Downton Abbey Tops Rambo: Last Blood at the Box Office

Many movie fans expected Sylvester Stallone’s returns as John Rambo to dominate the box office in its opening weekend. Those fans are in for a surprise as Rambo: Last Blood will open in third or fourth place. Instead, its a banner weekend for smaller films. The Downton Abbey movie will take the top spot with a record-setting opening for studio Focus Features. James Gray’s sci-fi film Ad Astra will take the second-place spot.

Downton Abbey earned $13.8 million on Friday. The film is set for a $31 million opening weekend. The movie is a continuation of the popular television drama about a noble British family in the early 20th century and their servants. Creator Julian Fellowes wrote the screenplay, which sees the British royal family pay a visit to Downton Abbey. Michael Engler directs and the show’s core cast returns.

Ad Astra earned $7 million on Friday and is set for a $19 million opening. James Gray directs and co-writes the film. Bard Pitt stars as an astronaut searching space for his father, whose experiment gone wrong threatens the solar system. The film also stars Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler and Donald Sutherland.

Third place is a toss-up between Rambo: Last Blood and Hustlers. Each film is set to earn about $17.5 million for the weekend. Rambo: Last Blood sees Stallone reprising his role as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo for the first time since 2008’s Rambo. In this film, Rambo is on a mission to retrieve his friend’s kidnapped daughter from a Mexican drug cartel.

It Chapter Two, which topped the box office for the last two weeks, finds itself in fifth place this week. It’s expected to earn another $15-16 million. Rounding out the top 10 films this week are Good Boys, Angel Has Fallen, The Lion King, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, and Overcomer.

What are you seeing in theaters this weekend? Let us know in the comments. Keep reading to see the full box office report.

1. Downton Abbey

Opening Weekend
Friday: $13.8 million
Weekend: $31 million

Excitement is high at Downton Abbey when the Crawley family learns that King George V and Queen Mary are coming to visit. But trouble soon arises when Mrs. Patmore, Daisy and the rest of the servants learn that the king and queen travel with their own chefs and attendants — setting the stage for an impromptu scheme and other shenanigans.

A continuation of the television series of the same name, Downton Abbey is directed by Michael Engler from a screenplay written by series creator Julian Fellowes. The film stars Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, and Penelope Wilton.

2. Ad Astra

Opening Weekend
Friday: $7.161 million
Weekend: $19.1 million

Thirty years ago, Clifford McBride led a voyage into deep space, but the ship and crew were never heard from again. Now his son — a fearless astronaut — must embark on a daring mission to Neptune to uncover the truth about his missing father and a mysterious power surge that threatens the stability of the universe.

Ad Astra is directed by James Gray from a screenplay he co-wrote with Ethan gross. The film stars Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, and Donald Sutherland.

3. Rambo: Last Blood

Opening Weekend
Friday: $7.17 million
Weekend: $17.5 million

When a friend’s daughter is kidnapped, Rambo crosses the U.S.-Mexico border to bring her home but finds himself up against one of Mexico’s most ruthless cartels.

Rambo: Last Blood is directed by Adrian Grunberg from a screenplay written by Matthew Cirulnick and Sylvester Stallone. Stallone reprises his role as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. The film also stars Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Adriana Barraza, Yvette Monreal, Genie Kim, Joaquín Cosío, and Oscar Jaenada. 

4. Hustlers

Opening Weekend
Friday: $5.41 million
Weekend: $17.5 million
Total: $63 million

Working as a stripper to make ends meet, Destiny’s life changes forever when she becomes friends with Ramona — the club’s top money earner. Ramona soon shows Destiny how to finagle her way around the wealthy Wall street clientele who frequent the club. But when the 2008 economic collapse cuts into their profits, the gals and two other dancers devise a daring scheme to take their lives back.

Hustlers is written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, based on the 2015 New York magazine article “The Hustlers at Scores” by Jessica Pressler. The film stars Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Lizzo, and Cardi B. 

5. It Chapter Two

Week Three
Friday: $4.825 million
Weekend: $15.6 million
Total: $177.5 million

Defeated by members of the Losers’ Club, the evil clown Pennywise returns 27 years later to terrorize the town of Derry, Maine, once again. Now adults, the childhood friends have long since gone their separate ways. But when people start disappearing, Mike Hanlon calls the others home for one final stand. Damaged by scars from the past, the united Losers must conquer their deepest fears to destroy the shape-shifting Pennywise — now more powerful than ever.

It Chapter Two is directed by Andy Muschietti, written by Gary Dauberman, and stars Bill Skarsgård, Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Jaeden Martell, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Wyatt Oleff.

6. Good Boys

Week Five
Friday: $720,000
Weekend: $2.5 million
Total: $75.5 million

Invited to his first kissing party, 12-year-old Max asks his best friends Lucas and Thor for some much-needed help on how to pucker up. When they hit a dead end, Max decides to use his father’s drone to spy on the teenage girls next door. When the boys lose the drone, they skip school and hatch a plan to retrieve it before Max’s dad can figure out what happened.

Good Boys is directed by Gene Stupnitsky, from a script he co-wrote with Lee Eisenberg. The film stars Jacob Tremblay, Brady Noon, and Keith L. Williams.

7. Angel Has Fallen

Week Five
Friday: $652,000
Weekend: $2.4 million
Total: $62.9 million

Authorities take Secret Service agent Mike Banning into custody for the failed assassination attempt of U.S. President Allan Trumbull. After escaping from his captors, Banning must evade the FBI and his own agency to find the real threat to the president. Desperate to uncover the truth, he soon turns to unlikely allies to help clear his name and save the country from imminent danger.

Angel Has Fallen is directed by Ric Roman Waugh and stars Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Jada Pinkett Smith, Lance Reddick, Tim Blake Nelson, Piper Perabo, Nick Nolte, and Danny Huston.

8. The Lion King

Week 10
Friday: $597,000
Weekend: $2.4 million
Total: $535.6 million

Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny on the plains of Africa. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother — and former heir to the throne — has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is soon ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. Now, with help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba must figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.

The Lion King is directed by Jon Favreau and stars the voices of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and James Earl Jones.

9. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw

Week Eight
Friday: $687,000
Weekend: $360,000
Total: $169.6 million

Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs (Johnson), a loyal agent of America’s Diplomatic Security Service, and lawless outcast Shaw (Statham), a former British military elite operative, first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever — and bests a brilliant and fearless rogue MI6 agent (The Crown‘s Vanessa Kirby), who just happens to be Shaw’s sister — these two sworn enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves.

Hobbs & Shaw is directed by David Leitch from a screenplay by Chris Morgan and Drew Pearce, based on a story by Morgan. The film stars Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, and Helen Mirren.

10. Overcomer

Week Five
Friday: $405,000 million
Weekend: $1.5 million
Total: $30.5 million

High school basketball coach John Harrison and his team face an uncertain future when their town’s largest manufacturing plant shuts down unexpectedly. As hundreds of people move away, John reluctantly agrees to coach cross-country, a sport he doesn’t even like. His outlook soon changes when he meets Hannah Scott, an unlikely runner who pushes herself to the limit. Inspired by the words and prayers of a new friend, John starts to train Hannah for the biggest race of her young life.

Overcomer is directed by Alex Kendrick, from a script he co-wrote with Stephen Kendrick. Kendrick stars in the film, alongside Shari Rigby, Priscilla Shirer, Cameron Arnett, Aryn Wright-Thompson, Jack Sterner, nad Ben Davies.