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Full analysis here including the controversy over Madea Goes To Jail. This latest (and, in terms of racial stereotyping, perhaps the worst) from Tyler Perry was the largest opening weekend gross on the fewest amount of screens ever (2,032) and the highest grossing weekend opening in Lionsgate history. Good timing that, what with corporate raider/activist Carl Icahn and his pals buying up control of the publicly traded company at a fast rate. This is Perry’s 4th theatrical film out of 7 releases to debut at No. 1. ”Madea may have gone to jail, but Tyler Perry took another trip to the bank,” quips Paul Dergarabedian of Media By Numbers.
Holdovers continue to outperform. 20th Century Fox’s Taken took No. 2 and another $11.4M this weekend and nears the $100M magic mark. Focus Features’ Coraline 3-D was #3 with $11M. And in 4th place, New Line/Warner Bros’ He’s Just Not That Into You reached a $70 million cume after an $8.5 million weekend.
Meanwhile, Sony Pictures opened its 2nd straight bomb in 2 weeks. Last weekend, it was The International. This weekend, it was the stupid teen boys-invade-cheerleading camp Fired Up which took in only $6M from 1,810 theaters for only 9th place. The studio noted its modest budget of $20M for an audience that was 61% female and 61% under the age of 18. It’s clear that Sony’s Screen Gems division should stick to horror flicks.
Rounding out the Top 5 this weekend is tonight’s shoo-in Best Picture Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire, which has put almost $100 million of domestic box office grosses into Fox Searchlight coffers after this weekend’s $8 million take. From Friday and Saturday, it experienced an 11% Academy Award boost already. Going into tonight’s ceremony, Hollywood movies are more popular than ever. (Although the usual Oscar dragfest could kill that. Just kidding.) This weekend’s total grosses were up again over last year’s by a whopping 30%.
Weekend Top 10
1. Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes To Jail (Lionsgate) OPENER $41.1M Wkd [2,032 Theaters]
2. Taken (20th Century Fox) $11.4M Wkd [3,102], Cume $95.1M
3. Coraline 3-D (Focus Features) $11M Wkd [2,155], Cume $53.3M
4. He’s Just Not That Into You (NL/Warner Bros) $8.5M Wkd [3,050], Cume $70M
5. Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight) $8M Wkd [2,244], Cume $98M
6. Friday The 13th (NL/Warner Bros) $7.8M (-81%) Wkd [3,105], Cume $55M
7. Confessions Of A Shopaholic (Disney) $7M Wkd (-53%) [2,507], Cume $27.6M
8. Paul Blart: Mall Cop (Columbia/Sony) $7M Wkd [2,835], Cume $121.3M
9. Fired Up (Screen Gems/Sony) OPENER $6M Wkd [1,810]
10. The International (Sony) $4.4M (-52%) Wkd [2,364], Cume $17M
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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I never was a fan until I saw most of his films one weekend on DVD. People talk smack without even seeing his films. They are funny. Usually have something to say. And do weave in a few lessons.
I saw this film. There is more to it than Madea going to jail. The 10:15am matinée was filled to capacity.
Expect Sunday’s gross to exceed Saturday.
Perry is branching out…if I’m not mistaken, he is exec producing, or “presenting” Lee Daniel’s latest film, which he re-named “Precious” (from Push)…sounds VERY indie. As a filmmaker, I say, more power to him! Haven’t seen Madea, but Paul Blart was funny in a gentle way that I enjoyed, had a sweet center that was refreshing.
What “blackout” said is absolutely correct. There is nothing else out there for the black audience except Tyler Perry movies. I know many people (across the country, not in the industry), who did not like the movies, but began to go because there is no other black family entertainment. Now black filmmakers and screenwriters can’t get a movie made because it’s all about Tyler Perry. He has been able to define black culture with his low brow humor and preachy dramas and now no one else can tell any other type of story. The latest black person to get a movie deal… T.D. Jakes. A fine black minister, but not a storyteller. But he brings the same type of thing as Tyler Perry and as far as Hollywood executives are concerned, that’s what black audiences want. Problem is, that’s all they get. Even critics have thrown up their hands. Roger Ebert has started giving him good reviews because he’s starting to assume that maybe it’s a cultural thing and he just doesn’t get it. He gets it. It’s just that’s all the black audience gets as well. Hollywood has more than accepted Tyler Perry. What they won’t accept is any other type of black filmmaker with a story to tell.
