Friday Box Office Analysis
By Tim Briody
January 28, 2006
BoxOfficeProphets.com

And...we're off to purchase mental brillo.

This week's box office lesson: Never underestimate the power of fat suits.

Big Momma's House 2

Five-and-a-half years later, Martin Lawrence returns to the top of the box office with the sequel to the film that put him there. Big Momma's House 2 earned a solid $8.4 million Friday, ahead of the $7.6 million Big Momma's House earned in June of 2000, but throw in nearly six years of inflation and it's not all that impressive. It's still enough for the sequel to take the top spot with ease, even as it won't come close to the 3.35 weekend multiplier the original earned. I'll give it a 2.8, giving Big Momma's House 2 $23.5 million for the weekend.

Nanny McPhee

The Emma Thompson/Colin Firth family drama earned $3.6 million Friday, not bad for 2,000 screens. Its family-friendliness will keep it going through the weekend, giving it a solid second place at $11.2 million.

Annapolis

Since it's still January, there's at least one film getting thrown out, and here it is. It actually doesn't make too terrible a showing with $2.7 million on Friday, but it will vanish very quickly following this weekend. Give it around $7.3 million for the weekend.

Notable Holdovers

Underworld: Evolution falls a whopping 68.7% from last Friday. I know, you're shocked. An overall weekend decline of 60% would give the Kate Beckinsale sequel about $10.7 million in its second weekend.