‘Little Women,’ ‘Spies in Disguise’ and ‘Uncut Gems’ each enjoy strong Christmas debuts

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Wilson Webb(NEW YORK) — It’s been a busy holiday week at the box office, with three movies — Little Women, Spies in Disguise and Uncut Gems — all enjoying strong debuts.

After delivering $6.4 million on Wednesday, Little Women is on a pace to generate upwards of $22 million by Sunday, well ahead of expectations.

The animated feature Spies in Disguise and Uncut Gems — the latter of which went nationwide after opening in select theaters last Friday — also had impressive debuts, delivering $4.8 million and $5.9 million, respectively.

The drama Clemency, opens Friday in limited release, joining Just Mercy and 1917, which both opened on Wednesday.

Opened nationwide on Wednesday:

* Little Women — Directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen in this latest adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Civil War-era tale, this movie follows the March sisters as they progress from childhood to womanhood.  Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, Chris Cooper and Meryl Streep also star.  Rated PG.

* Spies in Disguise — In this CGI-animated spy comedy, Will Smith voices super spy Lance Sterling, who is turned into a pigeon after accidentally ingesting the latest invention of his nerdy tech officer, Walter Beckett, voiced by Tom Holland.  Now, it’s up to Beckett to save the world.  The voice cast also includes Rashida Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Rachel Brosnahan, Reba McEntire and Karen Gillan.  Rated PG.

* Uncut Gems — Funnyman Adam Sandler is generating Oscar buzz for his serious turn in this film, released in select theaters a couple of weeks ago and expanding nationwide on Christmas day.  It follows his character Howard Ratner, a charismatic jeweler in New York City’s diamond district who’s always in pursuit of his next big score. However, after making a series of high-stakes bets, he finds himself trying to balance business, family and his enemies, who are closing in.  Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, Lakeith Stanfield, Julia Fox and Eric Bogosian also star.  Rated R.

Opened in limited release on Wednesday:

* Just Mercy — This fact-based drama is based on Bryan Stevenson’s 2014 New York Times best-selling memoir of the same name, chronicling Stevenson’s life as a civil right activist who founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal center for inmates who did not receive proper legal representation.  Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx star respectively as Stevenson and his client.  Straight Outta Compton’s O’Shea Jackson Jr., Mudbound’s Rob Morgan and Captain Marvel’s Brie Larson also star.  Rated PG-13.

* 1917 — Skyfall director Sam Mendez’s World War I epic tells the story of two young British soldiers given an impossible mission to deliver a message deep in enemy territory that will stop 1,600 men, and one of the soldier’s brothers, from walking into a deadly trap.  The cast includes Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch.  Rated R.

Opening in limited release on Friday:

* Clemency — This drama stars Alfre Woodard as a death row prison warden who must confront the emotional and psychological demons her job has created, as she prepares to execute another inmate.  Richard Schiff, Danielle Brooks, Michael O’Neill, Richard Gunn, Wendell Pierce and Aldis Hodge.  Rated R.

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