#BOXOFFICE: “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” DEBUTS WITH $70-MILLION OPENING

Although predictions pegged it a bit higher, Paramount Pictures’ Star Trek Into Darkness, the Sequel in the Franchise directed by J.J. Abrams, debuts in number one this weekend with $70.6 million from 3,868 theatres across North America.  Made for $190 million, the Sci-Fi/Action Flick opened on Wednesday night, but falls just short of the  $75 million its predecessor made in 2009. Audiences of course loved the Sequel, giving it a coveted A CinemaScore and also Critics agreed with a stellar 88% rating at Rotten Tomatoes. It was the only Film released this weekend to debut in the Top Ten and does so on-top!

Two-week Champion Iron Man 3 slips to second this weekend, but by no means is disgraced, earning $35.2 million in its third week for Disney.  The Blockbuster has just exceeded the $1 billion-mark globally.

The Great Gatsby despite never reaching the top of the Box Office, like Iron Man 3, performs v. well in third with $23.4 million in its second week of release for Warner Bros., earning $90 million in just two weeks. Box Office Experts are saying that this being one of the few Female-catered Films out currently, may have hindered Star Trek Into Darkness‘ numbers from being record-breaking for the Franchise.

The gap is huge  between the Top Three Films and the rest of the Films in the Top Ten. Paramount Pictures for the second week in-a-row gets the fourth spot with Pain and Gain, earning $3.1 million in its fourth week, just surpassing the $50-million mark domestically, keeping Veteran The Croods at bay with $2.8 million in fifth.

Brace yourselves at the sixth Film in the Fast & Furious Franchise hits theatres next weekend, already debuting big overseas with $13.8 million already in the U.K.!

#BOXOFFICE: “IRON MAN 3” STILL #1, WHILE “GATSBY” OPENS BIG AT #2

In an exciting weekend at the Box Office, two heavy Hollywood Blockbusters were pitted against one another – Iron Man 3, catering more towards a male audience, and The Great Gatsby, catering towards a more female audience. Alas, it is the Man of Iron who prevails with $72.4 million in its second week after an explosive $174 million opening in North America. In two short weeks, it has grossed $284 million domestically.

Not to be shamed, The Great Gatsby debuts in second with an equally stellar $51.1 million for Warner Bros. from 3,535 theatres.  Although Critics had mixed feelings about the F. Scott Fitzgerald Adaptation with a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, audiences gave it a B CinemaScore, which shouldn’t hurt it.  Also, the fact that it is Mother’s Day surely helps with its numbers.

Former number one Pain & Gain slips to third this weekend for Paramount Pictures, earning $5 million in a v. distant third place. To date it has grossed $41  million domestically.

Debuting uncharacteristically low in fourth with $4.8 million from 2,041 theatres is Tyler Perry‘s latest Peeples, starring Kerry Washington.  The Comedy is the only other wide release to  open this weekend and earned a B- CinemaScore and also a 37% rating on the Tomatometer.

In fifth is 42, another former number one Film, with $4.6 million for Warner Bros. in its fourth week of release. In its four week run, the Jackie Robinson Biopic has grossed $84.7 million.

Rounding out the Top Ten are Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon Drama Mud with $2.3 million – the Film opens soon in Canada  via eOne Films – and the valiant Oz The Great and Powerful with $802k in its TENTH week of release for Disney.

#BOXOFFICE: “OBLIVION” IS VERY PRESENT AT BOX OFFICE

Neither a Divorce nor a Scientology Scandal could stop him.  Tom Cruise is a bona fide Cinematic Legend, topping the Box Office once again this weekend with his latest, Oblivion, which earns a stellar $38.2 million for Universal Pictures, from 3,783 theatres.  Reviews were mixed from Critics, earning 58% on the Tomatometer, and Audiences responded with a B- CinemaScore.  Getting a head-start internationally last week, the Film has grossed over $60 million overseas already.

Even in its second week, the superb 42 continues to go strong for Warner Bros., earning $18 million after debuting on-top last week. The Film got a bit of a push Monday with it being Jackie Robinson Day and with that A+ CinemaScore, it should continue to go well for the next few weeks with lots of positive word-of-mouth.

In third this weekend is The Croods with $9.5 million, benefiting overall from a lack of other Family-oriented Films out right now.  Domestically it has just surpassed the $150-million mark.

Scary Movie 5 still manages to maintain in the Top Five with $6.3 million in its second week, just ahead of G.I. JOE: Retaliation with $5.8 million in its fourth week.

The Place Beyond the Pines expands to 1,542 theatres for Focus Features/eOne Films this weekend in sixth and does respectably with $4.7 million, now earning a total of $11.3 million in its run thus far. Reviews are strong, tallying in at 81% on the Tomatometer.

With no other new entries in the Top Ten this weekend, Oz The Great and Powerful rounds-out the Top Ten with $3  million for Disney.

#BOX OFFICE: “42” HITS A HOME RUN AT THE BOX OFFICE

A Box Office Home Run for Warner Bros.’ 42 this weekend, its release timed right for the beginning of Baseball Season earning $27.3 million from 3,003 theatres across North America.  The Biopic about Jackie Robinson from Director/Writer Brian Helgeland not only fared well among Critics with a 77% consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, but Audiences loved it, giving it a well-deserved A+ CinemaScore. This bodes well for its word-of-mouth in coming weeks and also, tomorrow is Jackie Robinson Day in the U.S., meaning even more buzz for the Flick.

Opening in second is eOne Films/The Weinstein Co.’s Scary Movie 5, the latest in the long-running Franchise, earning a non-disgraced $15.2 million from 3,402 theatres.  Critics panned it universally, garnering 6% on the Tomatometer and C- Cinemascore from Audiences.  Neither Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen nor Ashley Tisdale could save this.

Former Champ The Croods earns $12.9 million in its third week and to date the Animated Feature from 20th Century Fox has grossed over $142 million domestically.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation earns $10.5 million for Paramount Pictures in fourth, just ahead of last week’s number one Film in Evil Dead which slips to fifth spot with $9.3 million from 3,025 theatres for Sony Pictures.

Meanwhile, Oz the Great and Powerful continues to go on well in eighth with $4.8 million in ninth in its sixth week of release, ahead of Tyler Perry’s Temptation which slips to ninth in its third week with $4.4 million. a

In Limited Release and The Place Beyond the Pines, the latest from Director/Writer Derek Cianfrance who made a splash in 2010 with Blue Valentine, earns $3.8 million from only 514 theatres for eOne Films/Focus Features and likely will continue to expand in coming weeks.  Starring a phenomenal Cast including Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes and Dane DeHaan, the Drama is well-reviewed earning 81% on the Tomatometer.

Overseas, Oblivion starring Tom Cruise debuted big with $60 million grossed overseas and equally is expected to open big in North America, where it debuts next weekend.