Captain America shields off The Muppets’ challenge

The Winter Soldier becomes Puppet Master at the top of the table.

The two top films at this week’s box office happen to be completely new entries to UK cinemas. Captain America: The Winter Soldier won this weeks battle as it managed to bring in the majority of audiences while generating an impressive £6m in the process. This continues Marvel’s seemingly unstoppable track record as every recent film from the comic book universe has topped the table on its first week, including of course The Avengers which is ranked as the third highest grossing movie of all time. It’s worth noting that the main character is by far the most normal of the recent Avengers, which can be construed by some as dull, but this hasn’t stopped the good old blue spandex hero from trumping the pack once again

In second place with over £2.2m is the seventh film in The Muppets franchise: Muppets Most Wanted. Now spanning over 35 years, the series has grown to be a family favourite and it’s still evident today with such a high position at the box office. This time they’ve teamed up with Ricky Gervais and a Kermit look-alike as the group find themselves in the middle of a jewel-heist. If its first week has shown anything, it’s that old family favourites are still strong contenders for major success.

The only other new entry this week was The Legend of Hercules, which had a disappointing 9th place opening with approximately £189k being taken. After directing bigger successes like Die Hard 2 and Deep Blue Sea, perhaps more would have been expected from director Renny Harlin, but it seems the muscular Greek hero is destined for a weak stint at the UK box office.

Opening Next Week

There are a few films coming out next week that really grab attention; Noah has obvious blockbuster potential, and despite it being slated by religious groups for inaccuracy, it promises to be a major player in next weeks box office – especially with the likes of Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins and Ray Winstone all starring.

Matt is continuing his directorial-man-crush and is looking forward to Richard Ayoade’s second feature length, The Double. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, The Double is a comedy set around a man who is driven to insanity after his doppelgänger enters his life and takes over. While it might not challenge for the top spot, it’ll likely be around mid table and will hopefully add some box office clout to Ayoade’s growing arsenal of great films.

Other films include Divergent – which many seem to be dubbing as the next Hunger Games, Rio 2 – which will likely be a bigger hit with the kids, and Haunter – a ghostly horror story for spooky film lovers.

Click here to view the latest Box Office Table