3 Reasons ‘Split’ Three-Peated at the Box Office

M. Night Shyamalan’s multiple-personalities thriller “Split” topped the box office for the third straight week, as the surprise hit has rolled to a cumulative domestic gross of $98.7 million and $142.7 million worldwide.

With a production budget estimated at $9 million, the film from Blumhouse and Universal has been a welcome cash cow in a month littered with big-budget disappointments.

Shyamalan’s film hit theaters during a pronounced lull in the calendar, as big budget studio flicks like Warner Bros.

Awards films are back in theaters or opening wider to capitalize on Oscar buzz, leaving little out there for younger audiences who want something fun, scary and social — and “Split” proved to be that tonic.

[...] Read: 'Rings' to Creep Up on 'Split,' 'Hidden Figures' at Super Bowl Weekend Box Office

A buzzworthy performance from Ryan Reynolds in a movie that also debuted early in the calendar year without a ton of expectations helped “Deadpool” become the surprise hit of 2016, grossing $363 million domestically and $783 million worldwide, and landing Reynolds and the film Golden Globes nominations.