Chris Pratt'S 'Mercy' Storms To Box Office Victory Amid Winter Chaos

‘Mercy’ Leads Box Office with $5M Friday, $12.6M Weekend

According to Variety, things are finally getting spicy at the box office again, even with a massive winter storm slamming much of the country. Chris Pratt's new sci-fi flick Mercy came out swinging on Friday, and Mercy leads the weekend box office, looking like it might actually end Avatar: Fire and Ash's five-weekend winning streak. Pretty impressive considering half the nation's stuck at home right now. As Mercy tops the charts and commands first place despite the weather chaos, Pratt's thriller is proving it can weather any storm while dominating the competition.

Pratt’s sci-fi thriller opened in first place with $5 million on Friday across 3,468 theaters, which is solid given the weather chaos. As Mercy leads the weekend, it’s tracking for around $12.6 million by Sunday, not huge, but enough to command the top spot. The only new wide release brave enough to launch into a winter storm, Mercy tops the competition and it’s actually working out.

“It’s a wild ride, watching a film break through the storm like this,” commented an industry insider, reflecting the buzz surrounding Mercy's performance.

'Avatar: Fire and Ash' Holds Strong but Loses Top Spot

After dominating for five straight weekends, Cameron's sequel is finally facing real competition (and Mother Nature) as Mercy leads the charge. Fire and Ash pulled $1.7 million Friday and should hit around $7.1 million for the weekend, bringing its domestic total to $378 million. While Mercy tops the box office this frame, the storm's definitely not helping Avatar hold onto that crown.

Other Box Office Highlights

The Housemaid Surpasses Expectations

This season's surprise hit, The Housemaid, is holding up even with the bad weather while Mercy commands the top spot. Lionsgate’s thriller grabbed $1.48 million Friday and is sitting at $115 million domestic, way past its $35 million budget. They've already greenlit a sequel, which honestly makes sense given these numbers, even as Mercy leads the weekend’s conversation.

Zootopia 2 Keeps Drawing Families

Nine weeks in and Disney's animated sequel is still pulling families to theaters despite the storm, even as Mercy leads the weekend. It added $1.4 million on Friday and is looking at $5.9 million for the weekend, pushing past $401 million total. These family movies just don't quit, but Mercy tops the charts this frame.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Fights the Cold

The zombie sequel grabbed $1.2 million on Friday and should land around $4.2 million for the weekend, sitting at roughly $21 million total after a pretty steep drop last weekend. The weather's not doing it any favors either.

The Final Showdown: Nature vs. Box Office

Bottom line? We've actually got a race this weekend, winter storm and all. Will Avatar 3 hold on for a sixth win or does Pratt steal the crown? The weather might be the real deciding factor here. We'll know when the full weekend numbers come out tomorrow.