'Split' Dominates Newcomers in Second Weekend, Topping 'Dog's Purpose' and 'Resident Evil'

M. Night Shyamalan's Split dominated in its second weekend at the box office, dropping only 34% to take the #1 spot for a second weekend in a row. As a result, Universal held the #1 and #2 spots this weekend with Split and their release of Amblin and Walden Media's A Dog's Purpose, which topped the list of newcomers for a second place finish. Meanwhile, Screen Gems's Resident Evil: The Final Chapter didn't blow the doors off domestically, delivering the lowest domestic opening for any film in the franchise, but the combined worldwide gross for this latest installment pushed the global cume for the six-film franchise over the $1 billion mark worldwide*. Additionally, Oscar frontrunner La La Land jumped 43% after nominations earlier this weekend as its global total now tops $220 million and Hidden Figures climbs over $100 million domestically.

With an estimated $26.26 million, Universal's Split delivered an impressive sophomore session, dropping a mere 34% and outperforming our weekend forecast by a wide margin for a second week in a row. Heading into the weekend we drew comparison to a selection of films that enjoyed similar opening weekends, three of which dropped over 63% in their second weekends and the other, The Grudge, dropped only 42%. Split bested them all as its domestic cume now climbs to just shy of $78 million after just ten days in release.

In terms of a comparison, looking at last year's horror films, Don't Breathe had the best second weekend performance, dropping 40%, but that was over the extended Labor Day weekend and second to that was The Shallows, which dropped 48%. The short of it is this is an outstanding performance for a film audiences are clearly enjoying and getting the word out and will deliver M. Night Shyamalan his fifth film to cross $100 million domestically, and his first since 2010's The Last Airbender.

Internationally, Split brought in an estimated $14.8 million from 31 territories for an early international total of $23.7 million. This weekend included #1 openings in Germany and Spain with $2.6m and $2.1m debuts respectively. The film's global cume currently stands at $101.7 million.

In second is Universal's A Dog's Purpose, which had to overcome some controversy in its opening weekend and ultimately delivered on expectation. The film premiered in 3,059 theaters and opened with an estimated $18.38 million. Opening day audiences liked what they saw and gave the film an "A" CinemaScore, which could help it push toward a $61 million domestic run.

A Dog's Purpose played to an audience that was 56% female vs. 44% male, of which 53% of the audience were general moviegoers ages 13 and older. Additionally, 47% of the audience consisted of families with children under age 13 (32% of attendees) and their parents (15% of attendees). The opening weekend audience was 59% Caucasian, 22% Hispanic, 11% African American and 6% Asian.

Screen Gems's Resident Evil: The Final Chapter wasn't able to secure a spot in the top three in its opening weekend as Fox's Hidden Figures narrowly edged it out with an estimated $14 million as it has now topped $100 million domestically on a $25 million budget. As for Resident Evil, the film delivered an estimated $13.85 million from 3,104 theaters, the smallest opening for any film in the franchise, a distinction previously held by the original 2002 film which opened with $17.7 million.

Final Chapter is the sixth film in the long-running franchise adapted from the video game of the same name and along with this latest film's $64.5 million from 42 international markets its global cume stands at $78.35 million propelling the six film franchise above the $1 billion mark worldwide in collective box office receipts*. Looking ahead, the film received a "B" CinemaScore from opening day audiences, which is a slight improvement over recent installments, and it played to an audience that was 56% male vs 44% female, of which 45% were under the age of 25. All that said, it will likely finish its run somewhere around $35 million or so.

Rounding out the top five is this year's front-runner at the Oscars, La La Land, which scored a record-tying 14 nominations on Tuesday and expanded its nationwide reach to 3,136 theaters (+1,271). The film brought in an estimated $12 million this weekend as its domestic cume now climbs to $106.5 million. Internationally, La La Land added an estimated $23.4 million in 73 markets for an international cume of $117 million through Sunday, pushing its global cume over $223 million.

Finishing in tenth position is the last of the weekend's new wide releases, the Weinstein's Gold starring Matthew McConaughey. The film debuted in 2,166 theaters and heading into the weekend wasn't looking to make much of an impact and it ultimately delivered on that promise, opening with an estimated $3.47 million. The film scored a "B-" CinemaScore from opening day audiences and a domestic run at or just below $10 million seems likely.

Outside the top ten several Oscar-nominated features saw a bump this weekend as several expanded their nationwide reach, some for a second time. The release that saw the largest bump was Hacksaw Ridge, which was playing in 502 theaters (+377) and saw a 431% increase for a $415k weekend as its cume now stands at $65.9 million. Outside of La La Land, Paramount's Arrival saw the largest expansion of the weekend as it played in 1,221 theaters (+1,041) and brought in an estimated $1.47 million as it continues to scratch and claw along, hoping to reach the century mark with a domestic cume that now stands at $97.3 million.

Tied with Arrival for the second largest number of Oscar nominations (8), A24's Moonlight expanded to its widest screen count to date in its 15th week of release and grossed an estimated $1.5 million from 1,104 theaters as its cume now stands at $17.7 million.

Of the weekend's new limited releases, Zee TV's debut of Raees began on Wednesday and this weekend it brought in an estimated $1.85 million from 265 theaters as its cume stands at $2.4 million after five days in release. Lionsgate's release of Pantelion's Un Padre No Tan Padre brought in an estimated $1 million from 312 theaters; China Lion's Buddies in India debuted with $190k from 55 theaters; Well Go's Kung Fu Yoga opened with $112,300 from 14 theaters; and Cohen Media's release of Asghar Farhadi's The Salesman into three theaters topped the weekend's theater averages with an estimated $71,071, $23,690 per theater.

Next weekend sees the release of the third film in the The Ring franchise with Paramount releasing Rings in ~2,800 theaters and STX will debut The Space Between Us, also in ~2,800 theaters.