Will Smith was back on top of the box office on Friday, but snowy weather in a good part of the country may make it a not so happy return.
Smith's new thriller “Focus” pulled in just $6.4 million on its first day which should amount to a $17-19 million debut. Pre-release polling indicated the Warner Bros. thriller would earn around a financially friendlier $23-24 million over the three-day span. The film also earned just a B cinemascore and mixed reviews which aren't good signs for its long term prospects.
Relativity's horror flick “The Lazarus Effect” earned $3.8 million which could amount to a $9-10 million opening weekend. The film was originally going to be distributed by Lionsgate, but Relativity stepped in instead and should eventually break even based on its $3.3 million production budget.
Dropping to third, but likely finishing in second by Sunday was “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Universal Pictures' blockbuster took in another $3.5 million for $140 million domestic. The adaptation of E.L. James bestseller has already earned over $420 million across the globe.
“Kingsman: The Secret Service” took fourth with $3.1 million and $77 million so far.
CBS Films and Lionsgate's”The DUFF” came in at no. 5 with another $2.1 million and $15 million in just eight days. It will likely be knocked out of the top five after “The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” gets the expected family matinee bounce today.
Look for complete weekend estimates tomorrow on HitFix.