Star Wars: The Force Awakens

It is with absolutely no suprise at all the Avengers Infinity War is the top film in the US (and just about everywhere) this weekend, but with the high expectation given to the film it actually outperformed.

Early estimation are coming in with a weekend gross of $250 million, which would beat Star Wars: The Force Awakens opening weekend of $248 million making it the highest grossing opening ever.

These figures are with a Sunday estimate and Disney are thinking they may have this about $5 million lower than the true figure so we could see an opening weekend of $255 million - either way it is a massive record breaking figure for the film.

Avengers aside A Quite Place drops down to number 2 this weekend, the film has done incredibly well for a low budget horror, it has grossed $10.6 million this weekend bringing the total to $148 million.

At third is the Amy Schumer comedy I Feel Pretty which grosses $8.1 million over the weekend for a $30 million total.

Rampage sits at 4 this weekend with a $7 million weekend and an $80 million total and Black Panther shoots back up to number 5 with the release of Avengers Infinity War, the film this weeks takes $4.3 million which brings the total to an incredible $688 million.

After a fairly lacklustre summer season of 2016 where the highlight was a bunch of anti-heroes in the shape of the Suicide Squad, will the Autumn schedule deliver?

We had high hopes but had few thrills, out side of the DC movie Suicide Squad Ghostbusters gave us a good laugh but didn't deliver as expected Finding Dory pulled in the audiences but left us flat.

The rest of the year has some highlights but there is caution as the 2 biggest films are both sequels outside of their parent film series.

Before we even get to them in the latter part of the year we have a number of promises, Captain Fantastic starring Viggo Mortensen looks promising and American hit Kubo and The Two String gives a refreshing animation outside Disney.

Of course we have British favourite Bridget Jones's Baby which is getting good reviews at the moment and a bit after that the recently announced Blair Witch remake/reboot/sequel.

Getting a lot of marketing hype is the remake/retelling of The Magnificent Seven and the looking promising, and a return to form for Tim Burton is Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children.

Tom Hanks returns to detective mode for a third time in Inferno, although I didn't like the previous 2 films and then another sequel emerges mid October with Tom Cruise in Jack Reacher Never Go Back.

Marvel return to their cinematic universe with a new hero in the shape of Doctor Strange and another sequel/reboot come in early November with Rings, the next in (surprise) The Ring series.

After the hotly anticipated Arrival starring Amy Adams arrives the season kicks up a gear with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first move into the Wizarding World outside Harry Potter.

The film, penned by J. K. Rowling, is being hyped to death and not surprisingly, the 8 Potter films did fantastic business at the box office and this is directed by series expert David Yates whic just seems to get the ideas Rowling writes about.

Warner Bros. will be hoping this shows there is still life in the seemingly dormant series and please fans of the original and set up a new generation, 2 more film are already planned.

After that injection things go quiet with unwanted sequel Bad Santa 2 and Tom Hanks (again) in Scully the story of the pilot who landed a plane on the Hudson River.

Then to finish the year off another much lover series goes off piste with Rogue One A Star Wars Story, taking place just before the events of the original Star Wars.

The trailer have looked good and after the excellence of Star Wars: The Force Awakens expectation are massive.

This is a massive risk for Lucasfilms and Disney, and it will either boost the series to height never imagined or will do to the series what Episodes I - III did and nearly kill it, fortunately it has recovered!

To round the rear off we have Michael Fassbender trying to do what many other have failed to do and bring a video game series to the screen in Assassins Creed.

Three weeks in a row at the top now for Marvels Deadpool, the most since Star Wars: The Force Awakens earlier in the year.

Highest new film of the week is the romantic comedy How to Be Single starting Dakota Johnson and Rebel Wilson.

How to Be Single was released at the box office on 19th February 2016 where is entered the box office at number 3.

On its debut the film took a fairly respectable £1.8 million, for Johnson this is a bit below average for her film, but for Wilson its about bang on the money.

The film hung around the box office for 5 week and during that time it took £5.7 million is grosses, fairly average for a film of this type.

Also making their video debut this week are: Triple 9 at 4 and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies at number 6.

Half of 2016 is over, were into the summer season at the box office, so what has happened during the first part of the year at the UK box office.

Like the rest of the work Disney has well and truly ruled, although on the strong superhero front although its Marvel who have dominated its not a Disney Marvel.

Oddly the highest grossing movie of the year so far is a 2015 release, Star Wars: The Force Awakens which has grossed £57 million in 2016.

Out of interest the film was the second highest grossing film in 2015 with a total gross of £65.9 million, the film has made a shed load of money.

Disney's live action version of The Jungle Book is the second highest grossing movie of the year so far with £45.6 million.

Now comes the superhero movie taking their turn.

The third highest grossing film of the year so far is a Marvel superhero movie but not a Disney one, Deadpool has taken £37.6 million.

Captain America Civil War is fourth with £36.4 million and maybe the biggest disappointment in terms of expectation is Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice which is the fifth top film of the year so far with £36.4 million.

The rest of the top 10 film of the year so far are, Zootopia, The Revenant, X-Men Apocalypse, Alvin and The Chipmunks The Road Chip and Daddys Home.

There are obviously some big films to come this year but with The Force Awakens so far ahead already will it really take another Star Wars film to challenge it?

This week on the UK video charts Quentin Tarantino latest film hits the top on its debut week of release.

The Hateful Eight was released in cinemas on 8th January 2016 to critical praise as one of maverick director's best films in years.

Never hitting the promotional highs that perhaps a film of this calibre should get this film did enter at number 2 on its debut with £2.7 million.

The film only hung around for 4 weeks though and took a reasonable £6.8 million in that time - although for Tarantino this is not a good performance.

Last weeks top film Star Wars: The Force Awakens falls into the runner up spot this week, although it's probably just making way for The Hateful Eight for the week.

Also new on the video chart this week is Room which makes it debut at number 4.