Based on an extremely popular series of erotic novels (100 million copies sold so far worldwide), 50 Shades was a true box office rarity, an erotic film targeting old women, an audience segment that back in the studio heydays of the 1930s and 40s was well served by a popular genre of so-called “women’s pictures,” but which has been sadly neglected in recent years. The movie is doing even better overseas where it earned a record-breaking $158 million over the past weekend.
Universal claims that only 68% of the audience for 50 Shades was female, though other exit polls had an even higher figure. However, 50 Shades’ strong showing on Valentine’s Day suggests that it was indeed a big “date” movie. Audiences gave the film a lousy “C+“ CinemaScore, though given the film’s subject matter a low grade doesn’t necessarily mean that audiences will melt away. Universal did a great job of publicity for the movie, ranging from a Super Bowl spot all the way down to local TV station “news” stories about the film on NBC affiliates—and lots of people evidently wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It should be interesting to see if attendance at 50 Shades will stay strong over the next few weeks, but the $40 million film is already a huge winner for Universal.
Amazingly Matthew Vaughn’s R-Rated Kingsman also managed to post a strong debut (the second best in Vaughn’s career behind X-Men: First Class’s $55 million) on the same weekend that 50 Shades forced the box office into submission. Unlike 50 Shades, which could muster only a 26% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Kingsman, a throwback to the espionage-themed action comedies of the 1960s, managed a solid 71% positive rating. Kingsman also earned a solid “B+” CinemaScore, and with a cast headed by Colin Firth, this breezy and violent film has the potential to become much more than just a cult hit with the geek audience.
Meanwhile last week’s winner, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, dropped just 44.8% as it added $30.5 million in its second frame, bringing its domestic total to $93.7 million. Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper slipped just 29.4% as it earned $16.4 million to bring its domestic total to $304 million. A good showing at the Oscars could easily push Eastwood’s movie past The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 ($335 million), which is currently the highest-grossing film in the domestic market released in 2014.
The Wachowski’s Jupiter Ascending fell 49%, which isn’t bad hold except for the fact that the film’s debut was so low. The $176 million production has now earned just $32.5 million at the domestic box office. Legendary Pictures Seventh Son, which also debuted last week, continued to struggle as well it slipped to #6 and earned just $4.2 million.
Be sure to check back here next week to see if a trio of new films including Paramount’s Hot Tub Time Machine 2, Disney’s sports drama McFarland, USA, and the Lionsgate comedy The Duff can help keep Tinseltown’s winning streak going.
--Tom Flinn
