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.
Montreal-filmed Warm Bodies is a Title I’ve been plenty enthused about for quite some time now and its two Stars officially have arrived in the City. The quirky Romantic Comedy-Zombie Flick is based upon the Novel of the same name by Isaac Marion, starring Teresa Palmer and Nicholas Hoult – the latter already having been a critical Darling for some time now with About a Boy and A Single Man on his Resume.
On the agenda for the recently single (respectively) Duo are a Stop-off at a Private Screening in the busier part of the City and an appearance on MuchMusic‘s New.Music.Live during the 6:00 PM slot, sharing the spotlight with Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough who both are here for Romantic-Thriller Safe Haven.
Fans and Autograph Collectors knew they were in the presence of greatness, giving the Actors a warm, albeit rowdy welcome upon arrival. Amidst all the pushing and pulling, I managed to get one semi-decent Snap after two undecipherably-blurry Photos with Hoult. “I think we’ve done plenty of Photos already, Mate”, he tells me, perhaps not understanding the difficulty of photographing a moving subject. Finally he was kind enough to stop for one quick second amidst his Autograph signing, thanks to our Friend Michelle.
Fortunately, Palmer escaped the fanfare unscathed, giggling with her Handlers from her SUV at the commotion.
Don’t laugh. Okay, fine laugh.
eOne Films releases what sure is to be a massive Hit, Warm Bodies, on February 1 , 2013.
(Photo credit : Mr. Will Wong)
Toronto hasn’t seen this much action since TIFF! Next Monday will be a day of epic proportions as the Stars descend upon the City for two of February’s most anticipated Films. I’ve been super-excited about 50/50 Director Jonathan Levine‘s Warm Bodies for quite some time now and the Adaptation of the Isaac Marion Zombie Novel will see both Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy) and Teresa Palmer (I Am Number Four) here Monday, January 21, 2013. The Duo will be at MuchMusic‘s New.Music.Live to promote the February 1, 2013 release for eOne Films. Frozen Yogurt Chain Yogurty’s is giving away Prize Packs and Passes to a Private Screening. Details here.
If that weren’t exciting enough, equally-Hotties Josh Duhamel (Win a Date with Tad Hamilton) and Julianne Hough (Rock of Ages) will be promoting Safe Haven that same day and they are expected to walk the Red Carpet for the Canadian Premiere of the Romantic-Thriller later that night. The Adaptation of the Bestselling Nicholas Sparks Novel also will see the two Actors doing a round of Press earlier in the day in support of the February 14, 2013 release for Entertainment One‘s Alliance Films. Tickets for the Premiere will be made available via KISS 92.5 and also the Alliance Films Facebook Page.
I had the pleasure of meeting both Leading Ladies, Palmer and Hough, back in 2011 and they are both as gracious and lovely as they appear. We are blessed to host them once again and without a doubt, both Films are expected to perform massively.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
“Why can’t I connect with people? Oh right, it’s because I’m dead.”.
Delightfully-quirky and based on the Novel of the same name by Isaac Marion, Warm Bodies is the latest effort from 50/50 Director/Screenwriter, Jonathan Levine. The Romantic Comedy-Horror stars Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy, A Single Man) and Breakout Stars Dave Franco (21 Jump Street), Analeigh Tipton (Crazy, Stupid, Love.) and Teresa Palmer (I Am Number Four).
Montreal-filmed Warm Bodies centers around a Zombie known as R (Hoult), becomes involved with the Girlfriend (Palmer) of one of his Victims, quite possibly changing forever the world of the non-living.
Although the Young Adult/Teen Fantasy Genre increasingly is becoming crowded in 2013 with the upcoming releases of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Beautiful Creatures and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, this Film carves its own niche with walk on the funny and wild side and who better to helm this than Levine who brought us to laughter and tears with 2011 Cancer Comedy 50/50. This looks to be the right mixture of sweet and salty.
Watch the charming and gory Trailer below:
Descending upon KISS 92.5 Studios at the break of dawn, The Twilight Saga Stars Charlie Bewley and Canada’s v. own Daniel Cudmore might be a bit making their way to Toronto, but better late than never we always say! The Duo who star as members of The Volturi – Demetri and Felix respectively- are here to promote the final Installment of the massively-successful Franchise, which grossed a near-record-breaking $141 million in North America and a whopping $340 million worldwide this past weekend in its big Debut.
Caught off-guard by the presence of Fans upon arrival, the Duo promised to take Photos following their appearance, but Fans were savvy enough to find them at an alternative exit used to avoid attention. Bewley and Cudmore, the latter who is sporting a Mustache in support of Movember, were super-nice to stop for Group Photos on their way out the Station, en route to a busy day of Press including appearances at CityTV‘s Breakfast Television, The Marilyn Denis Show, MuchMusic‘s New.Music.Live and more! Check-out their Interview of the Roz & Mocha Show here on their Official Website (available soon).
Bewley and Cudmore are confirmed to be surprising Fans at a Screening of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 tonight here in Toronto after 7:00 PM, as reported by KISS 92.5. Now considering that they are scheduled to appear at MuchMusic at 6:00 PM and that Scotiabank Theatre is right behind the Station… I’m just saying… Of course, Varsity Cinemas which also is a possibility, has Showtimes around the same slot. Regardless, good luck in catching a glimpse, Twihards!
eOne Films which distributes The Twilight Saga here in Canada, next is setting its sights on two suitable Genre-Successors to the Throne with Montreal-filmed Warm Bodies and Toronto-filmed The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones coming with big expectations in their 2013 releases.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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