Hamnet Tops UK-Ireland Box Office as New Films Enter Top Five — Full Details
Weekend winner: Hamnet
- Weekend gross: about £1.41 million
- Total UK-Ireland gross so far: £14.8 million
- Drop from previous weekend: only 29%
- Run: fourth weekend in cinemas (Screen Daily)
The Universal release is tracking ahead of notable prestige titles such as The Favourite and Belfast at the same stage of release, showing strong audience demand for high-quality dramas during awards season. (Screen Daily)
It has also overtaken the lifetime UK-Ireland totals of classics including Pride & Prejudice, Napoleon and Schindler’s List in the territory — an impressive milestone for a period drama. (Screen Daily)
Holdover success: The Housemaid
- Weekend gross: about £1.4 million
- Total: £28.4 million
Although dropping to second place, the Lionsgate thriller continues to perform exceptionally well and has now earned more than nine times its opening-weekend gross — far above the normal multiplier of roughly four times. (Screen Daily)
New entries push into the Top Five
Several new releases reshaped the chart:
| Rank | Film | Weekend performance |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Shelter | £964,000 debut from 481 cinemas |
| 4 | Zootropolis 2 | £854,934 (10th weekend, £32.5m total) |
| 5 | Iron Lung | £834,446 opening session |
- Shelter posted a stronger start than recent Jason Statham releases A Working Man and The Beekeeper. (Screen Daily)
- Zootropolis 2 continues remarkable staying power after ten weeks in theaters. (Screen Daily)
- Iron Lung, based on a video game and created by YouTuber Markiplier, broke into the top five in its debut weekend. (Screen Daily)
Market overview
- Combined top-five takings: £5.5 million (down 25% week-to-week)
- Still 26% higher than the same weekend last year (Screen Daily)
The numbers suggest stable cinema attendance despite seasonal slowdown — helped by a mix of prestige drama, mainstream animation, and online-creator-driven releases.
Why this matters
- Awards-season dramas still work theatrically: Hamnet proves audiences will turn out for serious storytelling, not only franchises.
- Long theatrical legs: The Housemaid and Zootropolis 2 show word-of-mouth endurance.
- New distribution trends: Creator-led films like Iron Lung can now compete with studio titles.
Case studies & commentary — Hamnet tops UK-Ireland box office
Below is a deeper analysis of why Hamnet rose to No.1, what the new entrants in the top five achieved, and what the weekend says about the wider cinema market.
1) Case Study: Hamnet — the power of prestige + staying power
Performance
- Weekend: £1.41m
- Total: £14.8m
- Week: 4
- Climbed to #1 ahead of the long-running hit The Housemaid (Screen Daily)
What made it succeed?
A. Awards-style audience growth
Unlike blockbuster openings, Hamnet followed a slow-burn model:
| Week | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Opening | Strong but not dominant |
| Week 2-3 | Audience word-of-mouth expansion |
| Week 4 | Climbed to No.1 |
This is typical of:
- literary adaptations
- adult dramas
- prestige directors
Meaning: viewers discover it over time rather than rush opening weekend.
B. Counter-programming worked
At the same time cinemas were filled with:
- action (Shelter)
- animation (Zootropolis 2)
- horror (Iron Lung)
Hamnet succeeded because it offered something different:
emotionally driven historical drama
That diversity lets cinemas attract multiple demographics simultaneously.
C. Post-holiday longevity
January is usually volatile for box office, but Hamnet showed stability — a sign of older audience turnout, a key reliable revenue segment.
Strategic lesson
Not every film needs a huge opening.
A film can win by:
- cultural relevance
- educational appeal
- steady attendance
This is the same model that powered films like The King’s Speech and Little Women historically.
2) Case Study: The Housemaid — the blockbuster-legs thriller
Weekend: £1.4m
Total: £28.4m (Screen Daily)
The thriller stayed competitive even after 6 weeks.
Why?
- Strong audience retention
- Repeat viewings
- Broad demographic appeal
It earned 9× its opening weekend — far above the typical ~4× multiplier (Screen Daily)
Industry meaning
This shows:
Mid-budget thrillers are becoming the most reliable cinema genre again.
They balance:
- excitement (like action films)
- realism (like dramas)
3) Case Study: Shelter — star power still opens films
Opening: £964k (new entry) (Screen Daily)
The Jason Statham action movie debuted strongest among new releases.
What drove it?
- Recognizable actor brand
- Simple high-concept marketing
- Male audience turnout
It even opened ahead of some of Statham’s previous films (Screen Daily)
Lesson
Star-driven action still guarantees:
- strong first weekend
- but weaker long-term legs than dramas
4) Case Study: Zootropolis 2 — family films = long-term revenue
Weekend: £854,934
Total: £32.5m (week 10) (Screen Daily)
The film dropped only 17% — extremely small decline (Screen Daily)
Why animated films last long
Families attend:
- weekends
- holidays
- repeat viewings
Meaning revenue spreads across months instead of days.
5) Case Study: Iron Lung — internet creators entering cinema
Weekend: £834,446 debut (Screen Daily)
Created by YouTuber Markiplier, based on a video game.
What this proves
Theatres are now competing with streaming — but also collaborating with internet culture.
A new model:
Creator → Fanbase → Cinema opening
This audience shows up immediately, unlike prestige films.
Weekend Market Insight
Top five (Jan 30–Feb 1)
- Hamnet – £1.41m
- The Housemaid – £1.4m
- Shelter – £964k
- Zootropolis 2 – £854k
- Iron Lung – £834k (Screen Daily)
What the weekend reveals about cinema in 2026
1) No single dominant genre anymore
Each film succeeded for a different reason:
| Film | Audience type |
|---|---|
| Hamnet | Adult prestige |
| Housemaid | Thriller mainstream |
| Shelter | Action fans |
| Zootropolis 2 | Families |
| Iron Lung | Online communities |
Modern box office = fragmented audiences
2) Longevity beats opening weekend
Films with strong legs (Hamnet, Housemaid, Zootropolis 2) outperform hype-only releases.
3) Theatres survive through variety
Instead of one blockbuster dominating:
multiple medium hits together sustain cinemas
Overall commentary
This weekend represents the post-streaming cinema era:
- Not one giant movie
- Not superhero-dependent
- Not franchise-exclusive
Instead:
Cinemas now operate like cultural marketplaces — different films for different communities.
And Hamnet winning shows something surprising:
Spectacle isn’t always king anymore
Emotional storytelling still sells tickets