“Wuthering Heights” storms box office with $11M, leaving “GOAT” and “Crime 101” behind on Friday debut.
Who knew a 19th-century love story would be the hottest ticket of President’s Day weekend?
Yep, ‘Wuthering Heights’ just stormed into theaters and didn’t just whisper romance — it roared with an $11 million opening day on Friday. And honestly? This wasn’t just a win. It was a statement.
Cathy and Heathcliff Just Went Full Hollywood
Directed by Oscar-winner Emerald Fennell, this new take on the classic novel by Emily Brontë isn’t your grandma’s English class assignment.
Starring Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, the film dives into forbidden love, obsession, and revenge — all wrapped in gothic glam.
Friday alone brought in $11 million from 3,682 North American theaters. Industry insiders say it could hit $40 million domestically by the end of the long holiday weekend. If overseas numbers match that? We’re looking at a seriously strong global launch for a movie that reportedly cost $80 million to make.
Not bad for a moody period drama.
And let’s be real — casting Robbie and Elordi was genius. The chemistry? Off the charts. The TikTok edits? Already flooding your For You page.
Plus, the film features original music from Charli xcx, which gives this old-school romance a fresh, edgy vibe Gen Z can vibe with.
‘GOAT’ Shoots for the Hoop — Lands in Second
Coming in at No. 2 is Sony’s animated family flick ‘GOAT’, pulling in $7.1 million on Friday from 3,863 theaters.
Produced by NBA superstar Stephen Curry, the movie tells the story of a scrappy young goat chasing his dream of becoming a roarball star (think basketball… but fluffier).
The voice cast is stacked. Caleb McLaughlin leads as Will Harris, joined by Curry himself, Gabrielle Union, Nick Kroll, Nicola Coughlan, David Harbour and Jennifer Lewis.
It’s projected to earn about $25 million through the holiday weekend — solid numbers for a new animated franchise hopeful.
But here’s the thing: while ‘GOAT’ is fun and family-friendly, it didn’t have the cultural buzz that ‘Wuthering Heights’ built on social media. Romance (and thirst tweets) won this round.
‘Crime 101’ Brings Star Power — But Not Enough Heat
In third place, Amazon MGM’s ‘Crime 101’ opened with $3.9 million Friday from 3,161 locations.
The cast? Absolutely stacked: Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan and Halle Berry.
That’s a red carpet lineup if we’ve ever seen one.
Directed by Bart Layton, the heist thriller follows a detective racing to stop a criminal from pulling off one last big score.
It’s expected to earn around $13.8 million over the extended weekend. Respectable? Sure. Explosive? Not quite.
Honestly, in a crowded holiday frame, adult thrillers are having a tougher time breaking through unless there’s massive word-of-mouth.
The Holdovers: Horror and Heart Still Hanging On
Rounding out the top five:
‘Send Help,’ directed by horror legend Sam Raimi, earned $1.8 million on Friday in its third weekend. It’s expected to reach about $48 million domestically by Monday — a steady performer for Disney and 20th Century.
Meanwhile, Angel Studios’ ‘Solo Mio’ grabbed $1.4 million Friday and should hit around $18 million by the end of the holiday.
Not flashy, but consistent.
So… What’s the Real Story Here?
Here’s my take: audiences are craving big, emotional stories again. Not just explosions. Not just IP. But drama you can feel.
‘Wuthering Heights’ winning the weekend shows that star power plus a bold creative vision still matters. People showed up for romance, longing, and a little chaos.
And let’s be honest — seeing Margot Robbie in corsets and Jacob Elordi brooding on-screen? That’s a box office cheat code.
The bigger question is whether this momentum holds next weekend once the holiday bump fades.
What do you think — are you team gothic romance, animated underdog, or heist thriller? Drop your pick in the comments.
