South Africa’s box office: Jumanji brings in the big bucks

Welcome to the first box office roundup of 2018! The year is already off to an interesting start as Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle holds on to first place for the second week in a row. More impressive? The sequel has already claimed the title of the chart’s highest life-to-date grosser with R32.3-million.

To put that into perspective: In two weeks, Jumanji has bested Star Wars: The Last Jedi (on the chart for four), and has already earned more than what Justice League accumulated by its final week on the chart.

In just two weeks, Jumanji has bested The Last Jedi and Justice League

In fact, if Jumanji were to bow out now, its current cumulated revenue would have placed it in the top five highest-grossing films of 2017. So it’s safe to say the blockbuster is kicking ass.

But how did the other films fare this weekend? (5 – 7 January)

Pitch Perfect 3 (review) is in second for the second week in a row. The musical debuted in first spot three weekends ago, knocking The Last Jedi (review) down from first after just one week at the top.

The Star Wars flick has been struggling at the top. It dropped two spots down to fourth last week, as Jumanji premiered and the animated Ferdinand held tight to third.

The Last Jedi fought a tough week by climbing up one into third

The Last Jedi fought hard this weekend, though, and it managed to jump from fourth back up to third in a display of strength (and characteristic non-endings).

The Greatest Showman, which debuted in fifth last week, was knocked down one by The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature, an animation about squirrels who fight for the preservation of their park.

Finally, the Owen Wilson and Ed Helms comedy Father Figures opened in seventh spot following lacklustre reviews. More like O-Lose Wilson? No? Okay.

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

1. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (Incl. 3D, IMAX, 4DX & D.BOX)** (±0)
2. Pitch Perfect 3 (±0)
3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Incl. 3D, IMAX, 4DX & D.BOX) (+1)
4. Ferdinand (Incl. 3D) (-1)
5. The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature (Incl. 3D) (NEW)
6. The Greatest Showman (-1)
7. Father Figures (NEW)
8. Daddy’s Home 2 (Incl. 4DX) (-2)
9. The Foreigner (-1)
10. Murder on the Orient Express (±0)

**Highest life-to-date grosser with R32 324 794.

The above list was provided by Ster-Kinekor Entertainment.