‘Flight Risk’ Lifting Lionsgate to Second No. 1 Win With $11M

SUNDAY AM WRITETHRU: It’s certain to be one of many lowest total grossing weekends of 2025 with round $70.2M for all motion pictures, and there’s not even a snowstorm responsible.

That’s how this a part of the calendar sometimes swings on the field workplace. A 12 months in the past presently, all titles counted $54.5M per Field Workplace Mojo, and that was the second worst weekend of 2024. For all of the blah blah from distribution heads that moviegoing could be a 52 weekend enterprise, there are just a few useless zones on the calendar. At present, it’s a run-up to the Tremendous Bowl with Commanders vs. Eagles and Payments vs. Chiefs, so don’t count on any guys to go to the flicks. Hopefully this weekend doesn’t are available decrease than what we’re seeing right here.

Nonetheless the place others see pitfalls, Lionsgate sees alternative, so good on them as soon as once more for programming a large launch the place there wasn’t any with the Mel Gibson directed, Mark Wahlberg starring Flight Risk which can notch the studio their second No 1 opening of the 12 months with $12M. It’s additionally the studio’s second after Den of Thieves 2: Pantera since Starvation Video games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes run at No. 1 in November-early December 2023. As soon as once more in 2025, Lionsgate has opened a film to the highest of monitoring (Lionsgate, your rivals noticed this at $12M, OK?).

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Regardless of the No. 1 opening right here for Wahlberg, and 2x Oscar winner Gibson (the filmmaker’s third No. 1 opening after Ardour of the Christ and Apocalypto), the entire film seems like a non-event, regardless of the trailer hook of “Mayday, Mayday, the pilot is a hitman” and that’s as a result of we’ve seen these aircraft in peril motion pictures earlier than. The truth is, Michelle Dockery, who stars in Flight Threat, starred in one among these kind of pics earlier than again of their heyday, and that was 2014’s Liam Neeson Non-Cease which debuted to $28.8M ($92.1M home ultimate).

Jodie Foster’s 2005 thriller Flightplan was one other one with a $24.6M begin ($89.7M ultimate). Lionsgate opened Plane two Januarys in the past to $10.2M. That is simply the place this aircraft style lives, and audiences have seen it earlier than. Flight Threat was originally set for October 2024.

There’s additionally one thing to be stated about Wahlberg’s field workplace drawing energy of late. Not counting the Tom Holland starring Sony Ps franchise film Uncharted ($44M), it’s been some time because the 2x Oscar-nominated actor has opened a film to north of $20M on his personal, a la 2016’s Deepwater Horizon ($20.2M) and 2014’s Lone Survivor ($37.8M). Flight Threat‘s opening right here isn’t that removed from his 2018 STX motion film Mile 22 which debuted to $13.7M, and it’s above his current solo turns Arthur the King ($7.6M) and Father Stu ($5.4M). All of this stated, Wahlberg was one of many major explanation why moviegoers purchased tickets to this at 32% in PostTrak exits. Anybody questioning why Lionsgate would launch two dude motion motion pictures inside two weeks of one another, know that Wahlberg pulls in additional ladies. Flight Threat counts 46% ladies/54% males to Den of Thieves 2: Pantera‘s 37% ladies/63% males.

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One advertising and marketing supply knocked Lionsgate on this film that they solely launched two one-sheets and one trailer. Nevertheless, the bean-counting, frugal studio isn’t going to overspend (P&A mid $20Ms) once they know the products are restricted. Overlook about the truth that critics detest Flight Threat calling it “dumb” or as San Francisco Chronicle‘s Bob Strauss whines “The equal of a suspenseful Spirit Airways business…”, audiences aren’t actually thrilled with this bumpy airflight by the mountains film giving it a C CinemaScore, and 63% on Rotten Tomatoes viewers meter.

RelishMix says that “adverse leaning chatter on Flight Threat has viewers expressing the immense doubt they’ve within the venture: ‘This film is a tax writeoff.’ This development continues as extra followers predict a scarcity of success because of the enterprise of the movie, ‘Everybody is aware of January is the place they ship motion pictures out to die and be forgotten.’” Social media universe analytics at 79M throughout TikTok, X, Fb, Instagram, and YouTube are 40% behind different motion thrillers per RelishMix. Man Ritchie’s motion film The Gentleman by comparability had a attain of 104M on social earlier than its opening in January 2020, the pic opening to $10.6M (once more one other comp right here for Flight Threat, that Ritchie film ending with a $36.4M stateside outcome).

What’s unlucky is that we sometimes count on extra from Gibson as a director when it comes to delivering distinctive epic options, not been there, carried out that thrillers, and his first directorial in 9 years right here isn’t any Hacksaw Ridge. Possibly Lionsgate, which roams within the faith-based sector, can discuss him into making one other Biblical or New Testomony characteristic. That pink state sector would completely present up for Gibson (PostTrak exits stated 16% went to see Flight Threat for Gibson as a filmmaker). Nonetheless, regardless of the low begin right here for Flight Threat, what’s clear is that these older-dude leaning (this one 45% over 25), cookie-cutter motion motion pictures, notably with stars, nonetheless want theatrical to propel them by the house leisure window. And that’s what Lionsgate counts on with these titles.

