‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ wins Super Bowl weekend box office

The third installment in the “Magic Mike” series danced its way to the top of the box office charts this weekend with a James Cameron double header, “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Titanic” (yes that “Titanic”), looming close behind.

“Magic Mike’s Last Dance” earned $8.2 million in its first weekend in North American theaters, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Cameron’s “Avatar” sequel brought in an additional $6.9 million while the 25th anniversary rerelease of “Titanic” took in $6.4 million from Friday to Sunday.

North American moviegoing tends to come to a halt on Super Bowl Sunday and studios react strategically, often releasing films that are more “female-targeted.” Star Channing Tatum has also had several films perform well in the Super Bowl/Valentine’s Day corridor, including “The Vow,” “Dear John” and “Dog.”

“Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” which brought Steven Soderbergh back to the director’s chair, was given a modest theatrical release in only 1,500 theaters. The film starring Tatum as the lovable male stripper and introducing a wealthy benefactor played by Salma Hayek, was made to go straight to HBO Max. But like the “House Party” reboot from several weeks ago, Warner Bros. pivoted and decided to go theatrical first with both in a company effort to refocus on the theatrical experience and give fresh fare to exhibitors.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” in its ninth weekend added $25.8 million globally, bringing its total earnings to $2.2 billion, holding its spot as the 4th biggest movie release ever but closing in on “Titanic.”

“Titanic” was rereleased in 2,464 domestic locations this weekend, with Paramount handling the North American release and The Walt Disney Co. on the international rollout in 51 territories. All told the film earned $22.3 million globally, with $2 million of that from IMAX screens. “Titanic” has now earned an estimated $2.2 billion globally, maintaining its title as the third biggest movie of all time.

In fourth place was the Super Bowl-themed “80 for Brady,” in its second weekend, with $6 million. The Paramount release has made just under $25 million so far. M. Night Shyamalan’s “Knock at the Cabin,” a Universal release, rounded out the top five with $5.5 million.

The Marvel/Disney film “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” opens in theaters on Feb. 17.