Ne Zha 2, the fantasy epic that’s been setting records in China, opened to $7.2 million on 660 screens, according to Comscore, for the no. 5 spot at a domestic box office being trounced by Captain America: Brave New World.
The animated film from CMC Pictures, see Deadline review, takes up where the 2019 original left off as Demon Orb Ne Zha (voiced by Joseph) and Spirit Orb Aobing (Mo Han) must share a body for seven days as Ne Zha battles dragons to save his hometown, and a lot more. Written and directed by Yang Yu (known as Jiaozi), the cast also includes Jiaming Zhang and Deshun Wang. It set an all-time record box office record during the annual Lunar New Year holiday and has passed $1.5 billion in China alone, making it the second-biggest animated film in global box office history after Inside Out 2.
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Becoming Led Zeppelin from Sony Pictures Classics grossed $1.8 million in week 2 on 1,039 screens, up from 369 Imax locations. That’s a cume of $5.5 million and the no. 10 spot for the documentary by Bernard MacMahon. The long-gestating film with remastered concert footage explores the origins of this iconic group, their meteoric rise, and their music.
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Matthew Rankin’s Universal Language had a nice opening of $41.1k on two screens buoyed by strong reviews and sold out crowds in New York and LA. “We’re so pleased that audiences in New York and Los Angeles were able to celebrate Valentine’s Day with Universal Language,” said Oscilloscope, distributor as well as executive producer. “While not a romance per se, it’s Matthew’s love letter to all things Iranian cinema. We’re really heartened by the early response and feel confident that the film will continue to build positive word-of-mouth as it roll outs.”
The Oscar shortlisted film, which won won the inaugural Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award at Cannes, expands in February and March.
Also in week 2, Armand from IFC Films is at $40k in week 2 on 230 screens for a cume of $66k.
Oscar contender holdovers: James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown from Searchlight Picturesand starring Timothee Chalamet crosses the $70 million mark across 730 theatres in its eighth weekend, taking in a $1.4 million for a total estimated cume of $71.2 million.
A24’s The Brutalist by Brady Corbet in on track to $412k on 348 screens for the three day weekend. It’s at $495k for the four-day holiday weekend for a cume pushing $14.6 million. Monday is Presidents Day in the U.S.
SPC’s Oscar-contender I’m Still Here starring Fernanda Torres is looking at $406k on 469 screens in week 5, for a $3.37 million cume for the Walter Salles Film.
Sean Baker’s Anora, from Neon, is at $57k on 218 screens in week 18 for a cume of $15.4 million. It’s at an estimated $65k for the four days.
In week 13, Sideshow/Janus Films’ release of Gints Zilbalodis’ animated hit Flow grossed an estimated $56.4k for the three-day weekend and $76k for the four days for new cume through Monday of $4.17 million.