A massive Storm on the East Coast couldn’t keep the Moviegoers home, with Identity Thief from Universal Pictures opening huge at the Box Office with $36 million from 3,141 theatres. The Comedy starring Melissa McCarthy and Justin Bateman was panned widely by Critics (24% at Rotten Tomatoes), but Audiences responded fairly well, garnering a B CinemaScore. If there was any doubt that McCarthy‘s Career is going strong, Bridesmaids which garnered her an Oscar Nomination last year, made only $26 million in its opening weekend.
Last week’s Champ Warm Bodies continues to perform solidly in second with $11.7 million this weekend for Summit Entertainment/Lionsgate Films/eOne Films, tallying-in at an impressive $36.8 million in two weeks. The Zombie Rom-Com was made for $30 million.
Brilliant Psychological-Thriller, Side Effects, boasts an Oscar-worthy Cast including Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jude Law and Channing Tatum, but could only muster a third place debut for Open Road Films/eOne Films with $9.4 million from 2,605 theatres. Meanwhile, Critics loved what is being called Steven Soderbergh‘s final Film, giving it 85% on the Tomatometer, but Audiences didn’t respond quite as well with a B CinemaScore. Perhaps it will fare better in its secondary run on DVD/Blu-ray/Video-on-Demand.
Silver Linings Playbook continues to receive a major Oscars Boost and it doesn’t hurt that Jennifer Lawrence is just about everywhere including the cover of Vanity Fair and a high-profile appearance on Saturday Night Live a couple weeks back. The Best Picture Contender earns $6.4 million this weekend in fourth, almost on its way to that illusive $100-million mark for The Weinstein Co./eOne Films (Alliance Films).
Former Champ Mama in its fourth week of release earns $4.2 million in sixth spot, just ahead of Zero Dark Thirty in seventh with $3.9 million. Argo now in its 18th week of release has a remarkable resurgence with $2.4 million earned this weekend in eighth, likely due to the exposure from Ben Affleck‘s recent Director’s Guild Award and the Ensemble’s Screen Actors Guild Awards victories. Top Gun‘s 3-D Re-Release by Paramount Pictures rounds out the Top Ten with $2 million, from 300 theatres.
Zombie-RomCom Warm Bodies heats-up the Box Office, taking the top spot of the North American Box Office with a stellar $19 million for Summit Entertainment/Lionsgate Films/eOne Films this Super Bowl Weekend. The Montreal-filmed Adaptation of the Isaac Marion Novel, struck a chord with Moviegoers, fulfilling their needs for a February Romance, while also providing laughs amidst the Winter Blahs at once. CinemaScore gave it a B+, while the Critics at Rotten Tomatoes tallied-in at 76% on the Tomatoeter. The Film was made for $30 million from 3,009 theatres, meaning some massive profits for the Studio and the possibility of further installments to come – perhaps an Adaptation of its recently-released Prequel?
Last week’s Champ Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters continues to perform well in second with $9.2 million from 3,375 theatres for Paramount Pictures. In two weeks, it has grossed over $34 million domestically. Worldwide it is on its way to surpassing the $100 million-mark.
Silver Linings Playbook continues to benefit from its Oscars boost, landing in third with $8.1 million. Coincidentally, the RomCom also has a Football theme, tying-in perhaps to the Super Bowl this weekend. It also surpasses the $80 million mark domestically for The Weinstein Co./Alliance Films (eOne Films) and Pundits are forecasting it passing the $100-million mark.
Toronto-filmed Mama continues exceeds all expectations, still a major player at the Box Office after two weeks. The Horror earns $6.7 million in fourth for Universal Pictures/eOne Films, a cumulative total of $53.8 million to date. Jessica Chastain who stars in this and also Zero Dark Thirty, is right behind herself in fifth with $5.3 million, almost surpassing the $80 million-mark domestically.
In sixth is Bullet to the Head with $4.5 million for Warner Bros./eOne Films. The Sylvester Stallone-starring Action Flick didn’t fare as well with Critics, earning 48% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, but Audiences responded fairly well with a B- CinemaScore.
Rounding-out the Top Ten this weekend are Best Picture Contenders and Veterans: Django Unchained, Les Misérables and Lincoln, taking-in $3, $2.41 and $2.4 respectively.
Critics didn’t like it v. much, but Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 3D opens solidly, debuting at number one this weekend with $19 million in North America for Paramount Pictures. The Action-Fantasy starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton opened in 3,372 theatres, was made for $50 million and performed particularly well overseas including Russia where it earned $8.6 million alone on Friday. Audiences gave the Film a B over at Cinemascore, which suggests it might not be as bad as Critics made it seem, earning only 15% at Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer.
Last week’s Champ, Mama slips to second but still is going well with $12.9 million for Universal Pictures/eOne Films. In two weeks it has grossed an impressive $47.5 million domestically.
