It’s all WONKA, driving Moviegoers to the Box Office this weekend with $35 million from 4,203 theatres. This latest take on the famtastical Chocolatier with star Timothée Chalamet doing promoting around the world including a stop in Toronto this week, gets 85% on the Tomatometer.

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES is a distant second with $6 million from 3,291 theatres for Lionsgate/Cineplex Pictures taking it to $145 million domestically.

THE BOY AND THE HERON is third with $4.5 million, taking it to $22.3 million in its second weekend for GKIDS and Cineplex Pictures.

Fourth goes to GODZILLA MINUS ONE with $4.4 million from 2,622 theatres for Toho, a total $33.7 million grossed in North America. This is a huge feat for Japanese Cinema, boasting two films in the Top Five this weekend.

TROLLS BAND TOGETHER rounds the Top Five out with $4 million, taking it to $88 million for Universal Pictures.

TIFF ’23 opening night selection THE BOY AND THE HERON leads a slow weekend at the Box Office with $10.7 million from 2,100 theatres for GKIDS and Cineplex Pictures. The latest from Anime legend Hayao Miyazaki gets 95% on the Tomatometer.

Second is THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES is second with $8.7 million, a total $134.9 million for Lionsgate and Cineplex Pictures.

Landing in third is GODZILLA MINUS ONE with $6.4 million, a total of $23.4 million over two weekends for Toho International.

TROLLS BAND TOGETHER takes fourth with $6 million, a total $82 million for Universal Pictures domestically.

Rounding it all out is RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ, last week’s champ, coming in with $5.2 million for AMC/Cineplex Pictures.

The Beyhive rule the Box Office this weekend with RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ taking top spot in its debut for AMC/Cineplex Pictures with $25 million from 2,539 theatres. The Concert Film gets 100% on the Tomatometer.

In second is THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES with $14.8 million for Lionsgate/Cineplex Pictures, a total gross of $121.5 million in its third weekend.

Japanese Action-Adventure GODZILLA MINUS ONE debuts in third with $10 million for Toho International from 2,308 theatres, garnering an impressive 97% on the Tomatometer.

Fourth goes to Disney‘s WISH with $7.6 million from 3,900 theatres, a two week total of $42.1 million.

Rounding things out is NAPOLEON with $7.4 million for Apple Original Films/Sony Pictures, a total $46 million.

For a second straight weekend, it’s THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES, taking top spot at the Box Office, dominating U.S. Thanksgiving weekend with $29 million Friday to Sunday, from 3,776 theatres for Lionsgate/Cineplex Pictures, already surpassing $100 million domestically.

Debuting in second is Disney’s WISH with $20.5 million from 3,900 theatres. It gets 50% on the Tomatometer.

Third is NAPOLEON with $19.6 million from 3,500 theatres for Apple Original Films/Sony Pictures with 62% on the Tomatometer for Director Sir Ridley Scott.

TROLLS BAND TOGETHER gets fourth with $15.4 million from 3,870 theatres for Universal Pictures, a two week run of $62.3 million.

Rounding it all out is THANKSGIVING with $10 million from 3,204 theatres for Sony Pictures.

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES has a respectable debut this weekend with $44 million from 3,776 theatres for Lionsgate/Cineplex Pictures. This Prequel, made for $100 million, gets 60% on the Tomatometer and while far off the Franchise best with 2013’s Catching Fire openining with $158 million, times are very different right as Hollywood is navigating its way out of the SAG-AFTRA strike.

TROLLS BAND TOGETHER debuts in second spot with $30.6 million from 3,870 theatres for Universal Pictures, garnering 59% on the Tomatometer. Best opening in the Franchise still goes to 2016’s TROLLS with $46 million.

THE MARVELS lands in third in its second weekend with $10.2 million from 4,030 theatres for Disney, a two week domestic total of $67 million.

Toronto-made THANKSGIVING debuts with $10 million from 3,204 theatres for Sony Pictures, nabbing an impressive 86% on the Tomatometer for Director Eli Roth.

FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S rounds out the Top Five with $3.5 million, a total $132 million grossed over four weekends for Universal Pictures.

Arriving November 17, 2023, THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES continues a massive legacy in a record-breaking franchise. Today we get a new Trailer.

Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Screenplay by: Michael Arndt, Michael Lesslie
Produced by: Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Francis Lawrence
Executive Produced by: Suzanne Collins, Mika Saito, Jim Miller, Tim Palen
Based on the novel by: Suzanne Collins
Cast: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andres Rivera, Jason Schwartzman, Viola Davis
Story: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes follows a young Coriolanus (Tom Blyth) who is the last hope for his failing lineage, the one-proud Snow family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With his livelihood threatened, Snow is reluctantly assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a tribute from the impoverished District 12. But after Lucy Gray’s charm captivates the audience of Panem, Snow sees an opportunity to shift their fates. With everything he has worked for hanging in the balance, Snow unites with Lucy Gray to turn the odds in their favor. Battling his instincts for both good and evil, Snow sets out on a race against time to survive and reveal if he will ultimately become a songbird or a snake.

