“Wuthering Heights” is the new box office queen.
Director Emerald Fennell’s bold take on the classic novel has collected $38 million over the Presidents’ Day holiday weekend in North America and a promising $45 million internationally, delivering a global tally of $83 million. Those ticket sales are slightly above Sunday’s estimate of $82 million worldwide.
Although the domestic figure is below projections (which Warner Bros. placed around $40 million for the four days), “Wuthering Heights” enjoyed a bigger-than-expected start at the international box office. With the softer turnout in North America, the R-rated film might just rely on international crowds for staying power. Warner Bros. spent $80 million to produce “Wuthering Heights,” not including the tens of millions for the global promotional tour.
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi star as toxic lovers Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff in the remake of Emily Brontë’s romantic drama. Unsurprisingly, “Wuthering Heights” was the de facto choice for women around Valentine’s Day on Saturday, with females representing more than 75% of opening weekend crowds.
This marks the ninth consecutive No. 1 debut for Warner Bros. following a slew of 2025 theatrical winners such as “A Minecraft Movie,” “Sinners,” “Final Destination Bloodlines” and “Weapons.” Back in 2024, Netflix (which is currently fighting with Paramount to buy Warner Bros.) had offered a hefty $150 million for Fennell to make “Wuthering Heights” for the streamer. However the director and Robbie, who produced the film with MRC, opted for a smaller budget from Warner Bros. in exchange for a theatrical release and full-scale marketing campaign.
During the Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day weekend, “Wuthering Heights” was easily No. 1 in North America over two fellow newcomers, Sony’s original animated sports adventure “GOAT” and the Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo-led heist thriller “Crime 101.”
“GOAT” impressed in second place with $35 million over the four-day frame, including $27.2 million over the traditional weekend. Those ticket sales mark the biggest debut for an original animated film since Pixar’s 2023 film “Elemental.” That movie, which debuted to $29 million over the traditional weekend, became a slow-and-steady box office hit and eventually powered to $496 million globally. Since “GOAT” carries an $80 million production budget, Sony Pictures Animation is hoping the kid-friendly film about an aspiring roarball champion (it’s like basketball, but different) enjoys a similar endurance at the box office. Audiences, most of whom were families, gave the movie an “A” grade on CinemaScore exit polls, which bodes well for staying power. Overseas, “GOAT” earned $15.6 million for a better-than-projected worldwide tally of $50.6 million.
“Crime 101” arrived behind expectations with $16.3 million through the holiday frame, including $14.2 million over the traditional weekend. Those ticket sales were enough for third place on domestic charts. Internationally, the movie collected $12 million from 60 territories for a global total of $28.3 million. While a decent start for an R-rated movie aimed at older audiences, it’s less encouraging knowing that Amazon MGM spent $90 million to produce the film. Since theater owners keep about 50% of ticket sales, “Crime 101” needs a long theatrical life to justify that price tag. Although reviews were positive, moviegoers were mixed, as evidenced by the “B” grade on CinemaScore. Bart Layton (“American Animals”) directed “Crime 101,” which stars Hemsworth as an elusive jewel thief who plots high-stake heists across the Los Angeles freeway.
Overall, the box office is 8% ahead of last year’s total, according to Comscore. That year-over-year percentage has been shrinking because, although this weekend was solid for counter-programming, attendence levels didn’t compare to 2025’s Presidents’ Day holiday weekend when Marvel’s “Captain America: Brave New World” launched to $100 million. The next major studio release is Paramount’s “Scream 7” on Feb. 27. Until then, movie theater operators are banking on “Wuthering Heights” and “GOAT” to keep heating up the box office.