A GOATed holiday weekend for the box office | Movie Releases & Trends – Weekend of February 13, 2026

The slate of the season arrived and with it came a healthy bump to this year’s box office total. Family-friendly GOAT took the top spot for admissions with its uplifting tale of teamwork, while Wuthering Heights topped the box office, as we tend to see when family and adult films release on the same weekend.  

There's no kid-ding around when family films fill the calendar gap 

Animated sports comedy, GOAT, filled a gap left open by Zootopia 2’s release in November. As the first major kid-targeted release of the year, pent-up demand likely fueled its 26% of admissions and 23% of revenue. Reviews have been broadly positive, with some noting the film moves at “hyperspeed” — potentially overstimulating for adults, but perfectly calibrated to keep younger audiences locked in. When families have a new option, they turn out. 

Emerald Fennell’s take on Wuthering Heights debuted at #1 in revenue but #2 in overall admissions, taking 25% of admissions and 27% of revenue. Reviews have been sharply divided — some critics applauded the film’s “sumptuous” cinematography and “breathtaking” costume design, while others felt it lacked the raw, haunting brutality of the original novel. But divisive doesn’t mean detrimental. In fact, conversation can be catalytic. Curiosity, romance, and the holiday corridor combined to power a strong debut. 

Rounding out the top three is Crime 101, the adult-skewing counter programming play. Critical response has been particularly strong toward its cast. Chris Hemsworth delivers what’s been described as a “socially awkward” yet meticulous performance, while Mark Ruffalo has drawn comparisons to a modern-day Columbo. 

Barry Keoghan is being called a “scene-stealer” as a volatile enforcer, and Halle Berry is earning some of the strongest praise of her career in years, with critics highlighting the “vibrance,” “anger,” and “despair” she brings to a character battling misogynistic corporate power structures. Strong performances and adult appeal gave the weekend added dimensionality. 

The final new entrant in the Top 10, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, opened in 1,600 theaters — roughly half the footprint of the other wide debuts averaging 3,500+ locations — limiting its overall revenue ceiling. Still, the sci-fi action comedy from Gore Verbinski earned mostly positive reviews, with Sam Rockwell drawing particular acclaim. On a per-theater basis, it demonstrated encouraging traction and could benefit from strong word of mouth. 

The calm after the storm: limited releases give box office breathing room 

Looking ahead, this coming weekend features mostly limited-release premieres, giving this week’s new titles room to breathe. Without significant new wide competition, holdover strength will be key — and if audience enthusiasm is any indication, momentum could carry forward. 

Overall revenue is slightly ahead of where the industry was at this time last year, which indicates a healthier early-year box office than normal, especially compared to the lean first quarter of 2025.  

The takeaway is clear: when audiences are given a range of compelling, differentiated options, they respond. Diversity isn’t just a creative virtue — it’s a box office strategy. 

How The People Platform's audience measurements can help drive insights 

• How many tickets will be sold this coming weekend? Find out on our next Cinema Ranker for a box office forecast and follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date with the latest cinema industry insights. 

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