Box office: Three new wide releases flop in North America, but Bridget Jones's Baby is a hit overseas

Three new movies — including a couple of long-delayed threequels — got off to a poor start in North America this week, but one of them was a hit overseas, at least.

Bridget Jones’s Baby landed in third place at the North American box office with an estimated $8.2 million between Thursday and Sunday nights.

That’s the lowest domestic opening of any film in the Bridget Jones series, even before inflation is taken into account. (The first two films came out in 2001 and 2004.)

However, the new film broke records overseas, where it racked up $29.9 million and had the best opening of any romantic comedy released in the British Isles.

Meanwhile, Blair Witch landed in second place for the weekend with $9.7 million, which is easily the lowest wide debut of any film in that once-hyped series. (The original Blair Witch Project grossed $29.2 million in its first wide weekend in 1999, and Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 opened to $13.2 million in 2000.)

The film’s poor performance is all the more remarkable because low-budget horror films like Don’t Breathe, Lights Out and The Purge: Election Year have done very well this year, and so have bigger-budgeted horror films like The Conjuring 2.

The weekend’s other major wide release was Snowden, which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the former NSA agent who revealed just how extensively the U.S. government was spying on its own citizens. The film grossed a mere $8 million, which marks the lowest opening of any Oliver Stone film in wide release since 1997’s U-Turn.

Hillsong: Let Hope Rise, a “faith-based” documentary about a praise and worship band, also opened on 816 screens across the U.S. (It doesn’t come to Canada until early October.) It grossed $1.3 million and ranked 13th for the week.

Finally, Ben-Hur earned only $225,000 and landed in 28th place in its fifth week. It has grossed $26.03 million in North America and another $54.9 million overseas, where it has almost finished rolling out, for a worldwide total of $80.9 million. (The film will open in Italy later this month, and it will come to Japan in January.)

Meanwhile, in other box-office news…

Sully led the box office with $22 million in its second week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $70.5 million. The film has earned another $23.4 million overseas for a global total of $93.9 million.

Don’t Breathe earned $5.6 million and ranked fifth in its fourth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $75.3 million. The film has earned another $31.7 million overseas for a global total of $107 million.

When the Bough Breaks earned $5.5 million and ranked sixth in its second week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $22.7 million. The film does not seem to have been released overseas yet.

Suicide Squad earned $4.7 million and ranked seventh in its seventh week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $313.8 million. The film has earned another $405.1 million overseas for a global total of $718.9 million.

The Wild Life earned $2.7 million and ranked eighth in its second week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $6.7 million. The film has earned another $20.9 million overseas for a global total of $27.5 million.

Kubo and the Two Strings earned $2.5 million and ranked ninth in its fifth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $44.2 million. The film has earned another $10.4 million overseas for a global total of $54.6 million.

And Pete’s Dragon earned $2 million and ranked tenth in its sixth week, thereby raising its domestic cume to $72.8 million. The film has earned another $40.2 million overseas for a global total of $113 million.

Now for a bit of extra data on Ben-Hur’s place among “faith-based” and Bible films:

Ben-Hur now ranks 11th among recent Bible-themed films in North America:

2004 — The Passion of the Christ — $370.8 million
1998 — The Prince of Egypt — $101.4 million
2014 — Noah — $101.2 million
2014 — Exodus: Gods and Kings — $65 million
2014 — Son of God — $59.7 million
2009 — Year One — $43.3 million
2006 — The Nativity Story — $37.6 million
2016 — Risen — $36.9 million
1981 — History of the World, Part I — $31.7 million
2016 — Hail, Caesar! — $30.1 million
2016 — Ben-Hur — $26.0 million
2002 — Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie — $25.6 million
1979 — Monty Python’s Life of Brian — $20 million
1980 — Wholly Moses! — $14.2 million
2006 — One Night with the King — $13.4 million
1988 — The Last Temptation of Christ — $8.4 million
2016 — The Young Messiah — $6.5 million
1985 — King David — $5.1 million
2003 — The Gospel of John — $4.1 million

