Bold opener: Valentine’s shocker — a $3 million splash in previews signals a potentially brisk four-day frame, but the real test begins this weekend. Here’s a reader-friendly rewrite that preserves all key facts while clarifying context and adding beginner-friendly explanations.
Warner Bros/MRC’s release of Oscar-winning Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights pulled in about $3 million in Thursday previews across 3,000 locations. Before jumping to comparisons with It Ends With Us, which opened to $50 million after a $7 million preview, note two important differences: It Ends With Us was a summer release, and box-office patterns shift on a holiday weekend. Industry sources anticipate a significant uptick in theater attendance on Saturday, Valentine’s Day, as more people head out, with pedestrian foot traffic moving from Thursday night into Friday and the weekend. Don’t forget the Presidents Day holiday on Monday, which could extend the movie-going window.
Valentine’s Day Saturday hasn’t occurred in 11 years, the last time being when Fifty Shades of Grey debuted to around $93 million over four days, with Kingsman: The Secret Service close behind at $41 million. Early signals show about $14 million in presales for Wuthering Heights, positioning the four-day domestic estimate between $40 million and $50 million in North America. While reviews are fresh, Wuthering Heights sits at about 65% on Rotten Tomatoes. By contrast, It Ends With Us opened at 55% from critics but boasted an 87% score from moviegoers.
Warner Bros previously acquired rights to the Jacob Elordi–Margot Robbie adaptation of the Emily Brontë novel for $80 million, a deal that beat Netflix’s higher bid of $150 million in a competitive market.
Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Animation’s GOAT opened with roughly $1 million in Thursday previews, starting at 2 p.m. across 3,030 locations. The sports comedy is already rated highly by families, with PostTrak ratings of 5 stars from kids under 12 and strong feedback from parents and general audiences. Sony projects around $20 million over the four-day period. Industry chatter suggests a possible early start for GOAT due to a relative scarcity of family-oriented offerings in the market. The film currently holds about 80% fresh with critics and carried an estimated production cost in the $80–$90 million range before marketing and publicity.
Amazon MGM Studios’ Crime 101, a noir from Bart Layton featuring Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry, Mark Ruffalo, and Barry Keoghan, posted about $1 million in previews. The release aims for a $15 million four-day debut. Crime 101 holds a Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score around 86% fresh. Reported production costs stand around $90 million before marketing. It’s important to note that Amazon MGM typically fronts theatrical costs only when the plan is financially viable, so expectations for a solid theatrical return are baked into the approach. Comparable previews include Den of Thieves: Pantera ($1.35 million previews, $15 million opening), A Working Man ($1.1 million previews, $15.5 million opening), and The Beekeeper ($2.4 million previews, $16.5 million 3-day).
Rotten Tomatoes audience scores for all three titles weren’t available at press time.
Weekend recap so far:
- Send Help (20th) — 3,475 theaters, $13 million for the week, down 50% from prior week, total $38.9 million over Week 2.
- Solo Mio (Angel) — 3,052 theaters, $10.5 million for the week, Week 1 total available.
- Iron Lung (Cent) — 2,916 theaters, $9.2 million for the week, down 48%, total $34 million over Week 2.
- Dracula (Vert) — 2,050 theaters, $6.0 million for the week, Week 1 debut.
- Zootopia 2 (Dis) — 2,715 theaters, $5.1 million for the week, down 30%, total $415.6 million over Week 11.
If you’re exploring how previews translate to weekend performance, a few takeaways help beginners: previews set expectations, but actual weekend totals depend on holiday timing, word-of-mouth, and competition. A strong Friday or Saturday can accelerate momentum, yet a fragmented slate or mixed reviews can cap upside. To gauge potential, track presales, audience sentiment, and how the film’s genre aligns with holiday audiences. As always, box office can be unpredictable, so the final four-day totals may shift once the weekend wraps.
Thought-provoking question: Do you think Valentine’s weekend is a better launch window for romantic dramas like Wuthering Heights, or do you expect another genre to outperform due to holiday travel and family plans? Share your take in the comments.
