Box Office: ‘Wuthering Heights’ & ‘GOAT’ Battle for No. 1, ‘I Can Only Imagine 2’ Solid 3rd

The domestic box office this weekend is shaping up as a contest between established hits and a surprisingly strong newcomer. Sony Pictures Animation’s GOAT and Warner Bros.’ Wuthering Heights are locked in a tight race for the top spot, each projected to gross between $13 million and $15 million, while Lionsgate’s faith-based sequel I Can Only Imagine 2 is poised for a solid third-place finish.

Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, continues to demonstrate impressive staying power. After topping the charts during the Valentine’s Day/President’s Day frame with a $37.5 million four-day gross, the film is now predicted to earn $14 million from 3,682 theaters this weekend. Globally, Wuthering Heights has already amassed $125.8 million, and Warner Bros. Anticipates a worldwide total of $151 million by the end of the weekend. This marks the studio’s ninth consecutive No. 1 opening, a streak unmatched by Disney or any other major studio.

GOAT, which opened to $35 million domestically over the four-day weekend, is also performing well, with projections of $14 million from 3,842 theaters. The film represents another success for Sony Animation, the studio behind the Spider-Verse franchise and KPop: Demon Hunters. While its international rollout is slower, GOAT is proving to be a significant draw for audiences.

Adding a different dynamic to the box office mix is I Can Only Imagine 2. The sequel is expected to bring in $8 million to $9 million, bolstered by an “A+” CinemaScore from audiences. However, this figure is roughly half of the original 2018 film’s opening weekend gross in the pre-pandemic era.

Beyond the top three, Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert is making a splash in its limited debut. Playing on 325 IMAX screens, the concert documentary is on track to earn $3.2 million this weekend before expanding nationwide. The film features painstakingly restored footage from Elvis Presley’s 1970s concerts, offering fans a unique glimpse into the King of Rock and Roll’s performances.

A24’s black comedy How to Make a Killing, starring Glen Powell and Margaret Qualley, is facing a more challenging weekend. Despite playing in 1,625 locations, the film is projected to earn between $3 million and $3.5 million and has received largely negative reviews. The film is a reimagining of the classic British film Kings and Coronets.

New Regency’s Psycho Killer, however, is struggling to find an audience. The slasher film is projected to earn just $1.4 million to $1.6 million from 1,100 theaters and currently holds a zero percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Hollywood Reporter’s review of the film was particularly critical.

Elsewhere in the top ten, Amazon MGM Studios’ Crime 101 is expected to come in fourth in its sophomore outing, while 20th Century’s Send Help continues to demonstrate strong staying power in its fourth weekend. Disney is also preparing to celebrate Zootopia 2 surpassing the $400 million mark domestically, solidifying its position as the year’s top Hollywood release worldwide and the highest-grossing animated film of all time with over $1.83 billion in global ticket sales.

The box office landscape suggests a continuing divide between established franchises and new releases. While Wuthering Heights and GOAT are proving their appeal, the performance of newcomers like Psycho Killer highlights the challenges facing original content in a market dominated by recognizable brands. The success of I Can Only Imagine 2, despite being half of its predecessor’s opening, demonstrates the continued strength of the faith-based audience. As the industry looks ahead to the Easter stretch with the arrival of films like Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the current trends suggest a potentially stronger March than last year, which was hampered by a string of underperforming releases.