In a surprising turn of events, "Magic Mike's Last Dance" emerged as the highest-grossing film of the Super Bowl weekend, despite its modest debut at the domestic box office. The Channing Tatum franchise raked in an estimated $8.2 million, marking the lowest showing of the three films in the series.

However, it is important to note that "Last Dance" had a limited release, screening in only 1,550 cinemas. This is a relatively lower number compared to its predecessors, as the film was primarily made for streaming rather than a big-screen release. The decision to opt for a streaming release was likely a factor in the movie's lower box office numbers.

Super Bowl Sunday traditionally leads to a slump in ticket sales, as Hollywood studios tend to avoid releasing big event films targeted towards male audiences during this time. The Magic Mike series, known for attracting a predominantly female audience, typically releases before Valentine's Day.

On the global front, "Magic Mike's Last Dance" garnered $10.4 million from its initial 18 markets, resulting in a total global start of $18.6 million. However, Warner Bros. deviated from standard practice by withholding the film's box office numbers until Sunday, a move that raised speculation regarding the studio's desire to minimize comparisons with the previous installments.

The previous films in the franchise followed a contrasting trajectory at the box office. The 2012 debut of the original "Magic Mike" wowed audiences, grossing an impressive $39.1 million domestically from 3,920 theaters and amassing a total global gross of $167.3 million. In contrast, the 2016 sequel, "Magic Mike XXL," directed by someone other than Steven Soderbergh, opened to significantly lower figures of $12.8 million from 3,355 theaters, culminating in a worldwide gross of just under $118 million. This significant decline can help explain the decision to produce the third film for streaming platforms.

Despite its limited release, "Magic Mike's Last Dance" managed an average location revenue of $5,467, more than twice that of the prior film. However, it falls short of the first movie's location average of $6,611, highlighting the impact of the lower theater count.

Amidst the ongoing pandemic, Warner Media's decision to release its entire 2021 slate of movies simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters sparked controversy. However, David Zaslav, the newly appointed chief of Warner Bros. Discovery, emphasized the continued importance of theatrical releases. This shift in strategy also prompted the theatrical release of the HBO Max-conceived reboot "House Party."

Starring Channing Tatum in the titular role, all three films in the Magic Mike series revolve around the world of male strippers. In the latest installment, Tatum's character is hired by Salma Hayek's wealthy divorcée character to assist with a London stage production.

In a separate box office showdown, James Cameron's legendary blockbusters, "Avatar: The Way of Water" and a remastered 3D version of his 1997 film "Titanic," battled it out for audiences' attention leading up to Valentine's Day. "The Way of Water" secured the third position domestically, grossing an estimated $6.9 million and adding another $18.9 million from international markets, resulting in a total worldwide gross of $2.214 billion. However, with the re-release of "Titanic," it may take a few more days for "The Way of Water" to surpass the iconic film at the global box office.

At present, "Titanic" ranks as the third highest-grossing film in history, behind "Avengers: Endgame" and Cameron's very own "Avatar," which still holds the top spot. "Avatar: The Way of Water" currently sits in the fourth position.

Rounding out the top five at the box office, Paramount's Super Bowl-themed sports comedy "80 for Brady," in its second weekend, earned an estimated $6 million domestically, bringing its total domestic gross to $25 million. Meanwhile, Illumination and Universal's animated film "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" inched closer to the $400 million mark globally, accumulating a total global gross of $393.7 million as of Sunday.