Box office report: The Martian back at No. 1 as newcomers flop

In a weekend filled with five new wide releases, it was the holdovers that came out on top, with The Martian retaking first place in its fourth weekend.

The Last Witch Hunter, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, Jem and the Holograms, and Rock the Kasbah all opened below expectations, and Steve Jobs, which expanded nationwide after two weekends in limited release, also fell flat. The Last Witch Hunter fared the best out of the newcomers, but while the Vin Diesel fantasy was expected to open in the mid to high teens, it only managed to scrape together an estimated $10.8 million for a fourth-place finish with a B- CinemaScore.

Steve Jobs, which had an extremely promising start after opening in limited release to the best per-theater average of the year, failed to translate that to nationwide success, placing seventh for the weekend and only earning an estimated $7.3 million in 2,493 theaters. It was expected to open in the mid to high teens. Steve Jobs earned an A- CinemaScore, and its domestic total is now just shy of $10 million.

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension pulled a franchise-worst performance, only earning $8.2 million to place sixth. But The Ghost Dimension, which earned a C CinemaScore, also opened on about half the number of screens as the previous entries in the Paranormal Activity series, as this was the first film to premiere under Paramount’s flexible release plan, which allows the studio to move up the home entertainment release. Because several theater chains declined to show The Ghost Dimension under these new rules, it only opened in 1,656 theaters.

And the final two wide releases, Rock the Kasbah and Jem and the Holograms, both fizzled, earning two of the worst wide-release openings of all time. Jem’s $1.3 million debut and Kasbah’s $1.5 million make them the third and fourth worst wide-release openings in box office history, clocking in behind 2012’s Oogieloves In The Big Balloon Adventure ($443,901) and 2008’s Delgo ($511,920). This summer’s We Are Your Friends, starring Zac Efron, previously held third place with its $1.8 million opening weekend. Jem earned a B+ CinemaScore, and Rock the Kasbah a B-.

The top three spots at the box office this weekend all went to holdovers, as The Martian retook first place with an estimated $15.9 million. The Ridley Scott sci-fi picture, starring Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain, has made $166.4 million domestically. Goosebumps, which previously usurped The Martian in its debut last weekend, earned $15.5 million, bringing its domestic total to $43.7 million. And Steven Spielberg’s Cold War drama Bridge of Spies, starring Tom Hanks, held up well in its second weekend, earning $11.4 million for a domestic total of $32.6 million.

Hotel Transylvania 2, the family-friendly animated adventure starring Adam Sandler, rounded out the top five with an estimated $9 million. Its domestic total has now hit $148.3 million.

Here are this weekend’s top five at the box office:

1. The Martian — $15.9 million

2. Goosebumps — $15.5 million

3. Bridge of Spies — $11.4 million

4. The Last Witch Hunter — $10.8 million

5. Hotel Transylvania 2 — $9 million