Now into its eleventh week of release, Silver Linings Playbook continues to benefit from its Oscar Buzz in third, earning $10 million for The Weinstein Co./Alliance Films (eOne Films) from 2,641 theatres, keeping another Best Picture Contender, Zero Dark Thirty, at bay in fourth with $9.8 million from 2,929 theatres.
Parker from FilmDistrict/eOne Films opens with $7 million this weekend in fourth. The Action Flick starring Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez garnered overall negative reviews (35% on Rotten Tomatoes), but Audiences responded with a B+ Cinemascore.
Django Unchained still is hanging-in sitting in fifth with $5 million and right behind in sixth is The Farrelly Brothers‘ latest RomCom Movie 43 which boasts an All-Star Cast, but still managed only to pull-in $5 million in its debut for Relativity Media/Alliance Films (eOne Films). The Cast includes: Kate Winslet, Josh Duhamel, Johnny Knoxville, Chloe Moretz, Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber, Halle Berry, Uma Thurman, Anna Faris, Chris Pratt, Gerard Butler, Snooki, Elizabeth Banks, Jason Sudeikis and many more. Critics were particularly tough, the Film tallying only 6% on the Tomatometer. Audiences were equally tough with an unimpressed Cinemascore of a D.
Broken City rounds-out the Top Ten in its second week with $3.8 million ($15 million earned to date), almost on its way to recouping half of its $35 million budget.
Jessica Chastain, Box Office Queen. The Best Actress Frontrunner in record time has gone from obscurity straight to the top, occupying both the top two spots at the Box Office this weekend with Mama and Zero Dark Thirty. The former, produced by Guillermo del Toro and filmed in Toronto, earns $28.1 million from 2,647 theatres for Universal Pictures/eOne Films, securing its place at the top, while the latter nabs second spot with $17.6 million. Zero Dark Thirty to date has grossed $59 million for Sony Pictures/Alliance Films domestically. Mama‘s performance bodes well for the City as a destination for filming, proving we have the resources to make a top-placing Film. Critics gave it generally positive reviews, garnering 63% on the Tomatometer. 2011 Horror Flick Dream House from Universal Pictures/eOne Films, filmed in the City, didn’t fare quite as well critically and commercially. Mama Star Nickolaj Coster-Waldau was recently in Toronto. Find out how to win a Photo signed by him here.
After a bit of dawdling, Silver Linings Playbook gets its due success in its tenth week of release, expanding to 2,523 theatres, earning $11.3 million for The Weinstein Co./Alliance Films – good enough for third. This undoubtedly was aided by both its recent Golden Globes exposure with Jennifer Lawrence winning Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and also its Best Picture Nomination for the Oscars.
Gangster Squad performs steadily in fourth with $9.1 million in its second week for Warner Bros, just ahead of Broken City, starring Russell Crowe and Mark Wahlberg, debuting in fourth with $9 million. The Action-Drama earned a 25% rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer.
Debuting at number two last week, Horror Spoof A Haunted House slips to sixth this weekend with $8.3 million for Open Road Films. The Film which parodies Paranormal Activity and The Devil Inside, opens in Canada next Friday via VVS Films.
Meanwhile, Oscar Contenders Django Unchained and Les Misérables are still performing respectably thanks to the Oscars and Golden Globes boost, placing them seventh with $8.2 million and eighth with $7.8 million respectively. Former three-week Champ The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey earns $6.4 million for Warner Bros.
Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s return to the Big Screen wasn’t so heroic, opening in tenth with $6 million. Critics however, weren’t all too disapproving as it earned mixed Reviews at best with 56% on the Tomatometer.
Finally, a real Star! Danish import Nikolaj Coster-Waldau definitely has been at it for a while, but he’s making his presence felt in these parts thanks to the massive success of HBO Series Game of Thrones on which he stars as Jaime Lannister. Coster-Waldau is in the City promoting Toronto-filmed Mama, from first-time Feature Director Andrés Muschietti, who also directed the original Short Film it is based upon.
Also starring a currently-on-Broadway Jessica Chastain, the Horror is about a Couple who take-in two Nieces who were left alone in the Forest for over five years. The Actor tells Jennifer Valentyne on CityTV‘s Breakfast Television today, “It goes by the idea that in the Forest you can never get between the Mama Bear and her Cub.”. He indicates that he currently is on a break, spending quality time in his native Denmark with his two Daughters after wrapping on Oblivion, which stars Tom Cruise. The Action/Sci-Fi Flick opens in theatres this April.
The Actor was up early and ready to work, appearing on KISS 92.5‘s The Roz & Mocha Show. Listen to the Interview in full here.
Among other interviews, Coster-Waldau will also be appearing on George Stromboulopoulous Tonight, in addition to an appearance at an Advance Screening this evening.
eOne Films releases Mama on Friday, January 18, 2013.
Watch the creepy Trailer in full below:
To enter to win a Photo signed kindly from Coster-Waldau himself this morning, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook before February 1, 2013. All are welcome to enter! Good luck.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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