Despite enduring a predictable, yet massive week-over-week decline, “50 Shades of Grey” remains the film to beat at the box office.
The erotica drama added $8.0 million to its haul Friday and thus repeats as #1 in the Friday box office race. It should also score a second consecutive weekend victory.
“Kingsman: The Secret Service,” which launched alongside “50 Shades” last Friday, follows thanks to its $5.3 million in Friday receipts.
None of the new releases made a major splash Friday, but “The DUFF” was the most successful of the newcomers. The film grabbed third place Friday with $4.3 million and thus leads “McFarland, USA” (#5, $3.6 million) and “Hot Tub Time Machine 2” (#7, $2.3 million).
Holdovers “The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” (#4, $4.0 million) and “American Sniper” (#6, $2.7 million) separated the newcomers from each other on the Friday box office chart.