If there was any doubt Nicholas Hoult has made a successful transition from a Child Actor, let your fears subside as the British Import debuts atop the Box Office a second time in a month with Warner Bros.‘ Jack The Giant Slayer. The $195 million Action-Adventure directed by Bryan Singer came with high hopes, hence some are seeing the $28 million from 3,525 theatres it earned this weekend as a bit of a disappointment. International numbers still have yet to come in, but expect it to fare well overseas. Reviews were mixed for the Film, garnering 52% on the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes and Audiences responded with a decent B+ rating at CinemaScore.
After what already has been an outstanding run, Identity Thief still is going strong in fourth in its fourth week, with $9.7 million this weekend, just surpassing the $100-million mark in North America.
Critics didn’t love College–Comedy 21 and Over, but it performed well enough to debut at number three this weekend with $9 million from 2,771 theatres for Relativity Media/eOne Films.   Fear not though as the Film starring Justin Chon, Skylar Astin and Miles Teller cost $13 million and likely will turn in a profit in its theatrical run. Audiences responded with a B CinemaScore.
The Last Exorcism Part II debuts in fourth spot with $8 million from 2,700 theatres, a far cry from the $20 million its Predecessor made back in 2010. Made for a micro-budget of $5 million, the Horror produced by Eli Roth, earned negative reviews (15% at Rotten Tomatoes).
Meanwhile, Snitch in its second week slips to fifth spot with $7.7 million for Summit Entertainment/Lionsgate Films/eOne Films, just ahead of Romantic-Thriller Safe Haven with $6.1 million.
Gaining tons of Oscars exposure last weekend with Jennifer Lawrence‘s Best Actress win, Silver Linings Playbook in its 16th week of release, shows its mettle with $5.8 million in seventh spot, now earning cumulatively $115 million in North America. It cost only $21 million to make, and even with its extensive Marketing which began back around September, it still turns in a big profit.
Dark Skies rounds-out to the Top Ten with $3.4 million in its second week, earning $13.4 million for The Weinstein Co./eOne Films. Meanwhile, bubbling-under in Limited Release is Fox Searchlight‘s well-reviewed Stoker, opening in seven theatres with $158k.
Amidst these February Blahs, Moviegoers find solace in Comedy with Universal Pictures’ Identity Thief usurps the top of the Box Office once again in its third week with $14.1 million; tepid but enough to be number one this weekend and just-shy of the $100-million mark domestically.
Snitch starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, opens in second spot with $13 million for Lionsgate Films/eOne Films in 2,511 theatres across North America. Reviews were mixed for the Action Flick at 54% on the Tomatometer, but audiences responded better with a B CinemaScore.
Escape from Planet Earth, the Canadian-produced Animated Feature, is in third this weekend with $11 million. Its two week tally is $35.1 million.
Holding its position at number four is Nicholas Sparks Adaptation, Safe Haven, with $10.6 million in its second week, just ahead of Horror Flick Dark Skies in number for in its debut with $9 million. Both Films are distributed by eOne Films in Canada.
Experiencing a significant slip is A Good Day to Die Hard in fifth with $10 million for 20th Century Fox. Its cumulative total for two weeks is an impressive $51 million for last week’s number one Film.
Amazingly, Silver Linings Playbook continues to show its grit in seventh spot with $6.1 million as its fate at the Oscars is set to be revealed tonight – the only Film still remaining in the Top Ten in the running for Best Picture.
Side Effects rounds-out this week’s Top Ten with $3 million in this its third week of release.
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