Tracking pegged the film as opening above $20 million prior to the condemnations and recriminations, although tracking is not an exact science. Nonetheless, an $18 million debut weekend for a $22m drama sans big stars or any kind of franchise attachment is a triumph in 2017. Yes, there is a long history of popular dog movies (Snow Dogs, Hotel for Dogs, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Eight Below, etc. But it's still a solid debut weekend for a small-ish release. Presuming a 2.4-2.5x weekend multiplier, we're looking at a $12.25-$12.75 million debut weekend, or (adjusted for inflation) about what the second, third and fourth entries earned on their first day.

Source: Forbes January 28, 2017 15:56 UTC