Alita: Battle Angel feels like the movie that was trying to be the blockbuster release for this weekend.
It’s unusual to have this sort of a close race when it comes to the box office.
Normally, the studios stake out the weekends well in advance and once one major film gets set, the rest steer clear in order to actively avoid the competition.
However, since the film is based on an anime that the broader audience isn’t all that familiar with, it’s not expected to do the same sorts of numbers that other action tentpoles might do.