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SUNDAY AM: This weekend’s movie gross showed that Hollywood couldn’t revive the slumping box office during spring break even though 30% of students are out of school. No. 1 is Sony Pictures’s PG-rated based-on-a-true-story 21, which opened to a solid $8.6 million Friday and $9.6 million Saturday from 2,648 theaters. With Sunday estimates, that makes a better than expected $23.7M for the moderately budgeted pic (sources tell me it cost $35M). The casino card-counting caper suddenly came on strong tracking-wise these past two weeks to surprise everyone but the studio execs. A shocker was how weak the reviews were: only 22% positive among top critics on Rotten Tomatoes. But audiences craved the escapism. As a rival marketer gushed to me, “It is wish fulfilment in the truest sense of the phrase, this notion of a real person being able to beat the system, get the girl and live the life. The pic tapped into that really nicely.” I’m told the audience was broad based, drawing from all 4 quadrants — older and younger men and women, with 53% male and 47% female with 53% under the age of 25.
In its 3rd weekend in release, Fox’s Horton Hears A Who! continued playing strong in 3,826 dates for $5.2 million Friday and $7.3 million thanks to Saturday kiddie matinees to surge well past the all-important $100 million mark. It’s new cume is $117.2M after this weekend’s extra $17.4M because there was little else at the cineplex aimed at tots.
In 3rd place is The Weinstein Co’s Dimension/MGM spoof Superhero Movie which was a superdud. Despite playing wide in 2,960 venues, the newcomer finished Friday virtually stillborn with only $3.4 million and Saturday with $3.8 million. That meant a $9.5 million weekend which is 33% less than its studios were hoping and the experts were predicting. Frankly, it’s unthinkable since this pic had a big 75% awareness equally divided among males and females. Gee, Bob Weinstein’s Dimension banner used to be the best at making this genre of light satires when it was based at Disney. But maybe audiences are tired of seeing the same old shtick. However, some analysts astutely foresaw a problem with Superhero going after the same PG-13 audience as 21. A Superhero insider told me over the weekend: “We played young because of Drake Bell. 
We were doing well during the day but fell off at night. 21 ended up with the audience we needed. It seems they got the teens and did better than expected with them.”
No. 4 was Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns which scored $7.7M this weekend from 2,016 runs for Lionsgate starting its 2nd week in release. Its new cume is $32.8M. Two holdovers, Paramount’s Drillbit Taylor (3,061 dates) and Fox’s Shutter (2,756 plays) duked it out for 5th place. The Owen Wilson starrer from Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen won with a $5.8M weekend (and new $20.5M cume) while the horror flick finished 6th with a $5.3M weekend (and new $19.1M cume).
Friday’s No. 7 Stop-Loss fell a spot to 8th after it opened to only $1.7 million Friday and Saturday from a limited 1,291 plays. It eked out a $4.5M weekend. Although the drama from MTV Films was the best-reviewed movie opening this weekend, Paramount wasn’t expecting much because no Iraq war-themed movie has yet to perform at the box office. “It’s not looking good,” a studio source told me before the weekend. “No one wants to see Iraq war movies. No matter what we put out there in terms of great cast or trailers, people were completely turned off. It’s a function of the marketplace not being ready to address this conflict in a dramatic way because the war itself is something that’s unresolved yet. It’s a shame because it’s a good movie that’s just ahead of its time.”
Finishing out the Top 10: Warner Bros’ 10,000 BC was #7 with a $4.8M weekend and still anemic new cume of $84.9M from 3,055 theaters; what a bad sign that, starting its 4th week in release, this expensive CGI-bloated pic still hasn’t broken the $100M barrier. Disney’s College Road Trip held onto 9th with $3.5M for its 4th weekend in release at 2,270 dates. And No. 10 was Lionsgate’s The Bank Job, hanging in for a $2.8M weekend from 1,869 venues.
(FYI: Comments on this website are monitored. If you left a comment and it didn’t post immediately, it’s likely that NF is away from the computer. Please be patient.)
For more estimates listed by title, see box office results here...Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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The difference between today’s “war” movies, and those of generations past is that the “classics” give the audience something to cheer for…THE AMERICANS.
There was a sense of PRIDE in one’s county, and it’s mission…Halting oppression, tyranny, the spread of communism.
Today, you’ve got so many opinions regarding what the US role, as the last remaining superpower should be in the global theatre. Too many people are quick to laud the HUGO CHAVEZs of the world as “leaders” when in fact they are tyrants.
The KINGDOM was a fantastic movie because instead of trying to indoctrinate the audience with the producers political opinion, it laid out a storyline that led to an action sequence that had you on the edge of your seat cheering for the safe return of their comrade. It was ENTERTAINMENT not PROPOGANDA
“The reason no Iraq war movie has done well is because they have all been anti-American themed, with the exception of The Kingdom (which tried to be somewhat neutral).”