Lionsgate ran spots throughout sports activities programming, together with a university soccer bowl sport takeover on New 12 months’s Eve and New 12 months’s Day with on-air, in-program, and experiential parts, in addition to spots in pre & submit season NFL, NBA, and extra. Of be aware, on social/digital there was a “Marks Go Free x Fandango” activation the place Marks across the nation redeemed 3,400 opening night time tickets in simply 4 hour.

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PLF screens are delivering 27% of the weekend for Flight Threat. The film is taking part in the very best within the South Central and West with the Harkins Estrella Falls 16 in Goodyear AZ the highest grossing cinema within the nation with $13K to date.

Chart is updating.

6. Presence (NEON) 1,750 theaters, Fri $1.38M Sat $1.23M Solar $800K 3-day $3.4M/Wk 1

Audiences just like the Steven Soderbergh ghost story just a bit bit greater than Flight Threat at C+. PostTrak audiences fell asleep at 58% with a 33% particular suggest. At this stage, amongst Soderbergh’s vast openings (north of 1,000 theaters), it’s his lowest opening after Unsane at $3.8M. The film was reportedly shot for $2M over 11 days. It’s not clear what NEON paid for the film, however they gave it a push with Julia Fox realtor billboards. That stated, for a small studio with a good decrease overhead than Lionsgate, these economics are the place they dwell, learn the Sydney Sweeney horror film Immaculate which opened to $5.3M and legged out to $15.6M was thought of an excellent outcome for them (C CinemaScore). Presence‘s opening his greater than NEON’s Cuckoo ($3M) and MUBI’s multi Oscar nominated style film The Substance ($3.2M opening, ultimate home $16.8M), nonetheless, it’s not sure that Presence can pull off a 5x-plus a number of like Substance and Immaculate. Largely males at 56%. Forty-one % of moviegoers have been 25-34 and 32% have been over 35. Variety demos have been 53% Caucasian, 24% Hispanic/Latino, 11% Black, 9% Asian & 4% NatAm/Different. Greatest play for the Soderbergh film is East, South Central and West with the AMC Burbank 30 the No. 1 home venue with $31K by Friday. Soderbergh has one other film popping out in Q1: Focus Options’ spy thriller Black Bag starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender on March 14.

6. Wolf Man (Uni) 3,354 theaters, Fri $900K (-79%) Sat $1.5M Solar $940K 3-day $3.4M (-69%), Complete $17.8M/Wk 1

8. A Full Unknown (Sea) 2,010 (-490) theaters, Fri $845K (-24%) Sat $1.4M Solar $855K 3-day $3.1M (-24%) Complete $62.9M, Wk 5

9. Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (LG) 2,108 (-900) theaters, Fri $835K Sat $1.5M Solar $665K 3-day $3M (-58%),Complete $31.6M/Wk 3

10. The Brutalist (A24) 1,118 (+780) theaters, Fri $720K (+13%) Sat $1.2M Solar $943K 3-day $2.87M (+45%), Complete $9.3M/Wk 6

Different:

Nosferatu (Focus) 1,973 (572) theaters, Fri $590K Sat $920K Solar $540K 3-day $2.05M (-51%) Complete $93.2M/Wk 5
Robert Eggers vampire film is $3.6M away from turning into Focus’ highest grossing film ever on the home field workplace, surpassing 2019’s Downton Abbey at $96.2M.

Brave the Dark (ANG) 2,230 theaters, Fri $930K Sat $899K Solar $737K 3-day $2.56M/Wk 1
The Jared Harris drama from the faith-based studio will get an A CinemaScore. PostTrak is nice at 86% and 66% particular suggest, however the devoted aren’t going. Turnout is 47% males, 53% ladies, 74% of the viewers 35+ years previous with the largest quad being 55+ at 37%. Variety demos are 66% White, 15% Latino/Hispanic, 6% Black, 7% Asian & 6% NatAm/Different. Highest grossing venue for the pic within the nation? The Penn Cinema in Lititz PA with $25K to date.

UPDATED, Friday noon: Lionsgate is taking a look at its second No. 1 opening of 2025 with the Mel Gibson-directed and Mark Wahlberg-starring Flight Threat, which is grossing $4 million-$4.5 million as we speak and eyeing a gap that’s plus or minus $11M. Keep in mind, it’s an enormous NFL weekend, so hopefully that doesn’t slide deal with the projections we’re seeing right here.

The film price within the mid-$20M vary, with Lionsgate funding two-thirds of that with international gross sales. P&A is round mid-$20Ms as nicely. Flight Threat is booked at 3,161 theaters.

