#BOXOFFICE: “THOR: THE DARK WORLD” THUNDERS AT THE BOX OFFICE

After an explosive $31-million Friday opening, THOR: THE DARK WORLD debuts this weekend with $83 million across North America for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.  Made for $170 million, there is little doubt that this is a profitable venture, opening in 3,841 theatres. By comparison, its 2011 Predecessor also starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston and Natalie Portman banked $65 million in its debut.  Critics gave it a consensus 66% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, while Audiences adored the Film with an A- CinemaScore.

Jackass: Bad Grandpa, a former Box Office Champion, slips to a v. distant second spot in its third week of release with $11.2 million for Paramount Pictures.  Domestically, the Film starring Johnny Knoxville is closing-in on the $80-million mark already.  This places it ahead marginally of the older demographic-skewing Comedy, Last Vegas, sitting once again in third in its second week with $11.16 million for CBS Films/eOne Films. Free Birds also just gets edged-out in fourth with $11.1 million for Relativity Media/eOne Films, also in its second week out.

Surprisingly, last week’s Champion Ender’s Game wasn’t able to hold as well in its second week, slipping to fifth this weekend with $10.2 million for Lionsgate Films/eOne Films.  The Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film to date has earned $43.9 million.

12 Years a Slave this weekend expands to 1,144 theatres for Fox Searchlight in seventh spot with $6.5 million, now having earned $17 million in its domestic run.

About Time expands to 1,200 theatres in its second weekend out, landing in ninth spot for Universal Pictures with $5 million.   The Rom-Com stars Domnhall Gleason and Rachel McAdams certainly wasn’t disgraced by Critics, earning a 66% on the Tomatometer.

Rounding-out the Top Ten is Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 with $2.7 million for Sony Pictures, just surpassing $110 million in earnings domestically.

#BOXOFFICE: “ENDER’S GAME” SAYS ‘GAME OVER’ TO COMPETITION

No surprises here!  Ender’s Game debuts atop the Box Office this week, saying ‘Game Over’ to the Competition  with a strong $27 million earned from 3,407 theatres.  The Adaptation of the 1985 Novel by Orson Scott Card, garnered fairly strong reviews, earning a solid 62% on the Tomatometer for eOne Films.  Audiences gave the Film starring Asa Butterfield (Hugo), Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) and Abigail Breslin (August: Osage County) an A- CinemaScore also, boding well for a word-of-mouth buzz.

Last week’s Champion Bad Grandpa slips to second spot this weekend with a still decent $18.1 million for Paramount Pictures in this its second week, landing just ahead of Comedy Last Vegas, which brings together Oscar Winners Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas and Kevin Kline.  It earned $15.5 million  for eOne Films, from 3,035 theatres, generally getting panned with a 42% rating on the Tomatometer, although Audiences enjoyed it more giving it a B CinemaScore.

Animated Feature, Free Birds, debuts in fourth spot for eOne Films/Relativity Media, with $16.2 million earned from 3,736 theatres.  Critics panned the Film featuring the voices of Amy Poehler and Owen Wilson, giving it a 21% rating on the Tomatometer although Audiences enjoyed it much more with a B Cinemascore.

Gravity in its fifth week still is going strong in fifth spot with $13.1 million for Warner Bros., earning a cumulative total domestically of $218 million thus far.

12 Years a Slave expands to 410 theatres, still mustering a seventh-placing with $4.6 million in this its third week of release for Fox Searchlight.

Carrie rounds-out the Top Ten with $3.1 million for Sony Pictures in its third week out, just surpassing the $30-million mark in North America.

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN ADVANCE PASSES TO THE TORONTO ADVANCE SCREENING OF “JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA”

If you’re in the Toronto area and want a chance to attend the Advance Screening of JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA, here’s your chance, courtesy of Paramount Pictures and Mr. Will Wong!

The Screening takes place at Cineplex Yonge & Dundas on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 at 7:00 PM.

Official Synopsis:

86-year-old Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) and Billy (Jackson Nicoll) are on a road trip across the United States. Irving is tasked with taking his eight-year-old grandson to live with his father after his mother is jailed. Interspersed with the brief story segments are hidden camera pranks and stunts.

Let us play a little game, shall we?  Over the years, I’ve met several Celebrities, but can you guess which of the below isn’t or isn’t expected soon to be a Grandparent?

In exact order: Marion Ross, Mandy Patinkin, Bob Barker, Barbara Eden, Jane Fonda, Danny Glover, Gena Rowlands, Larry King, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren, Johnny Lydon (Sex Pistols), Dr. Oz, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Suzanne Somers, Alan Thicke, Paul Anka and Billy Crystal.

To enter to win, simply enter your answer under this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook. After doing so, you can double your chances by sharing this Post with your Friends on Facebook, or Re-Tweeting the below:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/badgrandpa @MRWILLW wants us to #win Double Passes to the Toronto Advance Screening of #JACKASS #BADGRANDPA! In theatres 10/25!

See the hilarious Trailer for JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA below:

Official Artwork below:

Good luck, Wongsters!

Paramount Pictures release JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA on Friday, October 25, 2013.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures)