'Deadpool' dominates again with $55 million in 2nd week
NEW YORK (AP) — Marvel's R-rated antihero smash "Deadpool" continued to dominate movie theaters over the weekend, earning an estimated $55 million and trouncing a trio of newcomers.
After pulling in a massive $152.2 million in its President's Day weekend four-day debut, the comic book adaptation from 20th Century Fox starring Ryan Reynolds as a foul-mouthed mercenary again topped the North American box office.
Having already grossed $235.4 million domestically, "Deadpool" — made for just $58 million — is poised to become one of the most successful R-rated movies ever.
Globally, the film — now certain to spawn a franchise of its own — has made $491.1 million thus far.
The film, in which Joseph Fiennes plays a Roman soldier investigating the death and resurrection of Jesus, was made for about $20 million by Sony's Affirm label, which targets evangelical Christian moviegoers.
A24's critically acclaimed Puritan thriller "The Witch" opened with $8.7 million, marking the biggest opening of the indie label behind the Oscar-nominated drama "Room."
A24 celebrated Robert Eggers' directorial debut — an austere 1600s horror film, rigorously authentic to the period — as not only the company's biggest weekend in its three-year history, but one that put "The Witch" on course to be "the most successful film of all time with a goat in a starring role."
The animated sequel, which has made $117.1 million in total, will lose its near-exclusive window of family moviegoing next weekend when Disney's "Zootopia" opens.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to comScore: