UK box office: 'Fantastic Beasts' retains lead for fourth straight week

UK TOP FIVE

(Note - Dollar conversions are based on today’s rates)

WARNER BROS

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them has become the first film since Star Wars: The Force Awakens in January to record four straight weeks as the UK’s number one.

Warner Bros’ Harry Potter spin-off fell a respectable 40% with a $3.4m (£2.7m) fourth weekend for a magical $53.2m (£42.3m) to date, currently making it the fourth biggest film of the year behind Finding Dory’s $53.8m (£42.8m).

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will end its number one reign, but Fantastic Beasts will still hope to be able to reach £50m.

Also for Warner Bros, Sully: Miracle On The Hudson remained in third after a decent 32% drop saw it add $1.52m (£1.21m) for $5.4m (£4.3m) after ten days in play.

It’s already Clint Eastwood’s sixth biggest result as director with the biopic soon to overtake Invictus ($5.7m/£4.5m) and Changeling ($5.9m/£4.7m).

DISNEY

Moana fell a slim 13% as it sailed to a non-final $2.4m (£1.9m) second weekend to remain in second.

Disney’s latest animation is up to $6m (£4.76m) after ten days in play and will hope for a similar hold next weekend, despite Rogue One’s arrival, before it can start to prosper on weekdays when the school holidays start.

Also for Disney, Doctor Strange has now conjured up $28.8m (£22.9m).

EONE

The week’s highest new entry came in the form of eOne’s Office Christmas Party as it charted fourth.

eOne’s festive comedy danced to a non-final $1.5m (£1.19m), including $362,000 (£288,333) in previews, from its 479 sites. Its Fri-Sun tally of $1.13m (£901,907) would have also seen it land fourth.

That marks the biggest UK debut for directing duo Josh Gordon and Will Speck, ahead of Blades Of Glory’s $1.29m (£1.02m) from 362 sites, although that was achieved back in 2007.

Also for eOne, Arrival grossed $333,000 (£264,576) for a strong $10.8m (£8.6m) and Bad Santa 2 now stands at $2.17m (£1.73m) following a $193,000 (£153,561) third weekend.

In its second weekend, The Edge Of Seventeen dropped 65% (excluding previews) with $93,000 (£74,382) for $578,000 (£460,231) to date.

PARAMOUNT

Rounding off this week’s top five, Paramount’s Allied fell 46% on its way to a $454,000 (£361,000) third weekend for $4.56m (£3.63m) to date.

FOX

Falling 28% in its eighth weekend, Fox’s Trolls took an extra non-final $309,000 (£245,965) for $28.3m (£22.53m) to date.

Also for Fox, A United Kingdom added $185,000 (£147,244) for $2.34m (£1.86m) after three weeks, while The Birth Of A Nation struggled with a UK debut of $167,000 (£132,924), including previews, from its 196 sites.

VERTIGO RELEASING

Snowden uncovered $262,000 (£208,257), including previews, on its UK debut from its 184 sites through Vertigo Releasing.

That is among the lowest debuts for director Oliver Stone, but it’s worth noting that the film received a smaller release than usual for Stone. His last release Savages opened with $477,000 (£379,898) from 379 sites.

Also for Vertigo Releasing, Chi-Raq has grossed $63,000 (£50,489) after two weeks in play.

PHOENIX

In its second weekend, Phoenix’s Polish hit Pitbull: Tough Women added $183,000 (£144,482) for $908,000 (£715,739) to date.

Once it’s finished its run in Odeon cinemas, the sequel will show in Vue and Savoy cinemas.

ICON FILM DISTRIBUTION

Dropping 65% (excluding previews), Icon Film Distribution’s Bleed For This posted a non-final $103,000 (£81,676) second weekend for $592,000 (£470,853) to date.

DOGWOOF

Life, Animated enjoyed a UK debut of $32,000 (£25,626), including previews, from its 22 sites through Dogwoof.

LIONSGATE

From its 24 sites through Lionsgate, The Pass recorded a UK bow of $22,000 (£17,781), including $1,200 (£971) in previews.

UPCOMING RELEASES

This week’s only saturation release comes in the blockbuster form of Disney’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which opens on Thursday (December 15).

Altitude’s The Eagle Huntress, Curzon Artificial Eye’s Through The Wall and Picturehouse Docs’ Rats are among the films receiving a limited release.