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M. Night Shyamalan Continues Comeback With $40M 'Split' Debut

M. Night Shyamalan's "Split" beat all box office predictions and signals a return to form for the much maligned director.
Posted at 6:21 PM, Jan 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-22 18:21:00-05

For all the actors who think playing one character in one movie is still sufficient, you may want to think again.

Taking the No. 1 spot this week by a wide margin is "Split," bringing in over $40 million domestically in its debut. That $40 million beats all predicted estimates and quadruples the return on investment in the film's first three days.

More importantly, though, it signals a true return to form for the much maligned M. Night Shyamalan.

"It's not only his best film since 'Signs,' it's also one of his best films period," IGN's Alex Welch said.

Shyamalan's trajectory hit a, shall we say, bump in the road after 2004. His name had become synonymous with high-budgetlow-turnout box office flops.

But since partnering with Blumhouse Productions, his past two films have gotten significantly less expensive and frankly a whole lot better.

Taking the No. 2 spot this week is a "Fast and Furious" alternate also known as "xXx: Return of Xander Cage," earning an estimated $20 million domestically. So, imagine if the X Games were a matter of national security: That's the Xander Cage franchise in a nutshell. 

It's a guilty pleasure film for those who like a plotline attached to their extreme sports — and the reviews reflect that. But, if you want, critically acclaimed "La La Land" is still in theaters.

And last but not least, taking the third and final spot is "Hidden Figures," bringing in more than $16 million domestically.

As for next week, "A Dog's Purpose," one more adorable movie about what your damn dog is thinking.