(Photo/video credit: Cineplex Pictures)

Mongrel Media and Lionsgate are partnering for a special four week initiative where some of Lionsgate‘s biggest blockbusters will stream free starting tonight for four consecutive weeks. Lionsgate Live! A Night at the Movies will give Moviegoers a chance to stream the likes of LA LA LAND, THE HUNGER GAMES, DIRTY DANCING and JOHN WICK on Mongrel Media‘s YouTube Channel here. Even better, KNIVES OUT star Jamie Lee Curtis will be hosting.

The free movies that will livestream on Fridays at 6:00pm PT/9:00pm ET are:
April 17 – “The Hunger Games”
April 24 – “Dirty Dancing”
May 1 – “La La Land”
May 8 – “John Wick” (age registration required)

You also may donate, with proceeds going to the CANADIAN PICTURE PIONEERS, who will be donating funds to theatre employees for relief during these challenging times. There is a Donate button on their mainpage.

Happy streaming!

(Photo/video credit: Lionsgate Films)

For those of you who thought STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS was finished its Box Office reign, THINK AGAIN!  The gargantuan force continues to destroy competitors, this weekend bringing-in $90 million from 4,134 theatres for Disney. This places the Film at $741 million thus far in its North American run, zooming right past TITANIC and JURASSIC WORLD, which before were second and third for all-time domestic records behind AVATAR which grossed $760.5 million.  This latest STAR WARS installment looks a cinch to surpass the latter quite soon.

DADDY’S HOME goes strong into its second week for Paramount Pictures with $28 million, bringing its tally to $92.7 million domestically.

THE HATEFUL EIGHT from Quentin Tarantino, expands its way to third place with $16.2 million, playing at 2,474 theatres for eOne Films/The Weinstein Co.   The Film gets a B CinemaScore and a 75% on the Tomatometer from Critics. It surpasses the $30 million-mark in its second week.

ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP is in fourth for 20th Century Fox this weekend with $12.2 million from 3,474 theatres. It now is in its third week out, benefiting from little competition in the Family market at the Movies.

In fifth is SISTERS, earning $12.1 million from 2,978 theatres for Universal Pictures.  It has made $61-million in three weeks.

JOY is becoming a very profitable venture for 20th Century Fox, earning $10 million in its second week out.  It is nearing the $40-million mark already in North America.

THE BIG SHORT expands to 1,588 theatres for Paramount Pictures, landing it in seventh with $8.8 million, receiving both acclaim from Critics and Audiences with an 86% on the Tomatometer and an A- CinemaScore respectively.

In eighth is CONCUSSION with $7.9 million for Sony Pictures, earning a modest $25 million in two weeks.

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 2 rounds-out the Top Ten with $4.7 million in its seventh week out, nearing the $250 million-mark.

Not that there ever was any doubt about it, but STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS makes an astronomical debut this weekend with $238 million for Disney, from 4,134 theatres.  This not only sets a record for the largest domestic opening ever for a Film, but also critically fares well with an A CinemaScore from satisfied Audiences and a stellar 95% score from Critics on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer. Among other records, it became the first ever Film to cross $100 million in one day ane also it has the distinction of being the fastest Film the surpass both the $100 and $200 million-marks. By comparison, the first ever Film in the Franchise in 1977 opened in 43 theatres only with $1.5 million earned in its first weekend.

ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP is the latest in the successful Franchise, debuting with $14.5 million for 20th Century Fox, good enough for distant second at 3,653 theatres. Despite an A- CinemaScore from Audiences, Critics gave it only 14% on the Tomatometer.

SISTERS starring famed duo Tina Fey and Amy Poehler opens in third with $14 million from 2,962 theatres for Universal Pictures. With a B CinemaScore from Audiences, it gets a passable 62% on the Tomatometer.

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 2 is in fourth this weekend with $5.3 million now in its fifth week out.  It has made $254 million in its domestic run to date for Lionsgate Films/eOne Films.

CREED is in fifth this weekend with $4.8 million for Warner Bros. In four weeks it has made $87.6 million in North America.

SPECTRE in its seventh week out rounds-out the Top Ten with $1.3 million.  It now has grossed $193 million domestically for Sony Pictures.

Despite Moviegoers being busy with the Holidays right now, enough of them went out this tepid weekend to make THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 2 number one a fourth straight week with $11.1 million for eOne Films/Lionsgate Films.  In its run domestically, it has grossed $244.3 million.

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA debuts in second spot with $10.5 million for Warner Bros., from 3,103 theatres. Despite a decent B+ CinemaScore from Audiences, the Ron Howard-directed Drama starring Chris Hemsworth, garnered only 43% on the Tomatometer from Critics.

THE GOOD DINOSAUR continues to show great consistency, in third with $10 million this weekend for Disney, from 3,606 theatres in its third week out.  This time next week it will have exceeded the $100-million-mark.

CREED lands in fourth this weekend with $9.6 million for Warner Bros., tallying-in at $78 million in North America in its third week out.

KRAMPUS after a second-place debut, slips to fifth this week with $7.6 million from 2,919 theatres. It has made $27.2 million in two weeks.

SPOTLIGHT is in ninth with $2.3 million for Open Road Films/ eOne Films, earning now $20 million in six weeks of limited release. It plays at an increasing 1,089 theatres.

BROOKLYN rounds-out the Top Ten with $1.9  million for Mongrel Media/Fox Searchlight, bringing its total to $14 million in six weeks out.