Winter storms may be freezing box office revenue across the country, but Chris Pratt’s latest thriller just claimed the top spot—even if the victory feels a bit hollow.
Mercy, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, centers on a man facing trial for his wife’s murder with a disturbing twist: an artificial intelligence judge controls his fate.
The film opened to an estimated $12.6 million, enough to dethrone James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash after five consecutive weekends at number one.
But between harsh weather conditions keeping audiences home and lukewarm critical reception, MGM Amazon Studios likely hoped for more firepower heading into the weekend.
A Storm-Dampened Victory
Severe winter weather impacting large swaths of the United States played spoiler to what might have been a stronger opening weekend for Mercy.
Numerous cities issued advisories urging residents to stay home. Box office analysts predict overall revenue could hit 2025’s lowest point yet—potentially even falling behind the same weekend last year.
Industry insiders originally projected Mercy might reach closer to $15 million. Mother Nature had other plans.
Critical response hasn’t helped matters either. Reviews have been largely unfavorable, with audiences delivering only a B- CinemaScore—hardly glowing praise for a thriller banking on suspense and intrigue.
Dethroning Cameron’s Latest Avatar Installment
Mercy does earn bragging rights for ending Avatar: Fire and Ash‘s impressive run atop box office charts.
Cameron’s latest visual spectacle from 20th Century Fox slid to second place with approximately $7 million. Its domestic total now hovers around $380 million—a respectable haul, though nowhere near the stratospheric heights of its predecessor.
Years earlier, Avatar: The Way of Water dominated for seven straight weekends. Five weeks feels almost modest by comparison for Cameron’s follow-up.
Disney’s Animated Juggernaut Keeps Rolling
Zootopia 2 remains firmly planted at number three, projected to earn around $6 million despite operating in its seventh weekend.
Disney’s animated sequel just crossed $400 million domestically—another milestone for the record-breaking phenomenon. Globally, it has amassed over $1.7 billion, cementing its status as one of 2025’s biggest success stories.
Animation continues proving remarkably resilient even as live-action titles struggle to maintain momentum.
The Housemaid Continues Cleaning Up
Paul Feig’s psychological thriller The Housemaid, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, holds steady at number four.
Lionsgate’s female-skewing drama earned an estimated $6 million in its sixth weekend. With $250 million-plus globally, the film represents a massive win for the studio.
Sweeney’s star power combined with Seyfried’s gravitas created compelling counter-programming that found its audience and refused to let go.
Zombie Sequel Stumbles in Second Week
Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple faces a harsher reality.
After opening below expectations during MLK holiday weekend, the elevated horror-zombie sequel tumbled to fifth place. Its projected $4.2 million weekend brings domestic totals to just $21.4 million.
Franchise fatigue may be setting in, or audiences simply weren’t hungry for another trip into post-apocalyptic Britain.
Oscar Nominations Provide Lift for Indie Darlings
Academy Award recognition doesn’t guarantee box office gold like it once did. But strategic releases still benefit from nomination buzz.
Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme landed nine Oscar nominations on January 22, including best picture and best actor for Timothée Chalamet. Many predict Chalamet will walk away with gold.
A24’s sports drama was already overperforming before nominations arrived. This weekend, it’s projected to earn $3.5 million at number six—a drop of just 35 percent, one of the weekend’s best holds.
Hamnet Expands After Golden Globe Triumph
Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet might have the weekend’s most impressive staying power.
After winning best drama at the Golden Globes on January 11, Focus Features’ arthouse offering secured eight Oscar nominations. The film expanded to 1,276 theaters this weekend.
Projected to round out the top ten with $1.8 million, Hamnet‘s domestic total approaches $18 million. Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes are reportedly campaigning aggressively for Zhao.
Starting in limited release back in November, the film has demonstrated remarkable endurance through strategic platform expansion.
Middle-earth Returns for Anniversary Celebration
Nostalgia remains potent currency at multiplexes.
Warner Bros. partnered with Fathom Events for a special 25th-anniversary rerelease of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Landing at number eight, the legendary fantasy epic is expected to generate between $14 million and $15 million total.
Decades later, audiences still answer the call to revisit Frodo’s journey—proof that exceptional storytelling transcends generational boundaries.
Looking Ahead: Weather and Awards Shape February
Box office watchers will monitor whether Mercy maintains momentum or fades quickly given mixed reception.
Weather patterns clearing could provide relief for exhibitors desperate for stronger weekends. Meanwhile, Oscar ceremonies approaching on March 10 will likely boost nominated films through strategic expansions.
Key metrics heading into next weekend include:
- Whether Mercy‘s audience scores improve through word-of-mouth
- How deeply Avatar: Fire and Ash drops in week six
- Zootopia 2‘s continued pursuit of $500 million domestically
- Additional theater expansions for Oscar contenders
Numbers will be updated Sunday morning once actual weekend results replace estimates.
For now, Chris Pratt claims victory in a weekend defined more by what kept audiences away than what drew them to theaters.