What do you people mean by such statements? If the movie weren’t factual it would do well?
Continuing to put forth that this is a good work seems more like a Doctor Seuss movie to me.
There is a difference between anti-American and honest.
I believe Vantage Point is doing pretty well, and is an Iraq-themed movie that doesn’t portray America as the real terrorists or soldiers as victims/murderers. Hmm…
Thanks Nikki for letting these non-liberal comments get posted.
Hollywood is so out of touch that they are teetering on self destruction. Not only is America against the culture corruption that Hollywood tries to mainstream but the anti-American attitude of their Iraq propaganda war films is sure to choke them. With the exception of the Hollywood creatures, Americans by and large love America. Want to make a blockbuster film on the Iraq war? Try focusing on the liberation of 25 million people form the oppression they’ve suffered for 30 years. This liberation made possible only because of the incredible US armed forces. Try portraying the remarkable progress and success of this endeavor. And yes, the Iraq war has been and continues to be an awesome and selfless accomplishment for our great country. Wake up Hollywood while you still have the chance.
We’re so bombarded by the media about the Iraq war that the last thing I want to do is take 2 hours out of my weekend to submit myself to more. And besides, I’m not dumb enough to believe that Hollywood can come close to the truth of any story.
I have a great title for a new Hollywood Iraq war based Film:
1) “Dead Failures”
A movie about news reporting on soldiers. The news editing board room is a place where the only soldier that makes news is a soldier that dies or “screws up”.
2) “Mission Not-Accomplished”
A movie about how soldiers where given a mission in Iraq and succeeded with less casualties than any other war ever, but people who pretend to care about them call their mission a failure because they hate President Bush.
3) “Hopeless Poor Moron”
A movie about how the only people willing to join the military are uneducated near homeless people desperate to make ends meet.
Overall, Hollywood is Dr. Evil:
“Why make billions, when you can make … millions?”
The Hollywood idiots did it again. He would want to go see a movie about the alleged army imperfections? I would rather see a movie of how we kicked bottom and took names in our ‘SHock and Awe’ campaign. Talk about a thriller. I mean seriously who did the producers think would come see this movie? The only anti-military people is Hollywood and the media left. A minority of people.
All you have to do is hang out at a few Hollywood parties as I have and listen to the ill-informed ranting and bizarre histrionics to understand where this stuff comes from. It’s really sad considering the amazing things that have really taken place, and the fact that both Clintons, and all the leading Dems also urged military action against Iraq throughout the late 90′s. Which culminated in Bill Clinton unilaterally dropping over 4000 smart bombs and cruise missles on Iraq from 1998-2000. But of course there will be no movie about that.
Ah, I see this post was linked from Drudge because all the crazy right-wingers are posting here, desperate to defend the America they don’t have the actual courage to fight for..
Gary, please call you history teacher and set up a meeting to punch them in the face! Not every American supported WWII, http://www.alba-valb.org/volpdf/vol_1941_02b.pdf, search “antiwar + WW2″, learn before you flap you fat face. Any soldier should read their “contract” you are property of the government for up to 10 years after your active duty! They can call you back to serve at any point. We are a VOLUTEER FORCE if you want to join and get the benefits, you have to pay the price, even if you do not agree. When you sign the line you are a soldier, either accept it or do not sign! This movie is a whinner’s excuse for “I served, leave me alone.” This movie is trying to pull strings that are not there, if America dislikes this war so much, why only 1.6M? Spong Bob pulled bigger numbers in the first hour! I agree with Matt, let a real movie be made by someone with experience and that movie would rival “Saving Private Ryan” – oops another SUCCESSFUL movie showing Americans kicking the shit out of the enemy. I am sorry I forgot, non of this fits the template that America is the enemy, at least for the consumers of these movies and thoughts.
“Try having a “peace” talk with someone who’s only goal in life is your death”
Anti-American films by psuedo-americans is a waste of time and money… Just move away… move to North Korea, or China, or france, or venezuela, cuba… just go away. It amazes me that hollywood bites the hand that feeds it.
Speaking as an ex-soldier from the volunteer era (and, sorry, Vietnam vets, but your views on how soldiers see things don’t realy mean much since the draft ended), I can tell you that anybody who refuses to fight when the war comes up or refuses to go back when your buddies are still out there, is pretty much a piece of crap. You don’t leave your buddies hanging, no matter how much what you have to do sucks.
Hollyweird is still in business? Couldn’t prove it by me.
They haven’t made a movie that interests me in 30 years. They even ruined The Simpsons Movie for me by making it a loony-left political statement.
make a positive movie about our soldier and our country, i will go see it. make a bs anitamerican, anti US soldier I will shove it down the toilet.
