Space, both fictional and real, tops weekend box office to begin 2017 as 'Rogue One' edges out 'Hidden Figures'

For today's entertainment feature, I'm revisiting one of the last predictions I included in 'Rogue One' has third-highest opening weekend of year, second highest for December.

I also expect it to finish in the top five movies of the year. In fact, if it brings in only half the gross of "The Force Awakens," it would still be the second highest grossing movie released this year, right behind "Finding Dory."

Wochit Entertainment reports that's exactly where it is in 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' Wins Box Office Again.

"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" has now been the number one movie at the box office for four consecutive weekends, earning $21.9 million this past weekend, raising its domestic box office gross to $477 million. The standalone 'Star Wars' installment was nearly ousted from its top spot this week from "Hidden Figures," which opened to $21.8 million. "Rogue One" is now the second-highest grossing film in the "Star Wars" franchise and the second-highest domestic box office earner of 2016.

Two-and one half down, one to go, the last being "I think it might just barely come in first with $600M."  Forbes is not as optimistic about the final number as I was or it used to be, but still confident it will be the top grossing movie released in 2016.

Yes, it’s falling faster than the likes of Sherlock: Holmes: A Game of Shadows and King Kong, and it may even start to act like The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies regarding legs. But it will still end next weekend just under $500 million, and it may end up just over/under the $534m (unadjusted) domestic cume of The Dark Knight.

Oh, and with $477 million, it has passed the (unadjusted) domestic total of Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace. That means it is the second-biggest Star Wars movie ever in North America, behind only The Force Awakens. And it will pass the $486m domestic total of Finding Dory within a few days to become the top domestic hit of 2016.

Looks like the "barely come in first" part of the prediction is secure, even if my original final number was too high.  What's not secure is "Rogue One" ending the weekend in first place, as Business Insider reported in In photo finish, 'Rogue One' wins weekend box office but 'Hidden Figures' shows staying power.

With just an estimated $100,000 difference between "Rogue One" and "Hidden Figures," it's possible that "Hidden Figures" could win out the weekend when final weekend box office figures are reported on Monday.

If "Hidden Figures" ends up winning this weekend's box office, I'll report that news as well.  I already have high hopes for the docudrama, as I wrote in Seasons Greetings from NASA plus NASA on 'Passengers' and 'Hidden Figures'.

Vox has a review of the movie: Hidden Figures, about 3 black women at NASA in the 1960s, is the best kind of historical drama.  That's high praise from Vox.

Speaking of high praise, IMDB lists "Hidden Figures" as having been nominated for  42 awards, including two each at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.  It had also been nominated for three awards at the Critics' Choice Awards, but won none of them.  Still, I expect the film to receive at least one nomination at the Academy Awards for Octavia Spencer or Janelle Monae (more likely Spencer) as Best Actress in a Supporting Role.  If so, I won't have to repeat Hollywood's diversity issues for MLK Day next year.  I'd find that to be a relief, as I want to report good news every now and then.

I won't be writing about diversity in Oscar nominees a week from tomorrow because the nominations won't be announced until January 24, eight days later.  Instead, it might be about Oscar predictions or the best political films and TV shows of the past year.  Stay tuned.