the box office saw a significant shakeup this weekend as Nia DaCosta’s “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” unseated James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” from its four-week reign at the top. The highly anticipated sequel, a continuation of Danny Boyle’s 2002 hit “28 Days Later,” arrives amid a competitive MLK holiday weekend slate and signals continued audience appetite for horror, despite a crowded market. Below, a breakdown of the top performers and developing stories in nationwide theaters.
Nia DaCosta’s “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” stormed the domestic box office on Friday, unseating “Avatar: Fire and Ash” after four weeks at the top. The arrival of a new installment in a popular horror franchise always generates buzz, and “The Bone Temple” proved no exception.
The latest film in Sony’s long-running zombie series earned $5.6 million on its opening day from 3,506 North American theaters. Projections estimate a four-day Martin Luther King Jr. holiday gross of around $15 million. The previous installment, directed by “28 Days Later”’s Danny Boyle, debuted to $30 million and ultimately grossed $70 million domestically and $150 million worldwide. “The Bone Temple” carried a slightly higher production cost at $63 million, compared to the previous film’s $60 million budget.
Written by franchise mastermind Alex Garland, “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” stars Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell and Alfie Williams as they battle to survive the deadly Rage Virus in the British countryside. The film has garnered critical acclaim and an impressive “A-” grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore – a notable achievement for a horror release.
In second place, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” brought in $3.2 million on its fifth Friday in North American theaters. James Cameron’s return to Pandora is expected to add an estimated $17 million over the MLK holiday, bringing its domestic total to approximately $367 million by Monday. While relinquishing the top spot, “Fire and Ash” is poised to continue its strong performance and potentially reach a fifth week as a No. 1 film. The original “Avatar” and “The Way of Water” both held the No. 1 position for seven consecutive weeks.
Elsewhere, Chloé Zhao’s Shakespearean drama “Hamnet” expanded to 718 North American locations after a limited release. The film earned $370,000 on Friday, adding to its initial $13 million gross, and is projected to earn $1.6 million through MLK Day.
Lionsgate’s thriller “The Housemaid” collected $2.5 million on Friday, securing a third-place finish. Domestic earnings are expected to reach $109 million by the end of the holiday frame, a significant success given its $35 million production budget. A sequel is already in development, with Sydney Sweeney and Paul Feig set to return.
Paramount’s monkey horror “Primate” landed in sixth place during its second Friday in North American theaters, adding another $1.4 million to its total. The film opened solidly last weekend with $13.4 million worldwide against a $21 million budget, and is expected to reach a domestic total of $6.2 million by Monday.
Rounding out the top five were holdovers from the holiday season. Disney’s “Zootopia 2” took the No. 4 spot with $1.9 million domestically on Friday, demonstrating remarkable staying power for a film released in November. Estimates project a four-day gross of $12 million through MLK Day, bringing the North American tally to $393 million. A24’s “Marty Supreme” followed in fifth with an estimated $1.6 million domestically, and is projected to reach a domestic gross of around $80 million by Monday.
