‘Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy’ Sets U.K. and Ireland Box Office Records With Historic Opening, ‘Captain America’ Takes Second Place

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In the U.K. and Ireland, Universal’s “Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy” broke box office records during its initial four-day run, earning a staggering £12.3 million ($15.5 million). As per Comscore’s reports, this much-anticipated fourth movie in the “Bridget Jones” series not only claimed the largest opening of the year but also established a new milestone as the highest-grossing debut for a romantic comedy ever in that region, outperforming the previous record held by “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.”

The movie “Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy” brought in an astonishing $14.9 million (approximately £11.8 million) over its first three days across 2,250 screens in the U.K. and Ireland. This opening surpassed the debuts of both “Fifty Shades Darker” and “Fifty Shades Freed.” Furthermore, it set a new record for the highest-ever opening for a film produced by Working Title, and ranked as the 11th largest Universal opening in the market, positioning itself just behind “Jurassic World Dominion” and ahead of the opening weekends of “Oppenheimer,” “Minions,” and “Despicable Me 3.

On Saturday, a romantic comedy movie garnered an astounding 45% of all box office earnings in the U.K. and Ireland, showcasing its clear dominance throughout the weekend. Interestingly, this film significantly outperformed Disney’s “Captain America: Brave New World,” which came in second place with $8 million. To add to that, Everyman, a small-scale cinema chain, achieved their highest three-day opening ever, surpassing their previous record set by “No Time to Die.

In its second week, Universal’s animated movie “Dog Man” dropped to the third spot, gathering $2.3 million, bringing its overall earnings to $7.1 million. Meanwhile, Paramount’s new release “Heart Eyes” opened in fourth place with a weekend take of $895,867.

In its ninth week, Disney’s movie “Mufasa: The Lion King” earned $572,194, bringing its overall earnings to $39 million. This prequel has continued to be among the highest-grossing films of the current season.

Sixth place went to Disney’s movie “A Complete Unknown,” which earned an additional $445,505 in its fifth weekend, bringing its total to a strong $13.7 million. The Bob Dylan biopic featuring Timothée Chalamet has shown consistent success. Meanwhile, “Sonic The Hedgehog 3” maintained its seventh position with $299,600 in its eighth week, raising its overall earnings to $31.6 million.

Yash Raj Films’ movie “Chhaava” made a robust entrance, landing in the 8th spot with $290,777 during its opening week. Meanwhile, Universal’s “The Brutalist” continued to captivate art house audiences, amassing $204,109 in its fourth weekend and raising its total gross to an impressive $3.7 million.

In its second week, the Paramount film titled “September 5” earned approximately $195,654, bringing its overall gross to about $1.4 million.

Commencing with upcoming showings on Thursday, February 20th, the National Theatre will present “The Importance of Being Earnest – NT Live 2025” in cinemas. This new production from the National Theatre provides viewers an opportunity to witness Oscar Wilde’s timeless comedy unfold on the big screen, allowing them to enjoy its clever humor and biting satire from a wider perspective.

On the 21st of February next month, horror aficionados can anticipate the release of “The Monkey,” a production by Black Bear. Directed by Osgood Perkins, it features Theo James, Adam Scott, and Elijah Wood in its star-studded cast. This movie brings Stephen King’s spine-tingling short story to life as a full-length psychological horror film. With screenings scheduled in over 300 locations, the film is poised to captivate horror fans with its unsettling ambiance and suspenseful narrative.

Film distribution company Altitude presents the movie “I’m Still Here,” directed by Walter Salles and featuring Fernanda Torres and Selton Mello. This Brazilian political drama, showing in more than 100 venues nationwide, has earned three Oscar nominations, including best actress – a category that Torres won at the Golden Globes.

Movie enthusiasts who enjoy art-house films have something exciting to anticipate: the intense family drama titled “September Says,” which premiered at Cannes and is distributed by Mubi. Directed by Ariane Labed, this film features performances from Mia Tharia and Rakhee Thakrar.

As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that BFI Distribution is bringing back the haunting masterpiece, “Picnic At Hanging Rock” (4K restoration), for a limited re-release on the big screen! Directed by the legendary Peter Weir in 1975, this film featuring Rachel Roberts and Dominic Guard continues to be one of Australia’s most enigmatic cinematic offerings. The restored edition will be screened across approximately 25 locations, providing us cinephiles with a precious opportunity to re-immerse ourselves in the eerie mystery that unfolds on the silver screen, in stunning quality as if seen for the very first time.

This week, documentary enthusiasts have two fresh options to explore: “I Am Martin Parr,” a film by Dogwoof that delves into the career and impact of the renowned British photographer, Martin Parr, who is recognized for his candid, frequently amusing perspective on contemporary life. Additionally, “Schmeichel” from Dogwoof provides an in-depth look at the career and legacy of Peter Schmeichel, one of football’s most esteemed goalkeepers, offering insights into the life of this celebrated sport figure.

Movie enthusiasts eagerly await “My Husband’s Wife,” produced by Bakrania Media. Starring Arjun Kapoor, this production promises a delightful blend of love and laughter that should appeal to viewers seeking some enjoyable escapism.

This week concludes with a new edition of the 2011 Bollywood movie “Rockstar,” starring Ranbir Kapoor and distributed by Moviegoers Entertainment, hitting the screens.

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2025-02-18 12:46