The Marvel marvel is at $721 million domestic and just under $1.7 billion worldwide. That North American number is almost $500 million better than “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” a gap never before seen between the top two films of the last two years. Gravitas Ventures

All of the holds were aided by the absence of competition. Two new wide releases stemmed from producers who hoped that the lack of new product could represent an opportunity, but they failed to attract much interest. “Redeeming Love” (Universal service deal), a faith-based 19th-century child trafficking story, and “The King’s Daughter” (Gravitas Ventures), starring Pierce Brosnan as Louis XIV in a mermaid love story, grossed $4.5 million combined — mostly from the former. Related ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Continues Surge, Most Other New Titles Swoon as Holiday Nears End ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Could Reach $600 Million Domestic, $2 Billion Worldwide Related Oscars 2023: Best Original Song Predictions ‘Lift Me Up’ Rises to Frontrunner Status in Best Original Song RaceAll told, theaters grossed $47 million this weekend, which represents 39 percent of same 2020 weekend. The rolling four-week comparison against 2020 now stands at 49 percent. (In January 2020, the pandemic was known largely as a headline out of China.) With what’s available, that is about as good as can be expected. Give credit to “Sing 2” for sustaining #3 with $5.7 million, down 28 percent, for $128 million all in. The original “Sing” grossed $270 million with $9 million in its fifth weekend — but it wasn’t on PVOD, as the sequel has been for more than two weeks. Two films that could benefit from Oscar nominations next month saw small drops. “West Side Story” (Disney), off 20 percent, is hardly impressive at #9 and $698,000, but it has reached $35 million and has a shot of sustaining many more weeks in theaters. “Licorice Pizza” (United Artists) is #10, down 22 percent with $10.8 millon so far; it has not expanded beyond a little more than 700 theaters. Focus Features Among awards contenders, “Belfast” (Focus) opened in the U.K./Ireland to $3.1 million and tied for #1 with “Spider-Man.” The Top 10