Paramount’s Street Fighter opened at No.1 in the U.K. and Ireland over the weekend, taking £2.3 million ($3.1 million). Universal’s animated Forgotten Island followed in second place with a $1.8 million start.
The more instructive number for the Indian market is third place. TGS Cinemas Limited’s release of Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2 collected $1.6 million in its opening frame, according to Variety.
The chart, in brief
- Street Fighter – $3.1M opening, No.1
- Forgotten Island – $1.8M opening, No.2
- Jailer 2 – $1.6M opening, No.3
- Verity – $1.5M third weekend, $12.8M cume
- Other Mommy – $1.3M, $5.1M cume
Further down, Hadestown: The Musical took $844,115 in its weekend run and passed $2 million including earlier screenings. New opener Whalefall collected $691,000, while holdovers Resident Evil and Sense and Sensibility lifted cumes to $18.5 million and $7.9 million respectively.
Why third place is the story
A Rajinikanth sequel arriving in the top three of a mainstream U.K. chart matters for distributors and media planners. It shows that a star-driven Indian release can hold its own against a Hollywood franchise title and a family animation without necessarily topping the market. For streaming and theatrical marketers, the lesson is counterprogramming: a well-timed diaspora title can convert a targeted audience while the top two titles fight for the broadest family and fan base.
The weekend also confirms that holdovers are doing real work. Verity, a Colleen Hoover adaptation, is now at $12.8 million after three frames – a useful signal for book-to-screen and female-skewing thriller campaigns.
What comes next
The upcoming frame widens significantly. Warner Bros.’ DC horror title Clayface, Black Bear’s stop-motion Wildwood and Lionsgate U.K.’s comedy Ghosts: The Possession of Button House all roll out wide on Friday. Repertory is also busy: Park Circus is launching a 30th anniversary 4K restoration of Scream across 100+ screens, and Trafalgar Releasing has K-pop event cinema from Seventeen, Tomorrow X Together and BTS across the weekend.
The operating question for exhibitors is placement. With such a crowded slate, screens that can hold Jailer 2 and other strong week-two titles will be as valuable as new openings.
Source: Variety
