Black Panther: Wakanda Forever #1 at the box office, The Menu Distant #2

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Disney) fell 63 percent in its second weekend and dominated the weekend box office with $67.3 million, nearly two-thirds of the $101 million total. That’s a better hold than the two most recent Marvel releases (“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and “Thor: Love and Thunder” earlier this year, both down 67 percent).

“Wakanda Forever” now has a 10-day domestic total of $288 million ($546 million worldwide), which is outstanding by any measure. The film will likely remain at #1 through the Thanksgiving holiday and play through Christmas.

If there’s one caveat, it’s that the 2018 hold wasn’t anywhere near Black Panther, which fell just 45 percent. Both openings were supported by holidays – the first opened with Presidents Day boosting its first Sunday, while Veterans Day supported opening day for “Wakanda.”

Next month’s new Black Panther and Avatar: The Way of Water are key to the year-end results – but to a degree it’s unfair to assume they can deliver. Pre-opening projections suggest that “Wakanda” could have a final domestic total of $600 million or more. In 2018, the 10-day total was $404 million at a ticket price 20 percent or less than current levels. It ended at $700 million.

The trajectory for the new film would suggest closer to $500 million – again, still a stellar domestic shot, ahead of all but one release this year. But in this environment, theaters need the greatest possible results.

There were three new titles in the top 10 over the weekend, but none offered any greater competition to “Wakanda.” At #2, Searchlight’s restaurant-centric horror thriller “” grossed $9 million in a first wide release, well in line with expectations.

“The chosen ones”

Better than expected was one Fathom program: two episodes of an online series based on faith. The Chosen Season 3: Episodes 1 & 2 grossed $8.2 million in 2,012 theaters.

This broke new ground on two levels. With Netflix previewing a week-long series of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in around 600 theaters starting Wednesday (as opposed to a broader, perpetual release), it seems like a way to boost revenue for the Angels Studios- production about Jesus and his disciples and increase its streaming value. Previous seasons, originally made available through YouTube and other channels, are now streaming on Peacock.

The Gross is a rare traditional release for Fathom, often having midweek programs such as concerts, operas, stage shows, niche films and revivals. The precedent was set a year ago when an earlier program centered on “The Chosen” — an original Christmas concert and episode — released midweek in early December and expanded to interim dates, eventually grossing $13 million.

Is that a coincidence compounded by the often heavily faith-based audience? Or could this lead to other episodic programs destined for home games that fill the movie screens? Make sure content providers are considering this option.

“She said”

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

“She Said” (Universal) earned an A Cinemascore for the reporting that led to the exposure of Harvey Weinstein. The good news ends there with a disastrous $2.25 million gross at No. 6 for the $32 million production. It failed to perform anything like similar previous titles. Also via the journalistic route exposing sexual assault, “Spotlight” went the platform route before winning Best Picture and grossing $45 million. In 2019, “Bombshell,” the Fox News story of Roger Ailes brought down for his abuse, reached $31 million after its strong debut.

Perhaps interest in such stories, important as they are, has waned. Or maybe awareness of the ugliness surrounding Harvey Weinstein was a turn off. Wide release meant less time to build, but Universal can’t be blamed for not finding an audience that might not exist.

The estimate for the weekend total is 93 percent of the same weekend in 2019, with ticket prices now much higher again. This increases the moving four-week comparison to three years ago, unadjusted, to 94 percent. Thanks to “Wakanda,” this is the best number since July. If the estimate is correct, it’s also over $100 million for the first two consecutive weeks since July.

At number 4 is “Black Adam” (Warner Bros. Discovery), which has now reached as high as $156 million, with $366 million worldwide. It underscores that the DC brand has elements to build upon in its makeover.

Wednesday premieres Disney’s animated Strange World, Sony’s Devotion starring Glenn Powell from Top Gun: Maverick, Glass Onion, expansions to The Fabelmans (Universal) and Bones and All (United artists). ).

The Top 10

1. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Disney) week 2; Last week #1

$67,300,000 (-63%) in 4,396 (unchanged) theaters; PTA (average per theater): $15,309; Cumulative: $287,993,000

2. The menu (Searchlight) NEW – Cinemascore: B; Metacritical: 71; European daylight saving time. Budget: $30 million

$9,000,000 in 3,211 theaters; PTA: $2,803; Cumulative: $9,000,000

3. The Chosen Ones Season 3: Episodes 1 & 2 (Fathom) NEW

$8,220,000 in 2,012 theaters; PTA: $4,005; Cumulative: $8,220,000

4. Black Adam (WBD) week 5; Last weekend #2

$4,480,000 (-44%) in 3,372 theaters (-231); PTA: $1,329; Cumulative: $156,965,000

5. Ticket to paradise (Universal) Week 5; Last Weekend #4; also on PVOD

$3,200,000 (-46%) in 3,268 (-365) theaters; Price per person: $979; Cumulative: $61,560,000

6. She said (Universal) NEW – Cinemascore: A; Metacritical: 73; European daylight saving time. Budget: $32 million

$2,250,000 in 2,022 theaters; PTA: $1,113; Cumulative: $2,225,000

7. Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (Sony) week 8; Last weekend #4

$1,900,000 (-41%) in 2,307 (unchanged) theaters; Price per person: $824; Cumulative: $43,172,000

8. Smile (Parent) Week 8; Last Weekend #5; also streaming and on PVOD

$1,150,000 (-51%) in 1,569 (-702) theaters; Price per person: $733; Cumulative: $104,579,000

9. Drishyam 2 (Yash Raj) NEW – Est. Budget: $3 million

$1,050,000 in 305 theaters; PTA: $3,443; Cumulative: $1,050,000

10. Booty for the devil (Lionsgate) Week 5; Last weekend #6

$935,000 (-52%) in 1,389 (-675) theaters; PTA: $1,369; Cumulative: $18,368,000

Registration: Stay up to date on the latest movie and TV news! Sign up for our email newsletter here.