Winter Storm Creates Hollywood's Quietest Weekend as 'Mercy' Claims Box Office Crown
With a severe winter storm blanketing vast regions of the United States from Texas to Maine, Hollywood experienced its most subdued weekend of 2026 at the domestic box office. The adverse weather conditions forced hundreds of cinema closures across the country, significantly depressing moviegoing activity as more than 140 million Americans found themselves under winter storm warnings.
'Mercy' Dethrones 'Avatar' Despite Poor Critical Reception
Amazon MGM's science fiction thriller "Mercy" managed to unseat James Cameron's long-running blockbuster "Avatar: Fire and Ash" from its month-long reign at the top of the charts. The Chris Pratt-led film, which depicts a near-future trial before an artificial intelligence judge, secured the number one position with an estimated $11.2 million in North American ticket sales according to Sunday studio estimates.
This achievement came despite withering critical reviews and lukewarm audience reception. The film currently holds a disappointing 20% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and received a mediocre "B-" CinemaScore from cinema-goers. Nevertheless, the $60 million production proved sufficient to finally displace the Pandora epic from its dominant position.
'Avatar' Continues Strong International Performance
James Cameron's third installment in the Avatar franchise, "Avatar: Fire and Ash," slipped to second place domestically with $7 million in its sixth weekend. While the Disney release appears to be winding down in North American markets, it continues to demonstrate impressive staying power internationally, adding $28.1 million from overseas territories.
The film has now surpassed the $1 billion mark globally, though its domestic total of $378.5 million remains substantially below the performance of its predecessors. The original 2009 Avatar grossed $2.9 billion worldwide, while the 2022 sequel "The Way of Water" achieved $2.3 billion in global receipts.
Oscar Nominees Show Resilience Amid Challenging Conditions
Several Academy Award-nominated films demonstrated notable resilience during the challenging weekend. Chloé Zhao's Shakespearean drama "Hamnet," nominated for eight Oscars including Best Picture, collected $2 million during its first weekend of wide release. The film starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal has been gradually expanding its theatrical presence over two months, reaching $17.6 million domestically and $42.1 million worldwide.
Josh Safdie's "Marty Supreme," which received nine Oscar nominations, earned $3.5 million in its sixth weekend of release. The A24 production starring Timothée Chalamet recently crossed the $100 million threshold globally, with $86.2 million coming from domestic markets.
New Releases Struggle in Depressed Market
Several new cinematic offerings faced significant challenges in the weather-affected marketplace. The horror sequel "Return to Silent Hill" opened to a modest $3.2 million, continuing a franchise that began with the 2006 original. Meanwhile, Sony's "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" experienced a sharp 71% decline in its second weekend, dropping to $3.6 million after a disappointing $13.3 million opening despite positive critical reception.
Other newcomers fared even worse. Roadside Attractions' "H Is For Hawk," featuring Claire Foy, managed just $150,000 from 472 theaters, while Sony's migrant worker drama "Clika" earned only $1.2 million across 522 locations.
Domestic Box Office Top Ten
According to Comscore estimates for Friday through Sunday ticket sales at U.S. and Canadian theaters, the weekend's top performers were:
- "Mercy" - $11.2 million
- "Avatar: Fire and Ash" - $7 million
- "Zootopia 2" - $5.7 million
- "The Housemaid" - $4.2 million
- "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" - $3.6 million
- "Marty Supreme" - $3.5 million
- "Return to Silent Hill" - $2.7 million
- "Hamnet" - $2 million
- "Lord of the Rings" - $2 million
- "Primate" - $1.7 million
Final domestic figures will be confirmed on Monday, but the weekend's overall performance reflects the significant impact of severe winter weather on cinema attendance across North America.
