Jingle jungle

The UK box office saw a sharp decline this weekend, with overall grosses for the top 15 titles down 40% from last weekend. A mix of family animation, musicals, horror sequels, and anniversary reissues shaped the chart, while several new entries added variety.

Weekend roundup - Dec 12-14

• Zootropolis 2 — £2,767,509; 654 screens; Week 3; down 35%. Total now £15,531,866. This ranks as the 470th top grossing film ever, just behind Puss In Boots, and 17th on the yearly list behind 28 Years Later.

• Wicked: For Good — £1,856,430; 717 screens; Week 4; down 43%. Total now £40,724,713. It has become the 90th top grossing film of all time in the UK, sitting just behind Four Weddings and a Funeral.

• Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 — £1,016,400; 575 screens; Week 2; down 69%. Total now £5,280,983. A steep drop after its strong horror-driven debut.

• Dhurandhar — £593,726; 118 screens; Week 2; up 94%. Total now £1,230,944. A remarkable second-week surge, showing strong word-of-mouth for this regional release.

• Fackham Hall — £407,006 opening; 472 screens; Week 1. A mid-table debut with a broad footprint, though not yet clear if it will sustain momentum.

• Silent Night, Deadly Night (Studiocanal) — £183,191 opening; 458 screens; Week 1; includes £247 from 1 preview. A seasonal horror revival that found a modest audience.

• Eternity (A24) — £181,348; 376 screens; Week 2; down 53%. Without previews, the fall-off is 49%. Total now £849,491, showing a sharp decline after its buzzy launch.

• The Shining (45th Anniversary) (Warner Bros Int’l) — £181,116 opening; 353 screens; Week 1; includes £10,408 from 1 preview. A strong anniversary turnout for the horror classic.

• How The Grinch Stole Christmas (25th Anniversary 4K Restoration) (Park Circus Films) — £89,900; 252 screens; Week 2; up 53%. Without previews, the increase is 59%, suggesting growing seasonal appeal. Total now £162,249.

Holdovers and milestones

• Now You See Me: Now You Don’t — £216,103; Week 5; down 38%. Total now £6,570,212. A solid run, though fading after its strong opening month.

• Home Alone (Re: 2018) — £181,299; Week 368; up 122%. Total now £3,803,717. A perennial holiday favourite that continues to draw audiences decades later.

• The Polar Express (20th Anniversary 4K Restoration) — £125,709; Week 55; up 102%. Total now £872,250. A seasonal boost has reignited interest in this long-running reissue.

• Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (Re: 2018) — £88,339; Week 368; up 790%. Re-release total now £1,044,203. Another seasonal surge, showing the enduring appeal of the franchise.

• Nuremberg — £87,829; Week 5; down 46%. Total now £3,285,974. A notable holdover that has crossed the £3 million mark.

Quick Take

This weekend was defined by steep drops for recent openers, balanced by strong seasonal reissues and a few standout performances. Zootropolis 2 and Wicked: For Good continue to dominate, each crossing major milestones in UK box office history. Meanwhile, Dhurandhar posted an impressive second-week surge, and anniversary screenings of The Shining and The Grinch added variety to the slate. Seasonal classics like Home Alone and The Polar Express showed remarkable resilience, capitalising on holiday demand.

Ones to watch next week

Next week’s lineup promises several major releases that could reinvigorate the market:• Avatar: Fire And Ash

• Bha Bha Ba

• Gezhi Town

• LIK

• The Six Billion Dollar Man

• Super Elfkins

Final Take

A 40% drop in overall grosses marked a quieter weekend at the UK box office, but milestones for Wicked: For Good and Zootropolis 2 underline the strength of family and musical fare. Seasonal revivals continue to thrive, while next week’s slate, led by Avatar: Fire And Ash, looks set to deliver a much-needed boost.