This week on The Official Film Chart, we encounter some Dog Soldiers, and we become Uncharted once more, But nothing can stop Top Gun: Maverick from flying straight to the top!
Welcome to The Official Film Chart.
DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS IS NOW AVAILABLE TO RENT OR BUY!
The home entertainment release windows are getting shorter! Around a month ago, ‘DC League Of Super-Pets’ was released into cinemas. It didn’t do as well as was hoped for. But it is still a surprise to discover that the film is now available to rent for £15.99 or to buy on digital download for £19.99. It tells the story of Superman’s pet dog Krypto and shelter dog Ace who work with other animals to rescue the captured superheroes from Lex Luthor. The animated film features the voices of Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Kate McKinnon, John Krasinski, Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, Diego Luna, Thomas Middleditch, Ben Schwartz, and Keanu Reeves. I have yet to see it but I have heard that the film is a rather entertaining and amusing one for the whole family.
THE OFFICIAL CHART
The chart this week has had a massive shakeup. We have three new entries and one re-entry into the placings. Almost the entire bottom five titles have been forced out of the top ten. We must therefore bid goodbye to ‘Downton Abbey/ Downton Abbey: A New Era Box Set’, ‘The Lost City.’, ‘Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness’, and ‘Grease.’ But what is flying high in the top spot? Are we still in A New Era? Have those Fantastic Beasts roared again at the top? Or has the chart summit been taken in the roar of jet engines? Strap yourselves in as we find out.
MAVERICK FLIES STRAIGHT IN AT THE TOP!
It was always going to happen. The film is the highest-grossing of Tom Cruise’s career. And it is still flying high in the world’s cinema box offices. As such, we welcome ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ as it flies straight into the top spot. The film has hit the chart summit based on digital downloads alone. And has become not only the biggest number one of 2022 so far but also one of the biggest on record in the entire history of The Official Chart. And it isn’t hard to see why.
Thirty-Six years after the original film, Cruise returns as Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell in a sequel that is possibly one of the best ever made. (Read our review here.) For me, it is the best film to have been released in 2022. And not only gives the fans of the original film the sequel they deserve but it also brings Maverick to the new generation.
A NEW ERA TAKES A TUMBLE!
Thanks to Maverick’s fancy flying, ‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’ has to settle for second place. The film remains a hit with the fans of the ITV series and is a worthy sequel to the original film. In the new movie, Tom Branson, the Earl of Grantham’s widowed son-in-law, marries Lucy Smith, the illegitimate daughter of and sole heir to Lady Maud Bagshaw, Queen Mary’s lady-in-waiting. Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, astonishes the family by revealing that long ago she was gifted a villa in the South of France by the Marquis de Montmirail, who had recently passed away. The critics applauded the film as another brilliant piece of period drama. And the fans lapped it up in their droves.
Credit: Ben Blackall / © 2021 Focus Features, LLC
TOP GUN FLIES HIGH AGAIN!
The original ‘Top Gun’ has seen a boost in its fortunes, thanks to the release of its sequel. The 1986 blockbuster hits the afterburners as it flies up the chart by five places to take the third position. The film is a former number one title and has seen itself enter the top ten for the very first time this year. Tom Cruise’s first outing as Maverick remains a favorite of all those who saw it at the cinema back in 1986. It has also become a favorite of the new generation of film fans. And the classic soundtrack is still one of the best from the 1980s.
THE FANTASTIC BEASTS ARE NOT SO FANTASTIC!
Maverick continues to shoot down his competition as ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore’ slips back two places to end the week in fourth. The third film in the Wizarding World franchise continues to be a popular go-to movie for fans and non-fans alike. With the return of Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander and Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore, the film is superior to the second film in many ways. However, it remains the lowest-grossing of the franchise and while applauded as being a better film than its predecessor, it still lags behind the quality of the first film in the series. (Read our review here.)
SONIC FINDS HIS SPEED SLOWED DOWN!
Rounding out the top five this week is the brilliant family sequel ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 2.’ The film drops two places to run in the fifth spot. But it remains the family film of the summer. The film follows Sonic and Tails, who join forces to find the Master Emerald before Doctor Robotnik can. With Jim Carrey on top form as Doctor Robotnik, the film is hilariously funny in places. And the mid-credits stinger will have fans cheering loudly ahead of the third film that is due next December. (Read our review here.)
THE CHART KEEPS ON SINGING!
We move into the bottom five titles now by finding that ‘Sing 2’ is still busting out a tune or two. The animated sequel has been a sensation ever since it hit home entertainment. Families have been entertained by the film throughout the summer and it continues to do so, despite dropping a place this week.
THE BATMAN LOOKS DEFEATED!
The three-hour-long superhero detective noir ‘The Batman’ sees a fall of three places this week. The film has been a huge success, both at the cinema and on home entertainment. Robert Pattinson dons the cowl in a film that follows Batman in his second year of crime fighting. Matt Reeves has already revealed he is hard at work on the script for the sequel, so we can expect to see Pattinson defending Gotham again either in 2025 or 2026.
MAVERICK MAKES IT A HAT TRICK!
It appears that Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell isn’t happy to just hold the top spot. He isn’t happy to hold the third spot too. And so, he decides he wants to hold a third position in the chart. Flying in as our second new entry of the week is the ‘Top Gun/ Top Gun: Maverick Box Set’, which debuts in eighth place. The set is only available on digital at the moment but will probably see a physical release when the new film hits the disc formats on October 31st.
DOG SOLDIERS TAKE A BITE OUT OF THE CHART!
Everyone has to start somewhere on their chosen career path in the movies. But not everyone can pull off what director Neil Marshall did back in 2002. ‘Dog Soldiers’ is a British action-horror starring Sean Pertwee. The film becomes our final new entry at number nine, following a special re-release to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Now, I found the film to be a brilliant Werewolf horror/ comedy. And that remains the case twenty years after it was first released. It will have the audience jumping at times while also giving them a few laughs along the way. And I recommend it to all horror fans.
NUMBER TEN BECOMES UNCHARTED AGAIN!
And finally, rising up the chart by six places to return to the top ten once more is the big screen adaptation of the classic videogame ‘Uncharted.’ Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg star in the long-delayed film, which returns in the tenth spot. It made enough money to earn itself a sequel. Here’s hoping it doesn’t suffer another ten years in development hell.
COMING IN TO LAND!
We have arrived back on the ground now. Please take off your seatbelts and depart the plane. The top ten flight for the week is over. And what a week it has been. One franchise has dominated the placings. How long will it continue like that? Your guess is as good as mine. But with nothing major being released this week to challenge it, we can expect to see ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ dominate the chart for a while yet. With that in mind…
Whatever you decide, whatever you buy, stay safe, be kind, look out for each other, and happy viewing!
Anyone wishing to buy any of the titles featured in The Official Film Chart can do so via FindAnyFilm.com. All videos and information have been supplied by Find Any Film and used under authorization.
Author
Carl Roberts is the News Editor of The Future of the Force. Aside from being our horror genre aficionado, he is also passionate about Star Wars, Marvel, DC, and the Indiana Jones movies. Follow him on Twitter where he uses the force frequently!
