An established start for America’s James Bond

How does the new Jack Ryan operation weigh up against the Oscar nomination-rich top 10?

With an influx of heavy hitters recently – 12 Years a Slave and The Wolf of Wall Street being the newest – the fifth instalment of the Jack Ryan franchise has landed in a decent 3rd place with over £1.2 million on its first week. This is impressive considering the previous instalment in 2002 only managed just over £1 million on it’s opening UK weekend, and despite the franchise holding much more appeal in the US due to it’s patriotic roots.

Other newcomers to the weekend box office bring a much slower tempo with Inside Llewyn Davis and August: Osage Country landing in 6th and 7th respectively. Bringing in a combined £1.3 million both would have perhaps hoped for more, but with such high profile competition in recent weeks there’s no wonder they’re in the position they’re in.

With the recent emergence of The Wolf of Wall Street as a table topper, children’s film Frozen has sailed comfortably under the radar and maintained its place in 4th from last week. Generating an incredible £1.1 million in its 8th week, Frozen has out performed American Hustle and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, even though they’re both newer than the kids animation.

Opening in cinemas last week was Devil’s Due, which is now clinching to the top 10 by the skin of its teeth with £376k this weekend. Despite the brilliant electronic baby viral (watch it here), this is likely to fall out of the top ten by next week.

Coming this weekend

This weekend (or this week to be more accurate) sees the release of three potential mid-table contenders, with I, Frankenstein, Out of the Furnace, and That Awkward Moment. Each of them looks set to offer a different genre and it could be that next weekend’s figures level out as the three split audiences in three ways.

Aaron Eckhart is playing the lead role with I, Frankenstein, and it’ll be interesting to see how he does playing a fantasy character, rather than his normal modern war, everyday hero. With two films in quick succession, Christian Bale is now heading up Out of the Furnace as Russell Baze; his brother disappears so he decides takes the law into his own hands with a rifle – a far stretch from his last character at the helm of American Hustle. Last up is That Awkward Moment, starring Zac Efron, Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan; as the three boys find themselves single they all vow to stay that way and it looks set to be a funny but cringey film full of awkward moments. I hate awkward scenes so I’ll be avoiding this, but Matt has told me he’s excited to see it. Please let me know what you thought in the comments below.

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