Box office: 'Black Panther' surpasses $700 million worldwide

Weekend box office estimates for Feb. 23-25, 2018

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) - In its second weekend, “Black Panther” fell a very respectable 46 percent with a total that is estimated to be $108 million. That pushes the film’s domestic total to $400 million and a worldwide total of just over $700 million. It took “Avengers” two weeks to reach the $400 million mark. “Black Panther” did it in 10 days.

In a very distant second place is the comedy “Game Night” with $16.6 million. Internationally the film opened to an additional $5 million. The film stars Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams as a couple who sees their weekly game night taken over by a murder mystery that might be more fact than it is playful fiction.

“Peter Rabbit” lands in third place with $12.5 million. The live-action animated film has earned $71 million stateside against its $50 million budget. The film has yet to open internationally outside of a few small markets. I’d expect a strong showing in the U.K. when it opens on March 16, but all eyes will be on China’s totals when it opens there next week.

The critically acclaimed sci-fi feature from Alex Garland (“Ex Machina”) “Annihilation” opened to $11 million. That number looks a little softer than it really is seeing as “Annihilation” had the second highest per-theater average of the week with screens it was shown on, earning around $5,467. Then again, that number pales to the $26, 877 theater average that “Black Panther” had, but it is still something of a silver lining for the sci-fi horror film starring Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tessa Thompson.

Considering how popular Thompson has been since her performance as Valkyrie in “Thor: Ragnarok,” I’m a little surprised that her fan base didn’t show up to support her in a non-Marvel role. “Black Panther” has been celebrated because of its diversity and willingness to break from the status quo. “Annihilation” should be celebrated for the same reason as it is dominated by strong and complex female characters.

In fifth place is “Fifty Shades Freed” with $6.9 million. The latest film in the Fifty Shades franchise has now earned $320.8 million worldwide against a $55 million budget.