Box Office Shake-Up: Chris Pratt's 'Mercy' Takes the Lead Amidst Stormy Weather

A fierce winter storm has swept through the U. S. , forcing many to stay indoors and causing hundreds of movie theaters to shut down. This has led to a significant drop in box office revenue, marking the lowest point of the year so far. Interestingly, this weekend's earnings are even lower than the same period last year. In the midst of this stormy weather, Timur Bekmambetov's new thriller "Mercy, " starring Chris Pratt, has emerged as the unexpected winner. The film tells the story of a man on trial for murdering his wife, with a twist: his fate is decided by an artificial intelligence judge. Despite the storm and mixed reviews, "Mercy" managed to rake in an estimated $12. 6 million on Saturday alone. However, the storm isn't the only challenge "Mercy" faces. Critics have been less than impressed, and audience reactions have been lukewarm, with a B- CinemaScore. Despite these setbacks, "Mercy" has achieved something notable: it has finally dethroned James Cameron's "Avatar: Fire and Ash, " which had been ruling the box office for the past five weekends. "Avatar: Fire and Ash, " produced by 20th Century Fox, is expected to take the second spot this weekend with an estimated $7 million. This brings its domestic total to $378. 5 million and its global earnings to an impressive $1 billion. Meanwhile, Disney's animated hit "Zootopia 2" is holding steady at number three, adding another $5. 7 million to its record-breaking haul. The film has now crossed the $400 million mark domestically and is nearing an astonishing $1. 7 billion globally.Paul Feig's "The Housemaid, " starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, continues to perform well for Lionsgate. In its sixth weekend, the film is expected to bring in around $6 million, adding to its impressive global earnings of over $250 million. On the other hand, Nia DaCosta's horror-zombie sequel "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" is struggling. After a disappointing opening during the MLK Holiday, the film is projected to earn just $4. 2 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to a mere $21. 4 million. The box office boost that often follows Academy Award nominations has diminished over the years, but it can still make a difference. Josh Safdie's "Marty Supreme, " produced by A24, has been an overperformer even before landing nine top nominations on January 22nd, including best picture and best actor for Timothée Chalamet. This weekend, the film is set to come in at number six with an estimated $3. 5 million, a drop of just 35 percent. Chloé Zhao's "Hamnet, " another Oscar frontrunner, has also shown impressive staying power. After winning best drama at the Golden Globes on January 11th, the film landed eight nominations for Focus Features. Expanding into a total of 1, 276 theaters this weekend, "Hamnet" grossed $2 million, bringing its domestic total to $17. 6 million. Spielberg and Sam Mendes are actively campaigning for Zhao's film. Lastly, Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy is enjoying a special 25th-anniversary rerelease. Partnering with Fathom, Warner Bros. expects the event to bring in a total of $11 million to $12 million, if not more.