In second as we speak is the sixth weekend of Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King at 3,420 websites with a $1.65M Friday and $7.4M 3-day, off 39%, for a working complete of $219.7M.

Third belongs to Sony’s second body of its R-rated SZE and Keke Palmer comedy Considered one of Them Days at 2,675 theaters, with $2.1M Friday, $7M 3-day, off 41%, and a 10-day by Sunday EOD with $24.3M.

Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 at 3,097 theaters is seeing a sixth Friday of $950,000, 3-day of $4.4M, -49%, and a working cume of $225M.

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Fifth is a battle between Neon’s Steven Soderbergh-directed Presence and Common’s Wolf Man for round $3M. Presence is taking a look at round $1.4M as we speak at 1,730 places, whereas because the Blumhouse horror movie is defanging at -72% for a working cume by Sunday of $17.4M.

Angel Studios’ Courageous the Darkish at 2,230 websites is seeing round $1M as we speak and a $2.4M opening.

PREVIOUSLY, Friday AM: Lionsgate’s launch of Mel Gibson’s Flight Threat starring Mark Wahlberg made in $950,000 in previews Thursday night time. The final time Gibson directed was 9 years in the past, for the two-time Oscar-winning World Battle II film Hacksaw Ridge, additionally from Lionsgate. It’s not clear but whether or not Flight Threat will win the weekend — monitoring is saying $9M-$11M — but when it does, it can rep the second No. 1 end this month for Lionsgate becoming a member of Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, a feat the studio hasn’t pulled off since November 2023’s The Starvation Video games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

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Flight Threat is booked at 3,100 theaters, of which 660 are Premium Giant Format screens and 273 Movement seat screens (4DX, DBOX, MX4D). Critiques for Flight Threat are 25% on Rotten Tomatoes; Den of Thieves 2 stood at 60% with critics on RT, and that landed Lionsgate a No. 1 win with $15M.

Monitoring service Quorum spots among the fuel leaking on Flight Threat: Unaided consciousness has stalled at 4%, which isn’t a great check in a pic’s ultimate week, with curiosity slipping from 55% to 51%. Flight Threat was 3 stars with Display Engine/Comscore PostTrak audiences final night time at 72% constructive. Males at 58% and an total viewers at 80% over 25 confirmed up.

Headwinds Flight Threat will fly into this weekend embrace two NFL convention championship video games. If Flight Threat nose-dives, it’s on the paws of Disney’s Mufasa; The Lion King, which is heading into its sixth weekend with an eye fixed at $8M-$9M. Mufasa received its fifth week with $18M (-4%) and has a working cume of $212.3M. The added bonus for Mufasa: It’s not on PVOD, and it’s purely theatrical. Exhibitors are rewarding Disney with these window phrases this weekend with strong display holds.

Neon’s drone-shot ghost thriller Presence from Steven Soderbergh, which it took the world on a 12 months in the past after the pic’s Sundance premiere, is eyeing a $2M-$3M opening at 1,750 theaters. Previews have been $385K. In its pure Thursday night time previews alone, as a comp, Mubi’s The Substance in September did $327K earlier than opening to $3.2M. Presence is 89% licensed recent with critics, and a pair of stars with final night time’s PostTrak viewers, who have been 61% males, 73% over the age of 25.

Neon beat out 10 different bidders on the competition for Presence a 12 months in the past, the deal on the time coming 35 years after Soderbergh’s $1 million Sundance deal for his profession splash intercourse, lies, & videotape and subsequent Palme d’Or win at Cannes. In Presence, a household strikes right into a suburban home and turns into satisfied they aren’t alone. A supernatural power has infiltrated the home and takes a particular curiosity within the couple’s daughter. Lucy Liu stars with Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, Julia Fox, Eddy Maday and West Mulholland.

Angel Studios has the Damian Harris-directed, Jared Harris-starring Courageous the Darkish, which additionally appears to be like to do within the single digits at 2,200 websites. Previews have been $200K final night time, per sources. PostTrak exits are 4 1/2 stars with a 62% particular suggest for the turnout, which leaned 51% feminine and 63% over 45 turnout. Mad Males‘s Harris performs Mr. Deen, who discovers one among his college students, Nate, has been residing out of his automobile and thrown into jail. Mr. Deen decides to bail him out, decided to curb Nate’s self-destructive habits, however shortly discovers a bunch of darkish secrets and techniques which are slowly tearing Nate aside. What began as a great deed turns into a determined battle to save lots of Nate from his personal demons.

Second for the week was Sony’s R-rated Keke Palmer-SZE comedy Considered one of Them Days with $17M after a $938K Thursday, -6% from Wednesday. The film may ease round 40% in its second weekend. Third for the week was Common/Blumhouse’s Wolf Man, which didn’t delight with $14.4M in week one at 3,354 websites. Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was fourth with $12.7M (-11%), good for a working complete of $220.5M; the pic is at present on digital PVOD. Fifth for the week is Den of Thieves 2 with $9.2M (-53%) at 3,008 websites and a working complete of $28.8M.

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