‘Lego’ sequel disappoints at North American box office

LOS ANGELES, USA – The latest Warner Bros. Lego movie topped the North American box office charts on its debut weekend – but performed well below estimates from the studio and independent industry predictions.

The animated sequel – The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part – took in $34.7 million, one of the lowest openings in the series. It nonetheless beat out two other new releases, What Men Want, and Cold Pursuit, industry tracker Exhibitor Relations said on Monday, January 11.

The Lego film cost $100 million and had been expected to fetch at least $50 million on its opening weekend.

The new edition again features the voices of Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks and Will Arnett – joined this time by Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph – in a story about love, chaos and revenge in a grim, post-apocalyptic toyland.

In 2nd place was Paramount comedy What Men Want, at $18.2 million. The film, a gender-switching remake of 2000’s What Women Want, stars Taraji P. Henson.

The 3rd spot went to thriller Cold Pursuit at $11 million. The film’s opening was overshadowed by controversy over racially fraught comments by lead actor Liam Neeson, and Lionsgate canceled a red-carpet premiere, but Variety said the opening tracked with expectations.

The Upside from STX Films earned $7.1 million in its 5th week out. The film stars Bryan Cranston as a wealthy quadriplegic who hires ex-convict Kevin Hart as his caretaker.

In 5th place was last week’s leading film, Glass from Universal, at $6.3 million. The M. Night Shyamalan thriller, mostly set in a psychiatric ward, stars Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson and James McAvoy.

Rounding out the weekend’s top 10 were:

• The Prodigy ($5.9 million)
• Green Book ($3.4 million)
• Aquaman ($3.2 million)
• Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse ($3 million)
• Miss Bala ($2.7 million)

– Rappler.com