So many positive things have happened in Iraq and Afghanistan, and yet Hollywood, the media, and politicians focus more on the death tolls, and anything about bashing Bush… We’re kicking butt out there! How about a movie that tells the truth about the Army exceeding re-enlistment goals for the past two years and since the surge began? It will be a cold day in Hell before the spoiled, politically biased, Hollywood elitists release that flick. So much for patriotism. Hollywood and the nuts who believe everything Hollywood spews need to get a clue.
Hollywood is infested with self-loathing America haters. The miracle is how they keep finding investors for this kind of crap. I happily remind them that they can offset taxable income with the losses incurred with this bomb.
From the Washington Post this week:
A spate of Iraq-themed movies and TV shows haven’t just failed at the box office. They’ve usually failed spectacularly, despite big stars, big budgets and serious intentions.
The underwhelming reception from the public raises a question: Are audiences turned off by the war, or are they simply voting against the way filmmakers have depicted it?
It would require a movie depicting the heroism and nobility of the mission in Afghanistan and Iraq to get a real answer to that question, and none have been made. The story focuses on the half-dozen anti-war films that have been spectacular box office flops. Only Hollywood couldn’t figure this out.
I wonder if the average person has noticed that lately there isn’t too much being reported from Irag or Afghanistan as far as combat operations goes. Remember what the biggest story in the past 2 or 3 weeks was? Our 4000th Hero was killed in Iraq. Not how much violence is down from the day combat started, or the Iraqi population just wants to get on with their lives and get the country working, or almost anything positive. Nope. Just that we hit the magic number 4000 within the Iraq or Afghanistan border so everything has been a waste. The next day, the Boston Globe had a half-page illustration of 4000 stick figures arranged in the shape of 4 coffins. The left claims to care about our Heroes so much that they have to come home, but with that picture, they reduced every single damn one of them to a statistic. Congratulations Boston Globe. Sorry to rant, but it makes me ill.
Perhaps the fascist-left of Hollywierd will eventually get the message, although unlikely considering how pampered, overpaid and hypocritical they are. Farewell, LEft Coast.
Looks like there are a lot of people who feel like myself. I have no desire to see any of the trash Hollywood puts out. These smug individuals who prance around in their fancy clothes honoring themselves with oscars while we have REAL hero’s fighing and dying for us every day make me sick.
If Hollywood had any courage, they’d make a movie about the nonstop daily violence caused by Muslim Terrosit. Now that would sell!
The reason no Iraq war movie has done well is because they have all been anti-American themed,
If they would make an Iraq war movie that was actually positive and showed a real American hero, it would do very well.
Maybe if Hollywood made an Iraq war movie that wasn’t so set on making the U.S. out to be the bad guy, America would go see it.
I would bet a great deal of money that a positive, pro-soldier, pro-America movie would make millions for them instead of these out-of-touch, anti-war, anti-America films.
Maybe if Hollywood made a movie where soldiers were not portrayed as victims or murderes or overall failures then people would go to see it.
MAKE ONE MOVIE SUPPORTING THE TROOPS AND IT WILL BE A BLOCKBUSTER.
I agree with all the above comments. Nikki, does anbody in Hollywood read your columns, and the responses?
Hey NSR, I served six years in the Armed Forces. What did YOU do for your country?
1/ Hollywood has no idea how the rest of america feels on this issue.
2/ Stop loss is spelled out quite clearly in the contract you first sign. It is in there for a reason. We can’t have half a unit going home in the middle of a battle or we will lose that battle. DUH.
3/ I have been in since 1992 so don’t tell me to enlist.
4/ I assume all the liberals who call conservatives “chickenhawks” will all join the second bush is out? No? didn’t think so so that makes your “chickenhawk” argument weak and cowardly at best.
Hey Gary, did you forget about how we got into the WWII in the first place? Let’s see we only went to war back in WWII because they bombed Pearl Harbor. Back then we waited to long. Well this time they bombed the World Trade Center and killed innocent civilians. Look at the pictures. Everyone should go back and see those. We went in and Saddam is dead and so are his sons “ooday” and “koosay”. I feel we won. We are helping to rebuild and it is working. WE are in it to win it. BTW you said all Americans should serve, how about you going to the recruiting center and signing on the dotted line? Have you served? Well I am proud of my two sons who have served and I know the real story that the media is not telling you. Our soldiers are doing a great job. Thank you to all who have given up their first class seats for my sons when they came home. We can’t go into a country for a little while and then leave. What does that say to the rest of the world? Let’s all get on board and finish this. If we stick together we can accomplish a lot.
John Wayne is rolling over in his grave now with the “war” movies Hollywood is producing now and if he was still I alive I bet he we punch all these idiots in Hollywood the mouth. If Hollywood ever decided to make a John Wayne type of movie about the war and America then they would have a box office hit, not the flops on all the ones they have now. Hollywood just don’t get it.