Emerald Fennell's daring reimagining of “Wuthering Heights” made a significant impact at the box office this past weekend. This Warner Bros. release emerged triumphant, securing the title for the biggest opening of the year with ticket sales amounting to $34.8 million in its first three days across North American theaters, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. Notably, a staggering 76% of the film's ticket buyers were women as indicated by PostTrak polling. By the conclusion of the Presidents Day holiday on Monday, the total box office could potentially rise to $40 million from 3,682 locations.
The romantic drama features Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in the roles of the ill-fated lovers, Catherine and Heathcliff. It outperformed several other newcomers in the box office race, including the animated feature “GOAT” and the heist thriller “Crime 101.” Internationally, “Wuthering Heights” is doing even better, on track to earn an additional $42 million from 76 territories.
The production, a collaboration between Warner Bros. and MRC, had a reported budget of $80 million, not including the substantial costs associated with marketing and promotion. Should the four-day totals align with the forecasts, this would lead to a robust $82 million global debut. Excitingly, the film has several forthcoming releases in major markets, including Japan and Vietnam on February 27, and China on March 13.
Fennell's adaptation of “Wuthering Heights,” while taking creative liberties with Emily Brontë's original novel, has received mixed reviews from critics, currently holding a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Although this score did not deter audiences from flocking to theaters, only 51% of viewers from the opening weekend indicated that they would "definitely recommend" the film to friends. The movie also garnered a less-than-stellar B grade on the CinemaScore scale.
The mid-February weekend has historically hosted major superhero film launches, including titles like “Black Panther” and “Deadpool.” However, a more apt comparison for “Wuthering Heights” would be “Fifty Shades of Grey” and its sequels, with the first film opening at over $85 million and the third installment achieving $38.6 million.
“GOAT,” animated by Sony and produced by NBA star Stephen Curry, secured the second spot with an estimated $26 million from 3,863 locations. It is projected to add another $6 million on Monday, bringing its four-day total to $32 million—marking the largest animated debut since “Elemental” in 2023. Internationally, it has also accumulated $15.6 million, leading to a global total of $47.6 million. This family-friendly film emerged as the only new release on the weekend to earn an A CinemaScore, and it comes from the same studio that produced “KPop Demon Hunters.”
In third place, “Crime 101” made an estimated $15.1 million in its debut weekend. This Amazon MGM Studios release, featuring Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo, opened in 3,161 theaters and is expected to accrue about $17.8 million by the end of Monday. However, the film must perform significantly better to surpass its reportedly high production budget of over $90 million. Audiences, with a demographic of 56% male viewers, awarded “Crime 101” a B CinemaScore.
Further down the box office rankings, Briarcliff Entertainment’s sci-fi comedy “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,” featuring Sam Rockwell and Haley Lu Richardson, raked in an estimated $3.6 million from 1,610 venues.
The Walt Disney Studios marked a substantial achievement over the weekend by becoming the first studio to exceed $1 billion at the global box office in 2026, a milestone driven predominantly by the success of “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” The studio's performance was further bolstered by the enduring popularity of “Zootopia 2,” which continues to remain in the top ten after twelve weekends in theaters.
