#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.