Chris Pratt’s 'Mercy' Dethrones James Cameron's 'Avatar' Amid Snowstorm
Studio estimates show 'Mercy' earned $11.2 million domestically as 250 theaters closed during a winter storm.
Overview
Amazon MGM's 'Mercy' earned $11.2 million in North America and moved into the No. 1 spot, displacing 'Avatar: Fire and Ash,' according to studio estimates Sunday.
The subdued weekend followed a winter storm that forced about 250 theater closures and left more than 140 million Americans under warnings, depressing box-office traffic, according to Comscore.
The $60 million film 'Mercy,' starring Chris Pratt, opened to a 20% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 'B-' CinemaScore from audiences, according to review aggregators and polling.
James Cameron's 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' slipped to second place with $7 million domestically and took in $28.1 million internationally in its sixth weekend, leaving its global tally above $1 billion and a domestic total of $378.5 million, according to studio tallies.
Final domestic box-office figures are scheduled for release Monday, according to Comscore, which will confirm weekend rankings and exact totals.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the weekend as a slump by emphasizing declines and negative metrics. Language like "withering reviews", "peter out", and "flopped", plus selective sourcing (Comscore box-office data, Rotten Tomatoes, CinemaScore) and scant industry quotes, foreground poor performance. Structural choices—leading with low grosses and Avatar comparisons—reinforce a narrative of diminishing returns.
Sources (3)
FAQ
In a dystopian future, LAPD detective Chris Raven (Chris Pratt) is accused of murdering his wife Nicole and must prove his innocence within 90 minutes to an AI judge, Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson), using surveillance footage and evidence, uncovering a revenge plot tied to a past wrongful execution.[2]
Chris Pratt stars as Detective Chris Raven, Rebecca Ferguson as AI Judge Maddox, Annabelle Wallis as Nicole Raven, Kylie Rogers as Britt Raven, and supporting roles by Kali Reis as Jaq Diallo and Chris Sullivan as Rob.[2]
'Mercy' has a 20% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 'B-' CinemaScore from audiences.[story]
'Avatar: Fire and Ash' earned $7 million domestically in its sixth weekend, slipping to second place, with a global total above $1 billion and domestic total of $378.5 million.[story]
A winter storm caused about 250 theater closures and left over 140 million Americans under warnings, reducing attendance.[story]
History
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