Weekend Wrap-Up for December 14-16, 2007
Will Smith a Legend at the Box Office
By John Hamann
December 16, 2007
Seventh goes to This Christmas, the Screen Gems phenomenon, as the $13 million production continues to score a spot in the top ten. This Christmas earned another $2.3 million this and was off 54% compared to the last frame. So far, This Christmas has earned an impressive $46 million.
The Perfect Holiday, which is being released by the underdog distributor Yari Film Group, finishes in eighth place. With little marketing, The Perfect Holiday settles for an opening weekend of $3 million, as it was released to only 1,307 venues. It had a venue average of $2,269. This one stars Morris Chestnut and Gabrielle Union (as well as Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard), and was not treated kindly by critics. At RottenTomatoes, The Perfect Holiday had to settle with a 18% fresh score, and should limp through the holidays.
On the strength of seven Golden Globe nominations, Atonement finishes in ninth place. The almost sure-to-be an Academy Award nominee for Best Picture earned $1.9 million from only 117 venues. That's good for a per-location average of $15,829, which is not shabby at all. The movie has earned $3 million so far and will certainly be expanding to more venues in the weeks to come.
August Rush finishes tenth, as grandmothers failed to come out for this sickly sweet fantasy from Warner Bros. This weekend, August Rush earned $1.8 million and was off 49% from the previous frame. So far, Rush has earned $28.1 million and will be out of the top 12 by next weekend.
Overall, things are looking up, up, up compared to last weekend's top 12 take of just $72.8 million, as I Am Legend outgrossed last weekend's top 12. The top 12 films this weekend earned a huge $153.6 million, which dominates last year's total of $110.9 million when Will Smith's Pursuit of Happyness was on top. Things should only get better next weekend, when five big releases hit screens, and finally remove the $2 million earners from the top ten. Next weekend brings Charlie Wilson's War with Tom Hanks, Sweeney Todd with Johnny Depp, National Treasure 2 with Nic Cage, and PS I Love You will Hilary Swank. The drought is over at the box office.
| 1 |
I Am Legend |
Warner Bros. |
$76,535,000 |
$77,211,321 |
New |
$77,211,321 |
| 2 |
Alvin and the Chipmunks |
20th Century Fox |
$45,000,000 |
$44,307,417 |
New |
$44,307,417 |
| 3 |
His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass |
New Line Cinema |
$9,025,000 |
$8,825,549 |
- 65.8% |
$40,768,661 |
| 4 |
Enchanted |
Walt Disney Pictures |
$6,004,000 |
$5,533,884 |
- 48.3% |
$91,801,187 |
| 5 |
No Country for Old Men |
Paramount |
$3,000,000 |
$2,827,530 |
- 31.3% |
$33,390,003 |
| 6 |
Perfect Holiday |
Yari Film Group |
$2,965,000 |
$2,283,360 |
New |
$2,930,188 |
| 8 |
This Christmas |
Sony/Columbia |
$2,300,000 |
$2,260,812 |
- 54.4% |
$46,004,292 |
| 7 |
Fred Claus |
Warner Bros. |
$2,305,000 |
$2,221,438 |
- 51.8% |
$68,880,722 |
| 9 |
Atonement |
Focus Features |
$1,852,000 |
$1,806,862 |
+126.8% |
$2,918,154 |
| 10 |
August Rush |
Warner Bros. |
$1,785,000 |
$1,765,319 |
- 49.7% |
$28,045,110 |
| 11 |
Juno |
Fox Searchlight |
$1,435,000 |
$1,427,454 |
+244.9% |
$2,153,400 |
| 12 |
Beowulf |
Paramount |
$1,353,000 |
$1,380,513 |
- 69.6% |
$79,259,394 |
| |
Also Opening/Notables |
| |
The Kite Runner |
Paramount Vantage |
$450,970 |
$471,713 |
New |
$471,713 |
| |
Youth Without Youth |
Sony Pictures Classics |
$27,815 |
$27,815 |
New |
$27,815 |
| |
Look |
Vitagraph |
$14,875 |
$10,347 |
New |
$10,347 |
| |
Nanking |
Thinkfilm |
$7,150 |
$7,150 |
New |
$12,437 |
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Click here for all weekend data
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Box office data supplied by Exhibitor Relations
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