keener and directed by Judd Apatow

The film with the longest run was Wedding Crashers which had been on the box office for 8 weeks.

The top total grossing film of the week was Charlie And The Chocolate Factory which had taken £35 Million after 6 weeks of release.

Twenty years ago (2000)

Making its debut at the top was Snatch starring Jason Statham and Stephen Graham and directed by Guy Ritchie

The longerst run on the box office and the top total grossing film was Gladiator which had taken £30.5 Million over 17 weeks of release.

Twenty five years ago (1995)

The number one film was Die Hard With A Vengeance which had been at the top for 2 weeks.

The top new film of the week was The City Of Lost Children directed by Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet and starring Ron Perlman and Daniel Emilfork which entered the box office at number 9.

The film with the longest run was Bad Boys which had been on the box office for 12 weeks.

The top total grossing film of the week was Batman Forever which had taken £18.1 Million after 8 weeks of release.

Thirty years ago (1990)

Making its debut at the top was Memphis Belle starring Matthew Modine and Eric Stoltz and directed by Michael Caton-Jones

The film with the longest run was Dick Tracy which had been on the box office for 10 weeks.

The top total grossing film of the week was Days Of Thunder which had taken £8 Million after 7 weeks of release.

Cinemas closed back in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and since then many movies have had their release date changed or gone directly to VOD at a premium rate, the movie Tenet has for a long time been seen as the movie that will reopen cinemas and bring audiences back.

After a couple of release date changes the movie is here and with this event many more cinemas are re-opening, with safety precautions in place.

With the pandemic still an issue in the US the movie still has another couple of weeks before its release but cinemas are reopening far slower there.

Here is a rundown of this weeks movies, and I suspect one of them will replace one the current number one film, Unhinged, from the top of the box office chart.

Tenet

• The movie is directed by Christopher Nolan
• Christopher Nolan also directed Insomnia in 2002 which grossed £5.1 Million in the UK.
• It stars John David Washington who last starred in Monsters And Men (2019).
• The film also stars Robert Pattinson who last appeared in The Lighthouse (2020).

Ava

• This new release stars Jessica Chastain who's last film was IT Chapter Two (2019)
• It also stars Common who appeared in The Kitchen (2019).
• Jessica Chastain and Common appeared in Unity (2015) together.
• The film is brought to us by Tate Taylor.

Hope Gap

• The movie is directed by William Nicholson and is their directorial debut.
• It stars Annette Bening and Bill Nighy.

Away

• Also this week there is Away from director Gints Zilbalodis marking a directorial debut.

Savage

• The long list of new releases continues with Savage which is directed by Sam Kelly which is a directorial debut.
• It stars Jake Ryan and John Tui.

Check back on Monday to see if these new releases enter the UK Weekend Box Office Chart.

Next weeks there are 4 new movies

• Mulan, Friday, 4th September
• The New Mutants, Friday, 4th September
• Dream Horse, Friday, 4th September
• Les Misérables, Friday, 4th September

Disney's new film Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil makes its debut on the US box office at the top, but there is a cautionary take for the studio, Joker falls to number 2 and Zombieland 2 also makes a quiet entry.

Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil

Directed by Joachim Rønning the sequel to the 2014 movie Maleficent makes its debut at the top, but whereas the first movie took a very respectable $70 Million on its release this movie takes $36 Million.

This could be seen as diminishing returns on a sequel, but when the likes of Toy Story 4 and Avengers: Endgame have brought in big bucks for the studio its more that this is a sequel no-one asked for.

Also not helping is the negative reviews from the critics, although the paying audiences have been far nicer about the movie.

Joker

After a couple of weeks at the top the Todd Phillips directed DC villain movie falls to number 2 this week with $29.2 Million.

This puts the films total gross in the US at a far better than expected $247.2 Million after just 3 weeks of release, the next milestone is $300 Million but the studio must be thinking $400 Million is not impossible.

Zombieland: Double Tap

Ruben Fleischer's sequel to his 2009 zombie movie hits the box office at number 3 this week with a debut gross of $26.7 Million.

This is in the same ball park at the original movie, and taking inflation into account is more or less the same which means that the audience for zombie comedies as not changed in 10 years!

The Addams Family

The animated version of the Kookie, Spookie family falls to number 4 this week with $16 Million pushing its total US gross to $56.8 Million after 2 weeks of release.

Gemini Man

The Will Smith vehicle falls to number 5 on its second weekend with a disastrous $8.5 Million taking its total to $36.5 Million.

IT Chapter Two

The sequel to the Stephen King book may not have been as well received as the original movie but this week its has the longest run on the box office at 7 weeks and has taken $209.6 Million so far, it could get a small boost over the coming weekends as Halloween is here.

The Todd Phillips directed Joker hits the top of the US box office ahead of expectation and breaks the American October debut record while Abominable falls to number 2.

Joker

Starring Joaquin Phoenix as the title character the DC villain movie has had its fair share of controversy, but good reviews, especially the performance of Phoenix has helped it to a $96.2 Million debut weekend.

This beats the record for the top October opening, held by last years superhero villain movie Venom, which took $80.3 Million this weekend last year.

This is a very different film and with Oscar potential for lead actor this could have a good run.

Abominable

The animated movie from Dreamworks falls from the top to number 2 this weekend with a gross of $11.2 Million.

This takes the well received films total gross after 2 weeks to $37.7 Million.

Downton Abbey

The British made film about the famous stately home falls to 3 this week with a weekend take of $7.9 Million.

This takes the films total US gross to a very respectable $73.6 Million after 3 weeks of release.

Hustlers

Director Lorene Scafaria take on strippers who take revenge falls to number 4 this week with $6.4 Million.

The film has now taken a excellent $91.4 Million after 4 weeks of release and should hit the $100 Million mark by next weekend.

IT Chapter Two

Andy Muschietti horror sequel has done better than initially though on release and this week slips to number 5 with $5.3 Million which pushes the films total to $202.1 Million after 4 weeks of release.

The Lion King

Disney's remake is the film with the longest run on the this weeks US box office as it spends its 12 week inside the top 15 with a total gross of $541.2 Million.

The British aristocracy film stays at the top of the UK box office for a third week in a row while hold overs make up the rest of the top 5 with Ready Or Not the top new film at 4.

Downton Abbey

Staying at the top for a third weekend is the ITV series turned hit movie which takes £2.6 Million over the weekend.

This puts the films 3 week total at £19.3 Million, the film will go well over the £20 Million mark by next weekend.

Ad Astra

The space drama starring Brad Pitt stays put at number 2 this week with £1.2 Million which pushes its total UK gross to £4.5 Million after 2 weeks.

Hustlers

The surprise hit movie starring Jennifer Lopez goes back up to number 3 this weeeknd with £1.01 Million which pushes the films total gross to £5.03 Million.

Ready Or Not

Coming in as the top new film of the week is this quirky comedy action film starring Samara Weaving and Adam Brody which takes just under a million pound and is at number 4.

IT Chapter Two

Warner Bros. watch the IT sequel film fall to number 5 this weekend with a take of £940,513 after 4 weeks of release.

The film has really struggled to find its feet and the films total gross is currently £17.7 Million, it is starting to struggle now to get eyes on the screen and outside a boost over halloween it could vanish fast.

The Lion King

Disneys mega hit remake is still doing good business and is this week the top total grossing movie on the box office with £74.8 Million after 11 weeks of release.

Toy Story 4

Pixars sequel has the longest total run on the chart and this week is at number 11 after 15 weeks, the films total gross is £65.5 Million.