The posh upstairs/downstairs antics of Downton Abbey: The Movie – the cinematic sequel to Julian Fellowes’ hit TV series – was enough of a dapper draw to rake in an estimated $31 million in its opening weekend. It’s a handsome haul that proved too much to overcome for Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo: Last Blood and Brad Pitt’s sci-fi flick, Ad Astra.Adding in the overseas box office, Downton Abbey’s pulled in $30.8 million, bringing its entire run so far to $61.8 million. Which is the type of take vs. budget (a meager $13 million) that might have Focus Features and Universal Pictures International working feverishly to craft a sequel.
Last Blood and Ad Astra didn’t perform poorly however, with Pitt’s well-reviewed space mystery snagging second place with $19.2 million. It was enough to just barely edge out Stallone’s final installment in the 37-year Rambo franchise, which made $19 million.
IGN’s reviews of the films reported that Rambo: Last Blood encapsulated everything wrong with the franchise and that Ad Astra was an eye-popping spectacle too bleak to truly connect with.
Meanwhile, Downton Abbey was filled with enough memorable performances to possibly make it an Oscar contender.
North American Box Office Estimates
Rounding out the Top 5 are It: Chapter Two, which earned $17.2 million in its fourth weekend and wound up passing the $200 million mark internationally, and Hustlers, which brought in $17 million.
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood also wound up passing the $200 million mark internationally this weekend.
Here are the weekend’s Top 10 North American box office estimates (via Box Office Mojo)
- 1. Downton Abbey $31,000,000
- 2. Ad Astra $19,210,000
- 3. Rambo: Last Blood $19,015,000
- 4. IT: Chapter Two $17,245,000
- 5. Hustlers $17,000,000
- 6. The Lion King $2,572,000
- 7. Good Boys $2,510,000
- 8. Angel Has Fallen $2,400,000
- 9. Overcomer $1,500,000
- 10. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw $1,460,000
