28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is arriving behind expectations as the only new wide release over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. The horror sequel is tracking toward a $15 million four-day opening and $13 million for the three-day frame.
That result lands well below the first 28 Years Later, which debuted to $30 million over three days last June. It also trails the $20 million four-day opening Sony had projected heading into the weekend.
Avatar: Fire and Ash Holds the Top Spot
Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to win the holiday frame in its fifth weekend. The film is projected to earn $17 million over four days.
So far, Avatar 3 has grossed $353.4 million domestically and more than $1.23 billion worldwide.
Franchise Plans and Creative Team
The 28 Years Later franchise comes from director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, who brought the property to Sony after a competitive bidding war. Nia DaCosta directs The Bone Temple, which serves as the second chapter in a planned trilogy.
Sony confirmed last month that a third installment is in development. That film would reunite the series with original star Cillian Murphy, with Boyle returning to direct. It remains unclear whether this opening weekend will affect those plans.
Strong Reviews Could Boost Legs
Sony insiders remain optimistic that positive word of mouth could help the film hold. The Bone Temple boasts a 94 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, an A- CinemaScore, and a 4.5 PostTrak rating. Those marks are rare for a horror release.
The cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, and Chi Lewis-Parry.
Zootopia 2 Makes Box Office History
Disney’s Zootopia 2 continues to climb. The animated sequel has earned $1.7 billion worldwide, surpassing 2024’s Inside Out 2 at $1.69 billion. That makes Zootopia 2 the highest-grossing animated film in Hollywood history.
China’s Ne Zha 2, which is not a Motion Picture Association release, remains the top animated film globally with $2.25 billion.
With its latest milestone, Zootopia 2 now ranks as the ninth-highest-grossing film of all time worldwide. It sits behind Spider-Man: No Way Home at $1.9 billion and Avengers: Infinity War at $2 billion.
The Housemaid Shows Staying Power
Lionsgate’s The Housemaid dipped just 22 percent in its fifth weekend. The thriller is expected to place fourth with $10.1 million over the four-day frame.
That performance brings its domestic total to $108.7 million.
The top 12 movies of the weekend, as of Sunday, January 18, are as follows.
| # | Title | Distributor Name | Weekend Total | # of Locs | Loc Avg | Cume Total | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avatar: Fire and Ash | 20th Century Studios | $13,320,000 | 3,300 | $4,036 | $363,530,340 | -38% |
| 2 | 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple | Sony | $13,000,000 | 3,506 | $3,708 | $13,000,000 | |
| 3 | Zootopia 2 | Disney | $8,769,000 | 3,100 | $2,829 | $390,011,207 | -12% |
| 4 | Housemaid, The | Lionsgate | $8,515,000 | 3,101 | $2,746 | $107,141,000 | -22% |
| 5 | Marty Supreme | A24 | $5,477,927 | 2,027 | $2,702 | $79,653,221 | -27% |
| 6 | Primate | Paramount | $5,000,000 | 2,964 | $1,687 | $19,596,000 | -55% |
| 7 | Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2026 Event) | Fathom Entertainment | $3,587,154 | 1,686 | $2,128 | $3,587,154 | |
| 8 | Greenland 2: Migration | Lionsgate | $3,365,000 | 2,718 | $1,238 | $14,121,000 | -60% |
| 9 | Anaconda | Sony | $3,200,000 | 2,424 | $1,320 | $59,091,000 | -36% |
| 10 | Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2026 Event) | Fathom Entertainment | $2,416,705 | 1,688 | $1,432 | $2,416,705 | |
| 11 | Spongebob Movie: Search for Squarepants, The | Paramount | $2,315,000 | 1,939 | $1,194 | $67,133,000 | -40% |
| 12 | No Other Choice | Neon Rated | $2,237,000 | 695 | $3,219 | $6,543,415 | 63% |
