Friday Box Office Analysis
By Tim Briody
September 10, 2011
BoxOfficeProphets.com

I don't care how famous you are. You can't just take my pen.

[tm:5206_]Contagion[/tm]

Finally waking up the box office after the dog days of summer (and Labor Day) kept [tm:5226_]The Help[/tm] on top for three weekends, [bp:1775_]Steven Soderbergh[/bp]'s Contagion opens with $8 million on Friday. This sets it up nicely to have a quite solid Saturday (with Sunday being a bit of a wild card thanks to football and the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks). With the last few weeks containing bad weather, the Labor Day holiday and a lack of anything quality, adult audiences will likely turn out for the well-reviewed Contagion. Look for it to win the weekend very easily with $23.2 million.

[tm:5011_]Warrior[/tm]

Opening in third place with $1.8 million is Warrior, which is a somewhat disappointing Friday figure, though if it's any consolation, it is in under 2,000 theaters. Given a soft overall top ten loaded with holdovers (after three weeks on top, The Help is still second on Friday with $2.6 million), it's locked in to be third for the weekend but with a much lower total than many were hoping for. Give it a weekend of $5.1 million.

Bucky Larson: Born To Be a Star

It came in 13th place on Friday with $540,000. Thank you, America. That is all.