Things are still 'Strange' at the domestic box office

Weekend Box Office Nov. 11-13, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) - “Doctor Strange” continued to pack theaters this weekend on its way to $43 million. The newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe fell only 49 percent from its opening frame and easily shrugged off newcomers “Arrival,” “Almost Christmas” and “Shut In.” Good reviews, fantastic word of mouth, and the strong marketing power of Disney’s Marvel franchises have contributed to the film’s success. The film has now earned more than $150 million domestically and is nearing $500 million worldwide. By the end of next week, the movie will enter the top 10 for worldwide grosses in 2016. The only question now is how high it will go.

“Trolls,” DreamWorks Animation’s latest animated musical, featuring the vocal talents of Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake, came in second with $35 million, a phenomenal 25 percent drop from last week. Reviews from critics have been mixed, but audiences have really taken to the film. I suspect that “Trolls” will continue to hold for the next 10 days or so, but the arrival of Disney’s “Moana” on Nov. 23 certainly will have a dramatic impact on the movie’s earnings.

“Arrival,” Paramount’s intellectual sci-fi experience, landed in third place with $24 million. While I would have loved to see the film challenge “Doctor Strange” this weekend, that’s not a bad start for a film that seemingly came out of nowhere. The film has a legitimate chance of being a major contender come awards season, with nods likely to go to Amy Adams for Best Actress, Denis Vileneuve for Best Director, Eric Heisserer for Best Adapted Screenplay, possibly Jeremy Renner for Best Supporting Actor, and almost assuredly an inclusion in the Best Picture race - that possibility should keep this film on the radar for the next couple months. It’s not going to bring in heroic amounts of money, but I’d love to see Paramount at least double its investment of $47 million. If the film can manage $150 million worldwide, which it absolutely should, it would be a victory for intelligent science fiction.

In fourth place was “Almost Christmas,” which was not screened for local critics, with $15.5 million.

Other highlights include Mel Gibson’s “Hacksaw Ridge,” which fell only 29 percent for a 10-day total of $32 million, and A24’s fantastic “Moonlight” bringing in $1.3 million, despite only playing in 176 theaters.