'Maze Runner: The Death Cure' Blazes Into The January 26 Weekend Box Office
Maze Runner: The Death Cure blazed into the weekend box office. The film took the box office crown away from Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle.
Death Takes The Top
The finale to The Maze Runner franchise earned over $23.5 million in ticket sales on its debut weekend. Maze Runner: The Death Cure showcased the final battle between Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) and the Gladers as they race against the clock to stop the Flare virus from spreading.
The film made headlines back in 2016 when O'Brien was injured on set and his injury forced production to a temporary halt.
Joining O'Brien for the final film are co-stars Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, Will Poulter, and Patricia Clarkson.
Jumanji Sequel Is Number Two
Maze Runner: The Death Cure dethroned the previous king of the weekend box office, Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. The sequel to the popular 1996 family adventure film earned $16.4 million over the weekend. Starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, and singer-songwriter Nick Jonas, the film has earned a cumulative total of $383 million since its Dec. 20, 2017 release.
The Horseback Heroes
Moviegoers also celebrated heroes who rode horses this weekend. Christian Bale's western Hostiles picked up $10.2 million in ticket sales and placed third in the box office race.
Meanwhile, historical drama 12 Strong picked up $8.6 million and earned sixth place. 12 Strong is the film adaption of Doug Stanton's 2009 book Horse Soldiers, which focuses on a Green Beret battalion led by Captain Mitchell Nelson (Chris Hemsworth) as his group venture by horse to convince an influential Afghani leader to help the U.S. Armed Forces combat terrorism.
Oscar-Nominated Films Update
Only three Academy Award-nominated films earned spots in this weekend's box office race.
The Greatest Showman, which is centered on the early life of entertainment entrepreneur P.T. Barnum, earned both $9.5 million in ticket sales and the fourth slot on the list. Despite not receiving any significant nominations, the film's songwriting team, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, earned their second Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for "This is Me."
The Post came in fifth place as it earned $8.9 million. The film adaptation showcased how Katherine Graham (Meryl Streep) and Ben Bradlee's (Tom Hanks) The Washington Post faced off against the Nixon White House for the right to publish the Pentagon Papers. The film is currently nominated for two Academy Awards -- Best Picture and Best Actress (Streep).
The final Oscar-nominated film that made the top 10 of the weekend box office was The Shape of Water. Director Guillermo del Toro's science fiction romance earned $5.7 million over the weekend. The film has scored 13 Oscar Nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.
Other films that made it onto the list include Den of Thieves, Paddington 2, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
