#BOXOFFICE: “THE EVIL DEAD” FULLY ALIVE AT BOX OFFICE

Huge debut this weekend for The Evil Dead, opening in 3,025 theatres with a stellar $26 million.  In an interesting turn of events, this weekend there were two ties for second place and fifth place. The Sony Pictures/FilmDistrict Flick interestingly enough received fairly positive reviews from Critics (65% on the Tomatometer), although Audiences responded not as well with a C+ CinemaScore. Poor feedback however didn’t seem to hurt the Remake of Sam Raimi‘s 1981 Horror at all. Made for only $17 million, it is a great success on all accounts.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation slips to second spot this weekend but still continues to be a force to be reckoned with, earning an impressive $21.1 million at number two for Paramount Pictures. In two weeks domestically, the Film has grossed$87 million. The Croods ties as second spot for 20th Century Fox, still going strong with $21.1 million also in its third week of release.  In total it has earned $125.7 million in North America to date.

Jurassic Park 3-D gets a second life at the theatres via Universal Pictures debuting at number four this weekend with $18.2 million, earning strong reviews in this incarnation (91% on the Tomatometer).  By comparison, the original version of the Film back in June 1993 opened with $47 million.

FilmDistrict/VVS Films’ Olympus Has Fallen and Tyler Perry‘s Temptation both tie for fifth spot with $10 million for Lionsgate/eOne Films in its second week out. Disney‘s Oz The Great in Powerful in seventh spot has surpassed the $200 million-mark in North America, earning $8.6 million in this its fifth week.

Rounding-out the Top Ten is Rom-Com, Admission, with $2.0 million in its third week of release.

#BOXOFFICE: “THE CROODS” DRIVES FAMILIES TO THE MOVIES THIS WEEKEND

Debuting atop the Box Office this weekend is The Croods from Dreamworks/20th Century Fox, earning $44 million from 4,046 theatres in North America. Earning positive reviews from Critics, tallying 64% on the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes and even strong reviews from audiences with an A CinemaScore, the Animated Feature starring Ryan Reynolds, Nicolas Cage and Emma Stone was made for $135 million,  still yet to be released overseas.

In second and certainly not disgraced is Antoine Fuqua‘s Olympus Has Fallen opening with $30.8 million for FilmDistrict/VVS Films, from 3,098 theatres.  Overall, reviews have been mixed with it earning 55% over at Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences responded v. well, giving an A- CinemaScore. After multiple Box Office Misfires of late, Gerard Butler re-asserts his standing as a bankable Leading Man. The Film however was made for $70 million, which by Indie standards is astronomically high, but with positive buzz, this should translate into a bit of staying power in coming weeks and possibly its second run on Home Video.

Oz The Great and Powerful continues to be a major force, slipping to third but still garnering $20.8 million in its third week and should shortly surpass the $200 million mark domestically.

Meanwhile The Call, last weekend’s Runner-Up, earns $9.1 million in its second week of release, just ahead of Tina Fey and Paul Rudd-headlining Rom-Com Admission in fifth with $6.6 million for Focus Features/eOne Films.

Amazingly, Spring Breakers in Limited Release finds itself in sixth with $5 million from only 1,104 theatres and next weekend will see a release in select Canadian cities including Toronto.  Reviews are solid for the Harmony Korine Flick starring James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Benson.

Former Champion Identity Thief still is hanging tough for Universal Pictures with $2.6 million from 2,166 theatres, while Snitch rounds-out the Top Ten with $1.9 million.  Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson who stars in the latter, also will be making his presence felt with G.I. Joe: Retaliation, out next week.

#FIRSTLOOK: “ADMISSION” STARRING PAUL RUDD & TINA FEY

OMG. Finally!  It’s been far too long since we’ve seen Tina Fey on the Big Screen.  This Trailer for Admission starring the Funnywoman and the brilliant Paul Rudd has just surfaced.  Fey plays Portia, an Admissions Officer at Princeton who gets involved with a less-than-ideal potential Student.  Involved of course, not in the romantic sense of the word.

Nat Wolff, Michael Sheen (who worked with Fey briefly on 30 Rock), Lily Tomlin and Toronto’s v. own Dan Levy star also!  Alliance Films releases Admission on March 8, 2013.

Watch the Trailer in full below:

(Photo/video credit: Alliance Films)