US Box Office Recap: Mercy Tops Storm-Hit January Frame
US Box Office Recap: Mercy Tops Storm-Hit January Frame
The January 23-25, 2026 weekend delivered one of the softest box office frames in recent memory, with total domestic grosses hovering around $42-45 million for the top 10 (some estimates peg overall market under $55 million including midweek). A massive winter storm blanketed much of the U.S., shuttering hundreds of theaters and keeping audiences home, compounded by NFL playoff distractions and the typical post-holiday January lull. This marked a steep drop from prior weeks (e.g., MLK weekend highs) and one of the lowest YTD weekends, down significantly from comparable January periods in recent years.
Despite the headwinds, Amazon MGM’s sci-fi thriller Mercy (starring Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson) debuted at No. 1, dethroning Disney’s long-reigning Avatar: Fire and Ash after its five-week streak. Family holdovers like Zootopia 2 and sleeper sensation The Housemaid showed resilience, while horror and drama titles filled out the lower ranks.
Top 10 Weekend Box Office (January 23-25, 2026) – Estimated 3-Day Grosses
| Rank | Movie | Weekend Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater Avg | Cumulative Domestic | Weeks in Release | Distributor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercy (NEW) | $10.8–11.2M | – | 3,468 | ~$3,117–$3,230 | $10.8–11.2M | 1 | Amazon MGM Studios |
| 2 | Avatar: Fire and Ash | $6.4–7.0M | -45–56% | 3,150 | ~$2,034 | $377.9–378.5M | 6 | 20th Century Studios |
| 3 | Zootopia 2 | $5.3–5.7M | -42% | 2,930 | ~$1,809 | $401–403M | 9 | Walt Disney Studios |
| 4 | The Housemaid | $3.9–4.2M | -34–41% | 3,007 | ~$1,300–$1,396 | $115–117M | 6 | Lionsgate |
| 5 | 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple | $3.6M | – | Wide | – | $20.7–22M | 2–3 | Various |
| 6 | Marty Supreme | $3.5–3.54M | – | Wide | – | $86M+ | Multi | Various |
| 7 | Return to Silent Hill | $2.7–3.25M | – | ~2,000 | – | Emerging | 1 | Cineverse |
| 8 | Hamnet | $2.0M | – | Limited | – | $17.6M+ | Multi | Various |
| 9 | Lord of the Rings (Event Re-release?) | ~$2.0M | – | Limited | – | – | Event | Various |
| 10 | Primate | ~$1.7M | – | – | – | $19–20M+ | Multi | Various |
Note: Figures are estimates from sources like Box Office Mojo, The Numbers, Comscore, and industry reports; final tallies often adjust slightly. Top 10 combined ~$42–44M.
Weekly Totals to January 29 (Including Midweek Holds)
The full week (Jan 23–29) saw Mercy build to ~$14.7M cumulative by Thursday, with strong Friday starts offset by storm-impacted weekends. Holdovers like Avatar: Fire and Ash (~$380M+ domestic) and Zootopia 2 (crossing $400M domestic milestone) continued steady business. Overall market remained subdued, with many theaters closed or at reduced capacity through the week.
Key Insights and Analysis
- Storm Impact Dominates: Severe weather affected ~200 million people, closing 400+ theaters and suppressing turnout. This led to one of the lowest weekend grosses YTD, with the top 10 down sharply from MLK weekend (~$84M top 10).
- Mercy’s Modest Win: The Chris Pratt-led AI thriller debuted solidly (~$11M range) to claim No. 1, ending Avatar’s run. It outperformed some projections despite conditions but fell short of pre-storm hopes ($12–15M). Strong Friday (~$5M) showed potential, but Sunday drops were steep.
- Avatar’s Long Legs: Disney’s epic fell to No. 2 but maintained momentum, nearing $380M domestic and $1B+ international. It’s one of 2026’s early powerhouses (carrying from late 2025).
- Family & Sleeper Strength: Zootopia 2 crossed $400M domestic with excellent holds, proving Disney animation’s January resilience. The Housemaid (Sydney Sweeney thriller) continued its sleeper run, nearing $117M domestic on a modest budget.
- Genre Mix: Horror (28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Return to Silent Hill) and dramas (Hamnet, Marty Supreme) filled mid-tier spots, showing adult audiences braved weather for fresh content.
- YTD Trends & Comparisons: 2026’s early domestic totals lag behind 2025 equivalents due to weather and thin slate. January remains slow traditionally, but holdovers from holiday season (Avatar, Zootopia 2, Housemaid) provide stability. Compared to last January’s softer openers, this frame was down ~17% in top 10 from similar storm-impacted periods.
2026 Early Performance Outlook
The year started strong with late-2025 carryover hits, but January’s weather woes highlight vulnerability in winter months. Upcoming releases could spark recovery, but Mercy’s debut signals star power (Pratt) can still drive business in tough frames. Avatar and Zootopia 2 remain 2026’s biggest domestic earners so far, with potential for billion-dollar globals.
US Box Office January 23-25, 2026 Key Stats:
- Top Film: Mercy (~$11M debut)
- Total Market Estimate: Under $55M (storm-suppressed)
- Notable Milestone: Zootopia 2 crosses $400M domestic
Searching for ‘US box office January 23-25 2026’, ‘top movies box office last week January 2026’, or ‘Mercy tops box office’? This is your complete roundup—stay tuned for the next weekend as conditions improve!
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