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Martial Arts Epic Dominates Box Office
23 Feb
Summary
- Blades of the Guardians sees surprising crossover appeal beyond diaspora.
- EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert achieves record IMAX opening for music doc.
- A24's How to Make a Killing debuts strongly, Pillion expands nationwide.
Blades of the Guardians, a new martial arts film directed by Yuen Woo-ping and starring Jet Li and Wu Jing, has surpassed initial expectations with a strong box office debut. The film is experiencing significant crossover appeal, drawing in mainstream action fans beyond its core audience from the Chinese diaspora. This success has prompted discussions about expanding its theatrical footprint.
In other box office news, Neon's EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert made a significant splash, achieving the biggest domestic opening weekend for an IMAX-exclusive music release. The documentary garnered a remarkable per-screen average. A24 also saw success with its comedic thriller How to Make a Killing, which debuted at number six, and its film Pillion is continuing to perform well and is slated for a nationwide expansion.
Additionally, the 2026 Oscar Nominated Shorts program opened to over $1 million, marking a solid debut for Roadside Attractions. Focus Features' Midwinter Break and Vertical's Dracula also reported their weekend grosses, with Dracula continuing its successful run as the distributor's top-grossing title.
