This weekend, Friday 5th January 2024, there are 5 new films released in the UK and where available looking to hit the box office chart, but can they challenge last weekends top movie, Wonka, for the number 1 spot?

Check out other new releases from around the world.

• Night Swim
• The Goldfinger
• One Life
• Priscilla
• Bad Behaviour

Night Swim

• The movie is directed by Bryce McGuire, it is the directors 3rd movie.
• Bryce McGuire also directed Unfollowed in 2018.
• It stars Wyatt Russell who also starred in Goon 2 (2017).
• The film also stars Kerry Condon who was last seen in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022).
• This movie is released in movie theatres.
• The BBFC UK age rating is

The Goldfinger

• The movie is directed by Felix Chong, it is the directors 10th movie.
• Felix Chong also directed Lady Cop and Papa Crook in 2008.
• It stars Tony Leung Chiu-wai who also starred in Red Cliff II (2009).
• The film also stars Andy Lau who was last seen in The Movie Emperor (2024).
• Felix Chong directed Tony Leung Chiu-wai in The Silent War
• This movie is released in movie theatres.
• The BBFC UK age rating is

One Life

• The movie is directed by James Hawes, it is the directors 2nd movie.
• James Hawes also directed The Amateur in 2024.
• It stars Helena Bonham Carter who also starred in Dark Shadows (2012).
• The film also stars Anthony Hopkins who was last seen in Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire (2023).
• They also appeared together in Howards End in 1992.
• This movie is released in movie theatres.
• The BBFC UK age rating is

Priscilla

• The movie is directed by Sofia Coppola, it is the directors 10th movie.
• Sofia Coppola also directed The Beguiled in 2017 which grossed £1 Mil. in the UK.
• It stars Cailee Spaeny who also starred in Pacific Rim Uprising (2018).
• The film also stars Jacob Elordi who was last seen in Saltburn (2023).
• This movie is released in movie theatres.
• The BBFC UK age rating is

Bad Behaviour

• The movie is from director Alice Englert.
• This movie is a directorial debut.
• It stars Jennifer Connelly who also starred in The Hot Spot (1990).
• The film also stars Alice Englert who was last seen in You Won't Be Alone (2022).
• This movie is released in movie theatres.

Check back on Monday to see what new movies made it onto the Weekend Box Office Chart.

Next week there are 4 new movies released

• Lord of Misrule - Monday, 8th January - streaming
• Poor Things - Friday, 12th January
• The Beekeeper - Friday, 12th January
• The Boys In the Boat - Friday, 12th January

After a 5 week run at the top of the US box office Back panther this week gets knocked down to number 2 with the new entry of pacific Rim Uprising.

It was a relatively low debut for the Pacific Rim sequel as it takes $28 million, compared to the original its well down as that film took $37 million on its debut.

Despite falling to number 2 Black Panther still manager a $16 million 6th weekend which brings the films total US gross to $630 million.

I Can Only Imagine stays at number 3 this weekend while new at number 4 is the animated sequel Sherlock Gnomes which takes $10 million.

Finally Tomb Raider falls to number 5 this week on its second weekend of release with a gross of $10 million bringing the films total to $41 million.

The heat wave the UK is experiencing largely kept audiences away from cinemas over the weekend and for a week with 2 big releases nothing did that well at the box office.

Monsters University was the champion debuting in the top spot but it's £3.46 million gross is way lower than expected.

Despicable Me 2 drops to second place with £2.22 million and second highest new entry Pacific Rim has come up very close behind with £2.19 million. Inline with my predictions Monsters University debut at the top, although I predicted the highest debut weekend of the year and it fell short by £8 million and Pacific Rim did debut in third.

Last year Ice Ace Continental Drift finally for a national release after a couple of weeks on limited and went back to the top of the box office with £10 million knocking The Amazing Spider-Man from the top after a single week.

Highest new film (of sorts) was Magic Mike at 3.

Five years ago Mamma Mia! stormed the box office on it's debut weekend taking the top spot from Hancock which fell to runner up spot. Mamma Mia would go on to be the highest grossing film in the UK for a short time.

Ten years ago Charlie's Angels Full Throttle was still at the top with Daddy Daycare being the highest new film at 3.

Fifteen years ago Six Days Seven Nights was the top film with Mad City the highest debut at 6.

A duo of big releases will this weekend try and knock Despicable Me 2 from the top spot in the UK with both in with a chance.

Monsters University, the new film from Pixar and the sequel to 2002's Monsters Inc. is the film most likely to dislodge the Despicable Me sequel from the top.

There is such good buzz about for this film that I fully expect it to have the highest opening weekend of the year to date and could even have a debut weekend in the £20 million mark.

The original film in comparison had a £9.2 million opening and went on to gross £38 million in the UK, that was over 10 years ago.

Pacific Rim is the new film from Guillermo del Toro and despite never having had a major hit at the box office has a growing and loyal fan base, and this being a high budget Hollywood sci-fi film he will see bigger numbers that usual.

A top 5 placing is almost guaranteed, but beating Despicable Me 2 is a long shot and I suspect third place is where is will land, but runner up to Monsters University wouldn't surprise me.