February 2024 box office preview: ‘Argylle,’ ‘Madame Web,’ ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ are highlights for the month

Those who were disappointed by the January box office will just have to hope things improve in February, the month that has just one government holiday and also a Hallmark holiday, both happening in the same week. Those holidays often lead to some of the month’s bigger releases, so things can still take an uptick. Read on for Gold Derby’s February 2024 box office preview.

“Argylle” (Apple/Universal) – Feb. 2

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The movie kicks off the month may also be the biggest, and that’s because filmmaker Matthew Vaughn not only has a great track record with the “Kick-Ass” and “Kingsman” movies, but also because he’s assembled an astounding cast, including Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, Bryan Cranston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Cena,  Catherine O’Hara, Ariana DeBose and even pop star Dua Lipa. The movie is based on the brand new spy novel by “Elly Conway” (played by Howard), and it’s a return of Vaughn to the genre in which he’s done so well with his “Kingsman” franchise. Because this will the main movie covered in this week’s weekend preview on Thursday, we’ll leave things there for now.

“Madame Web” (Sony) – Feb. 14

2023 seemingly killed off the superhero movie genre, but Sony still had this Spider-verse related movie on the cards, starring Dakota Johnson as the title character, co-starring super-hot Sydney Sweeney, Emma Roberts, Isabela Merced (“Dora and the Lost City of Gold”), Adam Scott and Tahar Rahim. It’s the feature debut of TV director S.J. Clarkson (“Anatomy of a Scandal”), and it’s probably hoping to interest more women with its mostly-female cast and its tinges of being a “Final Destination”-like thriller. Even so, remembering “Birds of Prey” from 2020, this might struggle to bring in more than $20 to 25 million its extended Presidents Day opening weekend, and it’s not exactly the type of fare that would normally do well on Valentine’s Day, which falls on a Wednesday. In fact, it might end up going neck-and-neck with the Bob Marley biopic.

“Bob Marley: One Love” (Paramount) – Feb. 14

What normally may have been a fall or holiday release for potential awards consideration is instead being release on Valentine’s Day, because … it has “Love” in the title? Obviously, this is a biopic of reggae superstar and rasta icon Bob Marley, as played by Kingsley Ben-Adir (“One Night in Miami”) and directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (“King Richard”). Marley has a huge worldwide fanbase to this day, but who knows how many of them are in North America vs. overseas? That’s going to be the real test for the movie opening on the Wednesday before a holiday weekend, which is whether it has enough interest to maintain business through the long weekend, where it may be able to make $22 to 25 million or more. Like “Madame Web,” a lot of it will depend on where the reviews fall.

“Demon Slayer: To the Hashira Training” (Crunchyroll) – Feb. 23

Crunchyroll returns to one of its most popular Anime franchises, three years after “Demon Slayer: The Movie – Mugen Train” opened with $22.8 million in 1,605 theaters and grossed almost $50 million domestically. Last year’s “Demon Slayer: To the Swordsmith Village” didn’t do quite as well, opening with about half the opening of “Mugen Train,” but the slower month with no other animated movies might help “Hashira Training” open somewhere in the $15 to 18 million range.

SEE 2023 box office hits: Every movie that made more than $100 million

“The Chosen: Season 4” (Angel Studios) – Feb 1, Feb. 15, Feb. 29

A little over a year ago, Angel Studios decided to release the first two episodes of Season 3 of the biblical drama into theaters ahead of its streaming debut. It ended up making $14.6 million in theaters after an opening weekend of $8.7 million in 2,027 theaters. It worked once, so why not try it again? For the fourth season, Angel will be releasing all episodes of the series before they stream, broken up into three pieces spread out across the month. Since the first release of Episodes 1 through 3 will hit theaters this Thursday, we’ll cover this more in this week’s weekend preview.

“Ordinary Angels” (Lionsgate) – Feb. 23

One of this month’s movies delayed from 2023 – most notably from its date opposite “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” – is this faith-based drama, starring Hilary Swank as Sharon Stevens, a small-town Kentucky hairdresser who rallies a community to help a widowed father (Alan Ritchson) save the life of his ill daughter, who needs a liver transplant. Written by Meg Tilly (yes, the actor) and Kelly Fremon Craig (“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”), this one is hoping to follow the success of other Lionsgate faith-based films like “Jesus Revolution” ($52.1 million domestic box office) and “I Can Only Imagine” ($83.5 million domestic), but probably will open closer to $10 million or less.

