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.
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.
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com