It also still ranks fifth among Bible-themed films of the past 20 years overseas (Box Office Mojo doesn’t have foreign figures for older Bible-themed films):

2014 — Noah — $261.4 million
2004 — The Passion of the Christ — $241.1 million
2014 — Exodus: Gods and Kings — $203.2 million
1998 — The Prince of Egypt — $117.2 million
2016 — Ben-Hur — $54.9 million
2016 — Hail, Caesar! — $33.1 million
2009 — Year One — $19.0 million
2014 — Son of God — $11.1 million
2016 — Risen — $9.2 million
2006 — The Nativity Story — $8.8 million

And it now ranks fifth among Bible-themed films of the past 20 years worldwide:

2004 — The Passion of the Christ — $370.8 + 241.1 = 611.9 million
2014 — Noah — $101.2 + 261.4 = 362.6 million
2014 — Exodus: Gods and Kings — $65.0 + 203.2 = 268.2 million
1998 — The Prince of Egypt — $101.4 + 117.2 = 218.6 million
2016 — Ben-Hur — $26.0 + 54.9 = 80.9 million
2014 — Son of God — $59.7 + 11.1 = 70.8 million
2016 — Hail, Caesar! — $30.1 + 33.1 = 63.2 million
2009 — Year One — $43.3 + 19.0 = 62.4 million
2006 — The Nativity Story — $37.6 + 8.8 = 46.4 million
2016 — Risen — $36.9 + 9.2 = 46.1 million

Ben-Hur also now ranks 13th among “faith-based” films in North America:

2004 — The Passion of the Christ — $370.8 million
2014 — Heaven Is for Real — $91.4 million
2015 — War Room — $67.8 million
2016 — Miracles from Heaven — $61.7 million
2014 — God’s Not Dead — $60.8 million
2014 — Son of God — $59.7 million
2011 — Soul Surfer — $43.9 million
2006 — The Nativity Story — $37.6 million
2016 — Risen — $36.9 million
2011 — Courageous — $34.5 million
2008 — Fireproof — $33.5 million
2014 — When the Game Stands Tall — $30.1 million
2016 — Ben-Hur — $26.0 million
2002 — Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie — $25.6 million
2016 — God’s Not Dead 2 — $20.8 million
2005 — The Gospel — $15.8 million

And now for a bit of extra data on the year’s top-grossing animated films:

In North America, The Secret Life of Pets still ranks eighth among animated films:

2016 — Finding Dory (Pixar) — $483.9 million
2004 — Shrek 2 (DreamWorks) — $441.2 million
1994 — The Lion King (Disney) — $422.8 million
2010 — Toy Story 3 (Pixar) — $415.0 million
2013 — Frozen (Disney) — $400.7 million
2003 — Finding Nemo (Pixar) — $380.8 million
2013 — Despicable Me 2 (Universal) — $368.1 million
2016 — The Secret Life of Pets (Universal) — $363.4 million
2015 — Inside Out (Pixar) — $356.5 million
2016 — Zootopia (Disney) — $341.3 million

Overseas, Finding Dory now ranks 15th, The Secret Life of Pets now ranks 21st, and Ice Age: Collision Course still ranks 36th:

