Weekend Wrap-Up
Wolverine Warms Summer Box Office
By John Hamann
May 3, 2009
Finishing third is last weekend's number one film, Obsessed, with Beyonce Knowles scrapping it out with Ali Larter. After opening to $28.6 million last weekend, Obsessed got expectedly kneecapped this weekend, earning $12.2 million. Up against Wolverine and a romantic comedy, Obessesed had little chance of having a hold above 50%, and ends the weekend with a drop of 57%, a number Screen Gems will be happy with. With a $20 million production budget, Obsessed has done what it needs to, as it has a gross so far of $47 million. I'm looking for this one to finish with about $70 million in domestic sales, which will be a HUGE win for the studio.
After dipping 51% last weekend, Zac Efron's 17 Again has another rough weekend, but at least with the high flying competition, the golden boy has an excuse. 17 Again brought in $6.4 million in its third frame, and was off 45% versus the previous weekend. The comedy now has a total of $48.5 million as it moves toward about $65-70 million.
Monsters vs Aliens finishes in fifth, up one spot from the previous frame. Now in its sixth weekend, MvA earned $5.8 milion and drops 32%, which isn't bad considering the amount of time its been in the top ten. MvA has finally earned more than it cost to make domestically, as it has a total of $182.4 million against a budget of $175 million. It has also earned another $143 million from overseas sales.
In at sixth with a so-so hold is The Soloist, the adult drama with Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx. The Soloist earned $5.6 million and was off 42%. As the only adult fare in the top eight, The Soloist probably could have held on a lot better if word-of-mouth was a little more stellar. It still has a lot of work to do, as it carries a budget of $60 million, and has a total so far of $18.1 million.
Disney's Earth finishes seventh this weekend, after opening in fifth last weekend. The nature documentary ripped from the Planet Earth series earned $4.2 million in its second weekend, and drops 53%. This is another Disney cash grab, so they will be quite happy with a gross so far of $21.8 million.
Rogue Pictures' Fighting takes it on the chin (sorry) this weekend, as it drops from third spot last weekend to eighth this weekend (ouch). After an $11 million opening, Fighting takes in only $4.2 million, which gives it a drop of 62%. It now has a total of $17.5 million and will be quickly done.
Landing in ninth is Hannah Montana The Movie, which has had a tough ride since opening to $32 million four weekends ago. There is good news, though, for Miley Cyrus, as this is the first weekend that this film has not seen a 50% plus drop, as it pulled in $4.1 million and dips 37% compared to last weekend. Hannah Montana now has a total of $70.9 million.
State of Play finishes tenth this weekend as the Russell Crowe/Ben Affleck flick can't gain any traction at the box office. State earned $3.7 million in its third weekend, and drops 47% compared to last weekend. The Universal release has now earned $30.9 million.
Finishing outside of the top ten is Battle for Terra, the last of our openers. An animated film from Lionsgate, Terra had little marketing support from its studio and got buried this weekend. Battle for Terra earned only $1 million from 1,162 venues this weekend.
Overall, after a super hot April, many were curious to see if the top 12 this weekend would be able to stay ahead of the same weekend last year when Iron Man opened to $98.6 million. The total for the top 12 films last year came in at $150.7 million, with Iron Man taking about 65% of the top 12 box office. This weekend, thanks to some stronger films opening in April, the top 12 was still able to stay ahead of last year, but not by much. The top 12 this weekend brought in $154.2 million, keeping the 2009 win streak rolling. Next weekend the roll will continue as well, as the new Star Trek movie is set to pop, and it's up against last year's mega-flop, Speed Racer.
| 1 |
Wolverine |
Fox |
$87,000,000 |
$85,058,003 |
New |
$85,058,003 |
| 2 |
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past |
New Line Cinema |
$15,325,000 |
$15,411,434 |
New |
$15,411,434 |
| 3 |
Obsessed |
Screen Gems |
$12,200,000 |
$12,052,151 |
- 57.9% |
$46,854,485 |
| 4 |
17 Again |
New Line Cinema |
$6,355,000 |
$6,361,358 |
- 44.8% |
$48,503,817 |
| 5 |
Monsters vs. Aliens |
DreamWorks |
$5,800,000 |
$5,803,429 |
- 31.9% |
$182,407,971 |
| 6 |
The Soloist |
DreamWorks Pictures |
$5,600,000 |
$5,654,558 |
- 41.8% |
$18,162,695 |
| 7 |
Earth |
Disneynature |
$4,184,000 |
$4,340,235 |
New |
$22,004,284 |
| 8 |
Hannah Montana: The Movie |
Walt Disney Pictures |
$4,075,000 |
$4,164,185 |
- 35.3% |
$70,946,323 |
| 9 |
Fighting |
Rogue Pictures |
$4,173,160 |
$4,011,465 |
- 63.6% |
$17,344,805 |
| 10 |
State of Play |
Universal |
$3,655,275 |
$3,715,980 |
- 45.7% |
$30,944,180 |
| 11 |
Fast & Furious |
Universal Pictures |
$2,725,290 |
$2,763,875 |
- 55.5% |
$149,806,190 |
| 12 |
Battle for Terra |
Roadside Attractions |
$1,000,000 |
$1,082,362 |
New |
$1,082,362 |
| |
Also Opening/Notables |
| |
The Limits of Control |
Focus Features |
$54,233 |
$55,820 |
New |
$55,820 |
| |
Crank High Voltage |
Lionsgate |
$470,000 |
$488,781 |
New |
$13,293,986 |
| |
I Love You, Man |
DreamWorks Pictures |
$715,000 |
$738,275 |
- 62.2% |
$69,308,548 |
| |
Knowing |
Summit Entertainment |
$549,000 |
$568,096 |
- 70.8% |
$77,932,861 |
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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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