Final numbers are in, and it looks like yesterday’s estimates handed Rogue One the crown when it should have gone straight to Hidden Figures.
Generally speaking, Sunday estimates of box office grosses basically wrap up the weekend. Sure, the final numbers may add or subtract a few hundred thousand dollars here or there. However, it’s usually not enough to make a difference. This weekend, it was more than enough to make a difference for Hidden Figures. Let’s break it down.
We’ll start with the Sunday estimates, via Box Office Mojo. At that time, it looked like Rogue One would just manage to maintain its top position, with $21,972,000 in its fourth weekend at the box office. Meanwhile, Hidden Figures, which added just under 2,500 theaters this weekend, would fall short with $21,800,000 and take second place. Here’s the key word: estimates.
Final numbers from the weekend have now arrived via Variety. Rogue One has not actually eked out a fourth win. Instead, Hidden Figures beat its estimates soundly on Sunday to take in $22.8 million total. Rogue One, meanwhile, stayed within its estimated range and pulled in $21.9 million. As a result, Hidden Figures can now proudly call itself the number one movie in America or something similar in the ads it runs this week, because it’s true.
Actress Taraji P. Henson, who stars in the movie, has already posted to Instagram about this upset victory.
“I have been told my entire career ‘Black women can’t open films domestically or internationally’,” the caption begins. It goes on to mention that the film was in fewer theaters than Rogue One. This is also true. Mojo reports that Rogue One was in about 4,000 theaters this weekend, and Hidden Figures was in just under 2,500.
Maybe Hidden Figures didn’t win anything at the Golden Globes last night, but it received plenty of love in the form of ticket sales. It certainly proved Henson’s points.
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Hidden Figures is currently in theaters.