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The Valentine’s Day weekend box office in North America (February 13-16, including President’s Day) surprisingly showed a major shift towards the original movies, with no sequels making it in the top 5 in the region. The four-day holiday period, with Valentine’s Day falling on Saturday, delivered the most successful box office weekend so far, driven by date-night crowds, thrill seekers, and families.
Wuthering Heights Tops Valentine’s Day Box Office
Warner Bros.’ Wuthering Heights claimed the top spot this Valentine’s Day weekend in North America. Directed by Emerald Fennell, the reimagining of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff. The R-rated classic earned a massive $38 million in its opening four-day weekend, marking the biggest debut for a film in North America in 2026 so far.
Female audiences drove much of its success, as PostTrack data shows that an estimated 76% of the opening weekend crowd were women, as per The New York Times. Valentine’s Day alone added $14 million to its domestic haul. Despite the B CinemaScore, strong word of mouth, and the film’s mature themes proved to be major draws, especially for couples who wanted to enjoy a late-night date.
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GOAT Animated Film Secured Second Place
Although original animated movies often struggle to perform these days, unless they are Disney releases, Sony’s animated sports comedy film turned out to be the perfect family-friendly choice this Valentine’s weekend. Directed by Tyree Dillihay, the film earned an impressive $27.2 million in its opening three-day weekend and $35 million over the four-day holiday frame, debuting at number 2 in North America.
Crime 101 Heist Thriller Takes The Third Position
Amazon MGM’s Crime 101 features a star-studded ensemble cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Halle Berry. Although the film grossed a modest $14.2 million in its first opening weekend and $16.3 million over the four-day holiday frame, against its big $90 million budget, it still ranked 3rd in North America. The film, with strong reviews from both critics and audiences, turned out to be a solid Valentine’s Day option for crime-action lovers.
Send Help & Solo Mio Round Out Top 5
Rounding out the top 5 were two holdover releases. Sam Raimi’s horror thriller, Send Help, grossed $8.8 million in its third weekend and $10.4 million over the four-day holiday frame. Angel Studio’s first rom-com, Solo Mio, secured 5th rank with $6.5 million in its second weekend and $7.4 million across the four-day holiday period.
Why Original Films Dominated The 2026 Valentine’s Weekend
So now, the question remains: Why did blockbuster sequels such as Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash fail to rank among the top 5, despite holding pretty well in the box office? The answer is simple. The absence of sequels in the top 5 this Valentine’s Day weekend highlights a growing appetite for original films, especially when audience demographics are taken into consideration.
Wuthering Heights attracted female moviegoers with its steamy romance, Sony’s GOAT served as the perfect family-friendly option, while Amazon MGM’s Crime 101 appealed to adult audiences. Although Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash are still performing well in North America, both are deep into their theatrical runs, which is probably another reason audiences preferred new releases over older ones.
Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.
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