‘Wuthering Heights’ Holds Off New Releases in Slow Box Office Weekend

Emerald Fennel’s Wuthering Heights is expected to remain the top movie at the box office this weekend. According to Variety, the film earned $4.6 million domestically on Friday, February 20, 2026, taking the number one spot. While that’s a 56% decrease from the previous Friday, projections indicate Wuthering Heights will earn $14.2 million this weekend, bringing its total domestic earnings to $60 million after just two weeks.

Sony’s GOAT is expected to come in second place at the box office this weekend, earning an estimated $13 to $14 million after making $3.8 million on Friday. Lionsgate’s I Can Only Imagine 2 opened in third with $3.75 million on Friday and is projected to earn $8 to $9 million this weekend. A24’s new film, How to Make a Killing, brought in $1.6 million on its first day and is expected to make $3.2 million over the weekend. Rounding out the top five is Amazon MGM’s Crime 101, which earned $1.53 million on Friday and is closely competing with How to Make a Killing for the number four spot.

‘Wuthering Heights’ and ‘GOAT’ Rule the Box Office


Sony Pictures Releasing

The box office had a strong Valentine’s and Presidents’ Day weekend with a variety of films like Wuthering Heights, GOAT, and Crime 101. However, this past weekend saw a slowdown in ticket sales. Wuthering Heights received mixed reviews, which likely impacted its performance. GOAT is projected to earn between $53 and $54 million this weekend, bringing its total close to Wuthering Heights and potentially surpassing it.

The new movie I Can Only Imagine 2 had a decent opening, but it probably won’t earn as much as the original I Can Only Imagine did in 2018. Considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on moviegoing, it would be surprising if the sequel reached the same $83 million domestic total as the first film. A24, the studio behind How to Make a Killing, likely hoped for a better result, given its $40 million budget. This is the second time a film starring Glen Powell has underperformed, following The Running Man last November. Powell’s next project, The Great Beyond, directed by J.J. Abrams, is scheduled to release on November 13, 2026.

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Beyond the top five films, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert performed exceptionally well, earning $1.4 million from only 325 theaters – averaging $4,307 per theater, according to Box Office Mojo. In contrast, 20th Century Pictures’ Psycho Killer received no positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and debuted at number nine with $710,000. The box office is predicted to improve next week with the release of Scream 7 on February 27th, followed by Pixar’s Hoppers and Warner Bros.’ The Bride at the beginning of March.

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2026-02-22 06:34