Box Office Report: ‘Argylle’ Twists And Turns To The Top Of A Slow Weekend

Box Office analysis is provided by Daniel Garris of BoxOfficeReport.com.

Weekend Box Office Report: February 2nd, 2024 to February 4th, 2024

Universal and Apple's Argylle debuted in first place at the domestic box office this weekend with $17.47 million. That was in line with consensus expectations, which had ranged from the mid-teen millions to the high-teen millions heading into the weekend. Argylle didn't perform well with its expensive price-tag in mind, but as has been the case with other recent expensive films from Apple (Killers of the Flower Moon and Napoleon), the theatrical release of Argylle is in part to highlight the film down the line for streaming on Apple TV+. Argylle being released theatrically also helped out what would have otherwise been a very slow frame at the box office. Moviegoers never seemed all that interested in Argylle in the lead-up to the film's release, and the film's largely negative critical reviews didn't help matters this weekend. Argylle received a bit of a boost from IMAX screens, as IMAX screens were responsible for an estimated $1.7 million of this weekend's domestic take. Argylle was was directed by Matthew Vaughn and features an ensemble cast that includes Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O'Hara, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Argylle started out with $6.49 million on Friday (including an estimated $1.70 million from Thursday preview shows), increased an encouraging 7.0 percent on Saturday to gross $6.94 million and declined 41.7 percent on Sunday to take in $4.05 million. The film's opening weekend to previews gross ratio of 10.28 to 1 could be an early indication of Argylle going over better with audiences than the film's lackluster C+ rating on CinemaScore would suggest. Given the film's older demographic breakdown (51 percent of the film's audience was over 35, while 76 percent of the film's audience was over 25), Argylle could also prove to have some built-in back-loading (regardless of reception) and be Saturday-heavy in general. Internationally,

Argylle grossed $16.9 million this weekend from 78 international markets. That places the film's global launch at $34.4 million. It does feel underwhelming that the film's international start came in just below the film's domestic start this weekend. Debuts by international market for Argylle this weekend included $2.5 million in the United Kingdom, $1.6 million in Australia, $1.5 million in France, $1.3 million in Mexico and $1.3 million in Germany. Argylle grossed an estimated $1.3 million from international IMAX screens this weekend, from a global IMAX start of $3.0 million. On Wednesday (February 7) Argylle will open in South Korea while the film will open in China later this month on Friday, February 23.

Fathom Events' release of The Chosen Season 4: Episodes 1 – 3 started out in second place this weekend with $5.94 million. With the addition of Thursday's $1.43 million take, The Chosen Season 4: Episodes 1 – 3 has grossed $7.38 million through four days of domestic release. Fathom Events continues to have success with its theatrical event releases of episodes from the faith based television series. The four-day start of The Chosen Season 4: Episodes 1 – 3 outpaced the $5.29 million four-day start of The Chosen Season 3: Finale, which was released in early February of last year. At the same time, the four-day start for The Chosen Season 4: Episodes 1 – 3 did come in lower than the $10.04 million grossed by The Chosen Season 3: Episodes 1 & 2 during its first four days of release back in November of 2022 (that event release opened on a Friday). The Chosen Season 4: Episodes 1 – 3 is playing exclusively in theatres for two weeks. Afterwards, Season 4: Episodes 4 – 6 will begin playing in theatres on February 15, while Season 4: Episodes 7 & 8 will begin playing in theatres two weeks later on February 29.

After placing in second each of the past three weekends, Amazon MGM Studios' The Beekeeper placed in third this weekend with $5.28 million. The Beekeeper declined 20.9 percent from last weekend, which was an especially impressive hold given the new competition the film faced from Argylle. In addition to continuing to benefit from strong word of mouth, The Beekeeper was helped out this weekend from not having to deal with competition from any NFL Playoff games. The Beekeeper is on the verge of passing the $50 million domestic mark with a stronger than expected 24-day take of $49.42 million. Internationally, The Beekeeper grossed an estimated $6.2 million this weekend from 61 international markets. That brings the film's international total to $73.1 million and current global haul to $122.5 million.

Warner Bros.'s Wonka placed in fourth this weekend with $4.68 million. The film continued to hold up very nicely this weekend by declining a slim 17.4 percent. Wonka passed the $200 million domestic mark this weekend and has grossed $201.03 million through 52 days of release. Wonka represents the first film to pass the $200 million domestic mark since Barbie and Oppenheimer this past summer. Internationally, Wonka grossed $11.7 million this weekend from 76 international markets. This weekend's international performance included a $5.7 million debut in South Korea. Respective totals for Wonka stand at $371.4 million internationally and at $572.5 million globally.

Universal and Illumination's Migration rounded this weekend's top five with $4.19 million. Like Wonka, Migration also continued to hold up very well this weekend by declining a slim 14.4 percent. Migration has grossed $106.26 million through 45 days of domestic release and should continue to hold up well throughout the rest of February thanks in part to the continued lack of new competition for family audiences. Internationally, Migration grossed $9.0 million this weekend from 77 international markets. This weekend saw Migration debut with $4.5 million in the United Kingdom. Respective total grosses for Migration stand at $116.2 million internationally and at $222.5 million globally.

After leading the domestic box office each of the past three weekends, Paramount's Mean Girls fell five spots and 44.4 percent from last weekend to land in sixth place with $3.84 million. While Mean Girls continues to display front-loading, the film has still grossed a solid $66.23 million domestically through 24 days of release. With an estimated $2.4 million internationally this weekend from 32 international markets, respective totals for Mean Girls stand at $26.3 million internationally and at $92.5 million globally.

Sony's Anyone But You placed in seventh with $3.45 million. That represented a decline of just 25.4 percent from last weekend. With a 45-day domestic total of $76.23 million, the current total gross to opening weekend ratio for Anyone But You stands at an exceptional 12.70 to 1. Internationally, Anyone But You grossed an estimated $13.5 million this weekend from 49 international markets. In holdover international markets, Anyone But You declined a very slim 7 percent from last weekend. With an estimated international take of $75.5 million, Anyone But You has passed the $150 million global mark with a current global take of $151.7 million.

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