Despite critical acclaim, '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' underperformed at the box office, taking second place to 'Avatar: Fire and Ash,' which continued its dominant run for a fifth weekend. 'Zootopia 2' also made history as the highest-grossing MPA animated film.
James Cameron's 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' extended its reign at the North American box office, securing the top spot for a fifth consecutive weekend with $13.3 million in ticket sales. In contrast, Nia DaCosta's '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,' despite strong critical reviews (93% on Rotten Tomatoes) and positive audience recommendations, debuted in second place with $13 million through Sunday, falling short of its projected $20 million holiday weekend earnings. Its underperformance, despite being a horror film released in January, is attributed by some experts to potential audience confusion, especially given its release less than a year after its predecessor, and its $63 million production budget means it has a long journey to break even. 'Zootopia 2' landed in third place with $8.8 million, achieving a significant milestone by becoming the highest-grossing MPA animated release of all time globally, with $1.7 billion. Other notable films included 'The Housemaid' in fourth place with $8.5 million, and 'Marty Supreme' rounding out the top five with $5.5 million, becoming A24's highest-grossing North American release. 'Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' and 'The Two Towers' also re-entered the top 10, while Oscar contender 'Hamnet' expanded to more locations.