“Lisa Frankenstein” (Focus Features) – Feb. 9

This horror-comedy geared toward younger audiences is written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody (“Juno”) and directed by Zelda Williams – daughter of the late, great Robin Williams. It stars Kathryn Newton as Lisa, a teenager who gets a crush on a corpse, played by Cole Sprouse, who she then brings back to life. Getting an earlier jump on Valentine’s Day, this could end up being another option for younger women, although it’s hard to imagine it will make more than $10 million its opening weekend.

“Drive Away Dolls” (Focus Features) – Feb. 23

Following his brother Joel Coen’s 2021 take on “Macbeth,” Ethan Coen makes his own solo directorial feature with this dark road comedy, starring Margaret Qualley as free-spirited Jamie and Geraldine Viswanathan as Marian, who travel across Tallahassee, while being chased by a group of inept criminals. This is getting a release in the last full weekend of the month against stronger other options, but we’ll have to see if it connects with the fans of the films the Coen Brothers have done as a duo. In many ways, it’s more in line with some of their ‘00 comedies than the decision by Joel to do Shakespeare.

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There are a lot of limited releases, a mix of genre fare with some international features, some that were shortlisted for that Oscar.

“The Promised Land” (Magnolia) – Feb. 2

Danish superstar Mads Mikkelsen stars in the new film from Nicolaj Arecel (“A Royal Affair”), which was shortlisted as Denmark’s Oscar selection, playing a soldier whose dream is to build a farming community on Denmark’s impossible-to-harvest heath, while also dealing with the evil machinations of local magistrate Frederik De Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg).

“The Monk and the Gun” (Roadside Attractions) – Feb. 2

Bhutan’s second Oscar submission from filmmaker Pawo Choyning Dorji was shortlisted but didn’t convert that to a nomination. As the title implies, it involves a monk trying to acquire a gun for his teacher ahead of a local celebration, but for unknown reasons.

“How to Have Sex” (MUBI) – Feb. 2

Molly Manning Walker’s festival fave revolves around three teen British girls – including breakout star Mia McKenna-Bruce as the virginal Tara – who are on holiday, partying and having a right old time. This was just nominated for three BAFTA Awards.

“Scrambled” (Lionsgate) – Feb. 2

This feature debut comedy from actor-director Leah McKendrick follows Yvonne Strahovski (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) as thirty-something frequent bridesmaid Sara on her journey of self-discovery.

“Out of Darkness” (Bleecker Street) – Feb. 9

This Stone Age horror-thriller from Andrew Cumming involves a group of early humans looking for a new land, while being hunted by a malevolent force.

“The Taste of Things” (IFC Films) – Feb. 9

France’s Oscar selection from filmmaker Anh Hung Tran was also shortlisted but not nominated, but it stars Juliet Binoche as Eugénie, the talented cook in the kitchen of gourmet chef Dodin (Benoît Magimel), whose adoration towards her finally leads her to accept his marriage proposals.

“Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2” (ITN) – Feb. 14

Just one year after indie horror filmmakers took advantage of A.A. Milne’s beloved Pooh bear hitting the public domain made just $2 million in 1,652 theaters, there’s already a sequel. Will this one get a similarly wide release?

“Io Capitano” (Cohen Media Group) – Feb. 16

Italy’s Oscar candidate is Matteo (“Gomorrah”) Garrone’s third movie to get that honor, but it’s his first to even get shortlisted, let alone being nominated in the International Feature category. This one is a “Homeric fairy tale” about two young boys from Dakar who travel to Europe.

SEE Box office: All time domestic top-grossing movies

“About Dry Grasses” (Janus Films) – Feb. 23

This is filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s sixth film to be submitted by Turkey as its Oscar submission, but unlike many of the films above, it wasn’t even shortlisted. With a near three-hour run time, this one is about a teacher named Samet who has been posted in a remote village in Eastern Anatolia.

“Red Right Hand” (Magnolia) – Feb. 23

Orlando Bloom and Andie McDowell star in Eshom and Ian Nelms’ action-thriller about a man forced back into a life of crime who realizes he needs to protect his town and family.

“They Shot the Piano Player” (Sony Classics) – Feb. 23

Oscar-nominated Spanish filmmaker Fernando Trueba reunites with his “Chico and Rita” co-director Javier Mariscal for an animated feature about the Brazilian salsa scene and a piano player who vanished while travelling in Buenos Aires.

That’s it for the shortest month of the year, but prepare yourself for March to really kick the box office into high gear with a number of major high-profile movies.

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