SA’s box office: Kingsman 2 crowned no.1

The much-anticipated Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle has unsurprisingly opened in top spot this weekend, pushing The Emoji Movie down from its one-week stint at number one. The “proper spy movie” has received lukewarm reviews — levelling at exactly 50% on Rotten Tomatoes — but the refreshing, fun-loving nostalgia of the first film has been enough to tide this sequel over.

But how did the other films fare this weekend? (29 September – 1 October)

Last week’s champion The Emoji Movie couldn’t hold on to the novelty of being a new kids movie for long and, in the battle against uber-hyped It, it stumbled. The animation fell two spots down to third as the Stephen King adaptation held on tight to second place.

The horror flick — now the highest grossing horror movie ever — is also Southern Africa’s highest life-to-date grosser on the chart, raking in R14.7-million in just three weekends.

The much-anticipated Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle has unsurprisingly opened in top spot this weekend

In fourth place is newcomer Lego Ninjago Movie, which likely had a hand in The Emoji Movie‘s fall. Despite a solid voice cast of Jackie Chan, Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Olivia Munn and Fred Armisen, the film’s poor marketing and reliance on previous successes didn’t do enough to get audiences sprinting to the cinema.

Dark Tower, American Assassin, and The Hitman’s Bodyguard were all knocked down two spots to fifth, sixth and ninth respectively — but Reese Witherspoon comedy Home Again was unable to compete with local drama Vaselinetjie, which budged only one spot. The small move meant that Home Again is the biggest drop of the week, down three from fifth to eighth place.

Finally, newcomer Victoria and Abdul opened in a not unsurprising tenth spot. The period drama sees Judi Dench reunited with the role of Queen Victoria — and if she snags an Oscar nomination for the film, she will join Cate Blanchett as the only other woman to receive multiple acting Oscar noms for the same character.

Here are ten most-watched movies in SA this past weekend:

1. Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle (Incl. 3D, 4DX, & IMAX)
2. It (Incl. IMAX & 4DX)
3. The Emoji Movie (Incl. 3D)
4. Lego Ninjago Movie (Incl. IMAX & 3D)
5. Dark Tower (Incl. 4DX)
6. American Assassin
7. Vaselinetjie
8. Home Again
9. The Hitman’s Bodyguard (Incl. 4DX)
10. Victoria and Abdul

The above list was provided by Ster Kinekor Entertainment.