Avengers Encore Tops U.K. Box Office as Restoration Slate Looms

"Avengers: Endgame Encore" collected £4.1 million ($5.5 million) across its opening frame at the U.K. and Ireland box office, taking the first position in its debut session.

The Disney reissue pushed Sony's "Resident Evil" into second place during its sophomore outing. The action title banked $3 million, raising its cumulative gross to $11.6 million.

What did the rest of the chart look like?

Paramount's "Heart of the Beast," starring Brad Pitt and J.K. Simmons, opened third with $2.8 million. Universal's "Sense and Sensibility" followed in fourth at $2 million. Studiocanal's animated release "Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom" held fifth in its second weekend, adding $1.1 million to push its cume to $3.4 million.

Warner Bros.' "Practical Magic 2" placed sixth with $1 million, advancing its running total to $9.5 million. Studiocanal's "Pressure" took seventh with $780,739, on a cumulative $7.6 million. Universal's "The Odyssey" sat eighth with $494,831, lifting its cume to $117.1 million. Sony's "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" landed ninth in its ninth frame with $422,187, lifting its total to $134.6 million. Prathyangira Cinemas' Indian title "The Paradise" rounded the top ten with $358,942 in its opening session.

What does the upcoming frame bring?

Monday's rollouts begin with Underground Slate launching Matt Leutwyler's sports drama "Fight Like a Girl" across more than 25 locations. Wednesday's mid-week event programming pairs Altitude's documentary "Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie" with Trafalgar Releasing's music title "Linkin Park: Unshatter." Thursday adds Zee Studios International's Indian release "Baththa."

Friday's saturation debuts span more than 300 locations. Warner Bros. leads with the Tom Cruise drama "Digger." Sony will release the Colleen Hoover psychological thriller adaptation "Verity," starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett. Universal will open Hayley Kiyoko's "Girls Like Girls" on more than 100 screens.

Specialized and limited offerings include Vertigo Releasing's sci-fi title "April X" and comedy "Extra Geography" on more than 25 locations each; MetFilm Distribution's drama "The Weight," starring Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe; Avelina Prat's "The Portuguese House" via AX1 Films; TAPE Collective's "Cotton Queen" on more than 25 screens; Cyrus Neshvad's "Child" on more than 25 locations; and Dartmouth Films' "Derek vs Derek" on more than 25 sites. Additional titles include Tull Stories' ocean documentary "How Deep Is Your Love," Journeyman Pictures' "Kikuyu Land," Dreamz Entertainment's "The Trouble," MVD's "Don't Trouble The Trouble," and Zee Studios International's "Drishyam: The Conclusion."

Where do restoration and event screenings sit?

BFI Distribution will mount a 4K restoration of the Madness feature "Take It or Leave It" across more than 25 locations. Saturday brings Trafalgar Releasing's broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera's "Cosi Fan Tutte." Park Circus will re-release the 20th anniversary restoration of "Casino Royale," starring Daniel Craig, across more than 100 locations the following Monday.

Universal's "The Odyssey," now past $117.1 million in the territory, has outlasted most of its opening weekend competitors. The new frame's unusual range stretches from a £4.1 million Marvel reissue to a Met opera simulcast and a BFI 4K restoration, placing mainstream studio product, Indian-language cinema, classical broadcast, and archival repertory within a single programming window. For exhibitors, the question is whether the diversity of formats draws distinct audiences or competes for the same screens.