Disney’s blockbuster “Avatar: The Way of Water” ruled the U.K. and Ireland box office for the sixth consecutive weekend with £2.7 million ($3.4 million), according to numbers released by Comscore.
James Cameron’s return to Pandora now has a running total of £67.6 million.
In its second weekend, Universal’s “M3gan” collected £1.35 million for a total of £4.6 million. Close behind was Paramount’s “Babylon,” which debuted in third place with £1.32 million.
A trio of Sony titles occupied fourth to sixth positions. In its fourth weekend, in fourth place, “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody” took in £766,245 for a total of £9.6 million; “Matilda the Musical” collected £661,450 in its ninth weekend for a total of £25.7 million; and in its third weekend, “A Man Called Otto” £577,305 for a total of £3.6 million.
MUBI’s Cannes winner “Holy Spider” debuted in 14th position with £60,731, including previews. Other MUBI titles on release continue to display legs. “Aftersun” collected £28,264 in its 10th week for a total of £1.4 million; “Alcarras” £2,195 in its third week for a total of £90,744 and “Decision to Leave” £804 in its 14th week for a total of £1.03 million.
The big Bollywood release this week is Yash Raj Films’ “Pathaan,” starring Shah Rukh Khan, that opens midweek on Jan. 25.
Trinity’s big Lunar New Year release is sequel “The Wandering Earth II,” starring Andy Lau, Jing Wu, Zina Blahusova, Regina Wan and Fengyi Zhang.
The biggest release of the week is Steven Spielberg film “The Fabelmans,” which eOne is opening across more than 300 locations.
Lionsgate is bowing action film “Plane,” starring Gerard Butler and Mike Colter, Altitude is opening Venice winner “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” while Trafalgar Releasing has concert film “Billie Eilish: Live At The O2.”
Other openers this weekend include two horror films “Unwelcome,” which Warner Bros. is opening across more than 100 locations; and “January,” from Bulldog Film Distribution.