‘Melania’ Drops, ‘Send Help’ Is No. 1 in Glacial Super Bowl Weekend

The biggest television event of the year, the Super Bowl, once again cast a long shadow over the box office, resulting in a sluggish weekend for movie theaters across the East Coast and Midwest. With no major studio releases vying for attention, ticket sales totaled roughly $60 million, according to Comscore – a significant drop from pre-pandemic levels, which typically saw $75 to $85 million in revenue during Super Bowl weekend.

A Quiet Weekend at the Box Office

Sam Raimi’s survival thriller, “Send Help,” starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, held onto the top spot for a second week, earning $10 million from 3,475 North American venues. This represents a 47% decrease from its opening weekend haul of $19.1 million. Despite the drop, the film has grossed $35.8 million domestically and $17.9 million overseas, bringing its global total to $53.7 million. Disney is hoping positive word-of-mouth will sustain the R-rated film’s performance through the winter, as it cost $40 million to produce.

Documentary Performance and Distribution Strategies

“Melania,” a documentary focusing on the former First Lady, experienced a more dramatic decline, plummeting to ninth place with $2.37 million from 2,003 theaters – a 67% drop in ticket sales. The film has earned $13.35 million domestically after two weeks. Amazon MGM’s investment in “Melania” is unprecedented for a documentary, totaling $75 million for the film and a related streaming series, along with $35 million for theatrical marketing. The studio views the theatrical release as a key component of a broader strategy to build awareness and engagement ahead of the film’s debut on Prime Video.

According to Amazon MGM’s head of domestic theatrical distribution, Kevin Wilson, the theatrical run is a “critical first moment” that validates their distribution approach and creates momentum for the streaming release. The company believes the theatrical window provides a “theatrical marketing halo” that will drive viewership on Prime Video.

Independent Films Find Opportunity

With major studios largely absent from the release schedule, independent films were able to capitalize on the opportunity. “Iron Lung,” a low-budget horror film from YouTube creator Markiplier (Mark Fischback), landed in third place with $6.2 million, despite a 66% drop from its debut. The film, which reportedly cost $3 million to produce, has already earned $31.2 million globally. Other independent releases, such as the Angel Studios rom-com “Solo Mio” and the K-pop concert documentary “Stray Kids: The Dominate Experience,” also cracked the top five.

“Solo Mio” took second place with $7.2 million from 3,052 venues, while “Stray Kids: The Dominate Experience” opened to $5.5 million from 1,724 theaters. Luc Besson’s “Dracula” remake rounded out the top five with $4.5 million. Lionsgate’s “The Strangers: Chapter 3” underperformed, earning $3.5 million and landing in seventh place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What film was in first place at the box office this weekend?

Sam Raimi’s survival thriller “Send Help” remained in first place with $10 million in revenue.

How did “Melania” perform at the box office?

“Melania” experienced a significant decline, dropping to ninth place with $2.37 million in ticket sales, a 67% decrease from the previous weekend.

What impact did the Super Bowl have on overall box office revenue?

The Super Bowl typically causes a slowdown in box office revenue, and this year’s total of roughly $60 million was lower than pre-pandemic levels.

Looking ahead, the box office is expected to see a boost with the release of five new films next weekend, including Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” adaptation and the Steph Curry-produced “GOAT.”