害羞草研究所淭he Lego Movie 2: The Second Part害羞草研究所� was easily the top ticket-seller in theatres over the weekend, but the film害羞草研究所檚 $35 million opening failed to stack up to its expected haul, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The animated sequel had been forecast to draw around $50 million. Instead, it debuted with half the $69 million the 2014 original did, despite good reviews and an A-minus CinemaScore.

With about a $100 million budget, Warner Bros.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淭he Lego Movie 2害羞草研究所� had been pegged as a dependable, star-studded franchise release sure to kick-start a moribund box office. But after record ticket sales last year, Hollywood害羞草研究所檚 2019 has gotten off to such a bad beginning that the movie害羞草研究所檚 tagline of 害羞草研究所淓verything is not awesome害羞草研究所� is looking more like accurate industry analysis.

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害羞草研究所� The LEGO Movie 2 (@TheLEGOMovie)

害羞草研究所淭he expectations were certainly much higher for 害羞草研究所楾he Lego Movie 2害羞草研究所� considering the success of the first installment,害羞草研究所� said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. 害羞草研究所淲e were all hoping that this would be the weekend that got the momentum of the box office going in the right direction. We害羞草研究所檙e still waiting.害羞草研究所�

Every weekend this year has been down from the same weekend a year ago. That害羞草研究所檚 a streak sure to continue. Next weekend, the new releases include 害羞草研究所淗appy Death Day 2U害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淎lita: Battle Angel.害羞草研究所� What opened the same weekend last year? 害羞草研究所淏lack Panther.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淢omentum is everything at the box office,害羞草研究所� Dergarabedian said. 害羞草研究所淎nd we害羞草研究所檝e sort of lost that.害羞草研究所�

Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Will Ferrell and others reprise their voice roles in 害羞草研究所淭he Lego Movie 2,害羞草研究所� while Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph join the cast. Mike Mitchell directs the movie written by original writer-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

Oversaturation could be to blame. Since the 2014 original, which grossed $469 million worldwide, Warner Bros. released two spinoffs: 害羞草研究所淭he Lego Batman Movie害羞草研究所� in 2017 and 害羞草研究所淭he Lego Ninjago Movie害羞草研究所� later the same year.

Distribution executives for Warner Bros. declined to comment on the weekend害羞草研究所檚 results.

Until now, 2019害羞草研究所檚 sluggish box office was partly blamed on lack of quality releases, with only a handful of highly promoted films from major studios. This weekend saw a relatively robust slate of releases, including Taraji P. Henson害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淲hat Men Want害羞草研究所� and the Liam Neeson thriller 害羞草研究所淐old Pursuit.害羞草研究所� Both did solid if not spectacular business.

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Paramount害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淲hat Men Want,害羞草研究所� a loose remake of the 2000 Mel Gibson comedy, debuted with $19 million. Henson plays a sports agent with the ability to hear men害羞草研究所檚 thoughts in Adam Shankman害羞草研究所檚 film, a kind of gender flip from the original. The film got poor reviews (47 per cent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), but audiences gave it an A-minus CinemaScore.

Lionsgate害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淐old Pursuit害羞草研究所� debuted with $10.8 million, a result in line with expectations despite the controversy that surrounded its star in the week leading up to release. Neeson drew heavy criticism after he acknowledged in an interview published last Monday that he wanted to kill a random black person when a close friend told him she had been raped by a black man.

Neeson later appeared on 害羞草研究所淕ood Morning America害羞草研究所� to say he害羞草研究所檚 not a racist. Organizers for the New York premiere of 害羞草研究所淐old Pursuit害羞草研究所� cancelled the film害羞草研究所檚 red carpet.

Orion Pictures害羞草研究所� horror thriller 害羞草研究所淭he Prodigy害羞草研究所� also debuted, with $6 million.

China害羞草研究所檚 first big-budget space-movie spectacle 害羞草研究所淭he Wandering Earth害羞草研究所� bowed in China over the Chinese New Year holiday weekend with a staggering $172.7 million Friday to Sunday, and nearly $300 million since opening Tuesday.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. 害羞草研究所淭he Lego Movie 2: The Second Part,害羞草研究所� $35 million ($18.1 million international).

2. 害羞草研究所淲hat Men Want,害羞草研究所� $19 million.

3. 害羞草研究所淐old Pursuit,害羞草研究所� $10.8 million ($2.8 million international).

4. 害羞草研究所淭he Upside,害羞草研究所� $7.2 million.

5. 害羞草研究所淕lass,害羞草研究所� $6.4 million ($6.6 million international).

6. 害羞草研究所淭he Prodigy,害羞草研究所� $6 million ($1.1 million international).

7. 害羞草研究所淕reen Book,害羞草研究所� $3.6 million ($11.4 million international).

8. 害羞草研究所淎quaman,害羞草研究所� $3.3 million ($6 million international).

9. 害羞草研究所淪pider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,害羞草研究所� $3 million.

10. 害羞草研究所淢iss Bala,害羞草研究所� $2.7 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theatres (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Comscore.

1. 害羞草研究所淭he Wander Earth,害羞草研究所� $172.7 million.

2. 害羞草研究所淐razy Alien,害羞草研究所� $77.7 million.

3. 害羞草研究所淧egasus,害羞草研究所� $52.4 million.

4. 害羞草研究所淗ow To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden

World,害羞草研究所� $38.2 million.

5. 害羞草研究所淎lita: Battle Angel,害羞草研究所� $32 million.

6. 害羞草研究所淏oonie Bears: Blast Into The Past,害羞草研究所� $27.8 million.

7. 害羞草研究所淓xtreme Job,害羞草研究所� $18.2 million.

8. 害羞草研究所淭he Lego Movie 2: The Second Part,害羞草研究所� $18.1 million.

9. 害羞草研究所淭he New King Of Comedy,害羞草研究所� $14.9 million.

10. 害羞草研究所淕reen Book,害羞草研究所� $11.4 million.

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Jake Coyle, The Associated Press

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