A plastic toy and former hitman are not exactly how you imagine heroes—well, unless you are in Hollywood. Lego Batman and John Wick: Chapter 2 have essentially rescued the legacy of sequels and spin-offs, the Hollywood customs of continuation that have often suffered scrutiny for making bland and unoriginal films. Both Lego Batman and John Wick: Chapter 2 defy the stigma of film continuations, receiving rave reviews from fans and critics alike. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Lego Batman has a 91 percent fresh rating, with John Wick: Chapter 2 following closely behind with 90 percent. The numbers, however, only point to the more poignant impact in these films: showing how to make a successful sequel. Lego Batman’s superpower is its originality. It adds a substantial amount to The Lego Movie, demonstrating a cleverness and creativity as it does so. All Lego Batman takes from its predecessor is the character and concept of Lego Batman with the amusing art style of the Lego universe.
Everything else about the film was original or at least based off of Batman’s impressive and well-known history. What the Lego Batman movie does so well is combine the premise of the Lego universe with the deep mythos and landscape of Batman’s world. Lego Gotham City is both accurate to other adaptations of the character and adorably constructed from Lego bricks. The film also brings the same heart, wit, and humor that made The Lego Movie rise above commercialism towards praise and accolades. Described in The Rolling Stone as “action-movie fireworks,” John Wick: Chapter 2’s greatest strength is its explosive violence. There is nothing bland about this adrenaline-inducing sequel, which defeats common expectations attributed to similar franchises. In fact, John Wick: Chapter 2 goes so far as to outstrip the original John Wick, which only received a score of 85 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics attribute this increased success to the sequel’s ability to dazzle audiences with creatively choreographed fight sequences.
These sequences, which revamp the strong points of the film’s predecessor, give fans what they have come back for—but with an exciting twist. Although it would be easy to basically remake John Wick, this sequel only builds on the strengths of the original and reinvents the rest. When creating sequels and spin-offs, there is always the temptation to justs recreate the original and live through past success. That is what many expect to see in continuations, and exactly what Lego Batman and John Wick: Chapter 2 did not do. Critics and fans agree that this is what sets these films apart and makes them heroic. While “The ” is still expected to conquer the weekend, “” bound up its toy competitor on Friday, along with fellow newcomer “.” Universal’s “Fifty Shades” earned $21.5 million on Friday from 3,710 locations. The film’s strong performance in its first two days should put its three-day total in the $46 million range. James Foley directed “Fifty Shades Darker” based on a script that Niall Leonard adapted from E. L. James’ novel of the same name.
Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan return as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey. “Fifty Shades” also opened in 37 international markets on Wednesday and Thursday including Australia, Argentina, Brazil, France and Germany, and will expand to 57 total this weekend. Its early international grosses as of Friday afternoon stood at $22.4 million. Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment’s “Lego Batman” made $15 million on Friday from 4,088 theaters and should wrangle $54 million by the weekend’s end, below some earlier ambitious projections, but still a strong showing. The animated film features the voices of Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, and Ralph Fiennes. Chris McKay directed the animated adventure written by a five-man team: Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern, and John Whittington. Lionsgate’s “John Wick: Chapter 2” should wrap up the weekend with a solid third place finish. The action sequel starring Keanu Reeves made $11 million on Friday and is on its way to an opening in the range of $29 million from 3,113 locations.
As with any sequels, this trio will be judged against their original models. In 2015, “Fifty Shades of Grey” opened at No. 1 with $81 million. It went on to earn more than $166 million domestically and about $571 million worldwide. “The Lego Movie” debuted in 2014 at No. 1 with $69 million on its way to becoming a domestic smash hit with $258 million. Its global total topped $469 million. “John Wick” opened in October of 2014 and grossed over $80 million worldwide. It opened at number two in the U.S. with $14 million. “Split” and “Hidden Figures” are expected to round out the weekend’s top five. The former, from director M. Night Shyamalan, won the the past three weekends. The latter, an awards season contender, continues to post solid numbers in its eighth frame. Box Office: 'Lego Batman' Soaring Over 'Fifty Shades Darker,' 'John Wick: Chapter 2' Box Office: 'Fifty Shades Darker' Spanks 'Lego Batman Movie' on Thursday Film Review: 'Fifty Shades Darker'
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