With limp, featureless marketing, an utterly derived and watery premise, and a title that is both grammatically and thematically incorrect, you’d swear I, FRANKENSTEIN wanted to be one of the biggest bombs of 2014. Well then, congratulations are probably in order.

Despite being the single new release of the week, I, FRANKENSTEIN only managed to drag its slovenly self into 6th in the all-round box-office and 3rd in our specialized chart. Operating on a $65 million budget, the paranormal actioner (from the producers of UNDERWORLD shockingly enough) managed a paltry $8.6 million, undercutting even the most cautious $10 million estimates for the weekend. That’s inferior even to certified flop THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (picking up $1.2 million for 9th in it’s third week) and is resultant of a poor premise partnered with appalling marketing and even worse execution.

Audiences skewed 62% male and 60% over 25 (not a lucrative demographic) and a CinemaScore of B along with its current 5% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes spells all kinds of fiscal doom. A total gross below $20 million is pretty much guaranteed, as is an additional blow to Aaron ‘Two-Face’ Eckhart’s career.

It was a merrier news for animated flick THE NUT JOB, sticking in 1st place with $12.1 million for a $40.1 million gross. That’s a drop of 38% off last week, which is worse than Open Road Films previous production FREE BIRDS’ 30% in the same frame. However, with THE NUT JOB continually grossing higher a sequel has already been commissioned.

Sick of hearing about FROZEN yet? Well bad luck! Continuing the trend of hitting ridiculously verbose milestones, the Disney film’s $9.1 million weekend marks the 6th-highest-9th-weekend gross ever. That’s right, that’s a thing. With $347.9 million in the bank, it’s now ousted FINDING NEMO to become highest-grossing original animated movie ever and with a sing-a-long version hitting cinemas in February it should easily surpass DESPICABLE ME 2’s $368.1 million.

Elsewhere, DEVIL’S DUE stuck to found-footage horror tradition and plummeted a full 67% in its 2nd week with $2.8 million in 4th while HER continued merrily treading water finishing up the Top 5, adding an extra $2.3 million for a $19.2 million gross.

Sci-fi, horror, and fantasy Top 10

1. The Nut Job – $12.1 million – ($40.1m gross, 2 weeks)

2. Frozen – $9.1 million – ($347.9m gross, 10 weeks)

3. I, Frankenstein – $8.6 million – ($8.6m gross, 1 week)

4. Devil’s Due – $2.8 million – ($12.9m gross, 2 weeks)

5. Her – $2.3 million – ($19.2m gross, 6 weeks)

6. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – $2.1 million – ($252.3m gross, 7 weeks)

7. Gravity – $2.0 million – ($261.2m gross, 17 weeks)

8. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – $1.5 million – ($420.0m gross, 10 weeks)

9. The Legend of Hercules – $1.2 million – ($17.0m gross, 3 weeks)

10. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – $608k – ($56.3m gross, 5 weeks)

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