2013 — Frozen (Disney) — $875.7 million
2015 — Minions (Universal) — $823.4 million
2012 — Ice Age: Continental Drift (Fox) — $715.9 million
2009 — Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Fox) — $690.1 million
2016 — Zootopia (Disney) — $682.2 million
2010 — Toy Story 3 (Pixar) — $648.2 million
2013 — Despicable Me 2 (Universal) — $602.7 million
2003 — Finding Nemo (Pixar) — $559.5 million
1994 — The Lion King (Disney) — $545.7 million
2012 — Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (DreamWorks) — $530.5 million
2010 — Shrek Forever After (DreamWorks) — $513.9 million
2015 — Inside Out (Pixar) — $501.1 million
2011 — Kung Fu Panda 2 (DreamWorks) — $500.4 million
2004 — Shrek 2 (DreamWorks) — $478.6 million
2016 — Finding Dory (Pixar) — $477.1 million
2007 — Shrek the Third (DreamWorks) — $476.2 million
2013 — Monsters University (Pixar) — $475.7 million
2006 — Ice Age: The Meltdown (Fox) — $465.6 million
2014 — How to Train Your Dragon 2 (DreamWorks) — $444.5 million
2009 — Up (Pixar) — $442.1 million
2016 — The Secret Life of Pets (Universal) — $441.6 million
2014 — Big Hero 6 (Disney) — $435.3 million
2008 — Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (DreamWorks) — $423.9 million
2008 — Kung Fu Panda (DreamWorks) — $416.3 million
2007 — Ratatouille (Pixar) — $414.3 million
2011 — Puss in Boots (DreamWorks) — $405.7 million
2013 — The Croods (DreamWorks) — $400.0 million
2010 — Tangled (Disney) — $391.0 million
2016 — Kung Fu Panda 3 (DreamWorks) — $376.4 million
2004 — The Incredibles (Pixar) — $371.6 million
2011 — Cars 2 (Pixar) — $370.7 million
2014 — Rio 2 (Fox) — $368.6 million
2007 — The Simpsons Movie (Fox) — $343.9 million
2011 — Rio (Fox) — $341.0 million
2005 — Madagascar (DreamWorks) — $339.1 million
2016 — Ice Age: Collision Course — $333.7 million
2008 — WALL-E (Pixar) — $309.5 million
2015 — Hotel Transylvania 2 — $303.5 million
2012 — Brave (Pixar) — $303.2 million
2011 — The Adventures of Tintin — $296.4 million

And worldwide, Finding Dory still ranks seventh, while The Secret Life of Pets now ranks 13th:

2013 — Frozen (Disney) — $400.7 + 875.7 = 1276.5 million
2015 — Minions (Universal) — $336.0 + 823.4 = 1159.4 million
2010 — Toy Story 3 (Pixar) — $415.0 + 648.2 = 1063.2 million
2016 — Zootopia (Disney) — $341.3 + 682.2 = 1023.4 million
2013 — Despicable Me 2 (Universal) — $368.1 + 602.7 = 970.8 million
1994 — The Lion King (Disney) — $422.8 + 545.7 = 968.5 million
2016 — Finding Dory (Pixar) — $483.9 + 477.1 = 961.1 million
2003 — Finding Nemo (Pixar) — $380.8 + 559.5 = 940.3 million
2004 — Shrek 2 (DreamWorks) — $441.2 + 478.6 = 919.8 million
2009 — Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Fox) — $196.6 + 690.1 = 886.7 million
2012 — Ice Age: Continental Drift (Fox) — $161.3 + 715.9 = 877.2 million
2015 — Inside Out (Pixar) — $356.5 + 501.1 = 857.6 million
2016 — The Secret Life of Pets (Universal) — $363.4 + 441.6 = 804.9 million
2007 — Shrek the Third (DreamWorks) — $322.7 + 476.2 = 799.0 million
2010 — Shrek Forever After (DreamWorks) — $238.7 + 513.9 = 752.6 million
2012 — Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (DreamWorks) — $216.4 + 530.5 = 746.9 million
2013 — Monsters University (Pixar) — $268.5 + 475.7 = 744.2 million
2009 — Up (Pixar) — $293.0 + 442.1 = 735.1 million
2011 — Kung Fu Panda 2 (DreamWorks) — $165.2 + 500.4 = 665.7 million
2006 — Ice Age: The Meltdown (Fox) — $195.3 + 465.6 = 660.9 million