According to Box Office Mojo, the budget for “Fired Up” is listed as $20 million.
Can anyone confirm/deny this as fact/fiction?
It seems AWFULLY high for a movie of that scale. Perhaps it includes P&A?
Madea is a franchise just like High School Musical, James Bond, Batman, Star Trek and Harry Potter are. Every franchise has their fans. I don’t like the Madea films but I have seen Diary of Mad Black Woman on stage. It worked much better on stage than on film.
“I don’t like his movies but…?”
If you don’t like this trash why are you defending him?
And shame on you who call anyone who doesn’t like these movies racist. Those days are gone. The “R word” won’t save you from hypocrisy or the fact that we’ve faltered on our own path to equality.
This is a sad day for blacks in this business where we’ve fought the good fight for our share. By not embracing these out-dated images because they come from a black man, we have aided those those who would keep us down and betrayed those who’ve risked their careers to help us.
And for those of you who fallen for that “proud, independent black man” garbage, know this: Perry serves the same kings as all of us, black and white. The only people he’s the master of is you.
So, congratulations, my brothers, the premise of Spike Lee’s “Bamboozled” has finally been realized.
I’m far from a fan of Perry’s but will say he knows how to market himself. It wouldn’t surprise if he bought many tickets for Madea to help boost the box office # as he may have done in the past with his other movies.
These movies may appeal to some but not to me.
“It is just so amusing to see a bunch of subtle racist caucasions talk shit about Tyler Perrys movies because of there superiority complexes.”
- it’s “caucasian” not “caucasions”, “Perry’s” not “Perrys” and “their” not “there”… so please take your racist white-hating elsewhere.
Way to Go Union Buster!!! Another Blockbuster!!!
I just hope all those hard working non-industry folks who are dropping dollars for his movie know that the spirit behind him is really just STEP OVER EVERYONE TO GET WHAT YOU WANT — EVEN THE LITTLE GUY.
“Didn’t they spend over 100M building him his very own studio?”
Comment by Joe — February 21, 2009 @ 11:14 pm
Who’s “they,” Joe? That was Tyler Perry’s own money. Whether you like his work or not, you can’t deny that he’s the most successful writer/director/producer/actor out there. No one else has been able to keep ownership of their own product and build themselves their own studio (Lionsgate is just the distributor; they don’t finance the movies themselves).
I particularly got a lot out of his off-the-screen UNION BUSTING lesson… now that was a good one.
Not gonna see Medea but I’ve seen Taken twice. I reckon it’s essentially word of mouth that’s driving this modestly-budgeted but terrific actioner towards the 100 mil. mark. And deservedly so. No CGI, no gratuitous explosions every ten minutes, no ridiculous “superhuman” stunts, just an efficient, steely-eyed, middle-aged “Bourne” showing what an action thriller should really look like.
I saw “Don’t Mess With the Zohan” on pay per view last week. I didn’t laugh once. “The Love Guru”? Oy. “Meet Dave”? Don’t get me started. I bet they all cost WAY more than any Madea movie to make. I’m not raving about “Madea Goes to Jail” but it wasn’t bad. It had a modest budget, was simple fun, I had a few laughs….and it made money! Good for him!
I saw Madea Goes To Jail last Night in Vorhees,NJ.
at the RITZ theatre the crowd was packed 60/40 black/ white.
Mostly older couples and families..Perry has a franchise and i think he’s been crossing over to whites slowly.
I told a friend i think Tyler Perry is the new Luther Vandross.
I think most of America is playing catch-up to this phenom. He has a formula and it’s paying off.I was not really a fan(i’m black)but it was good movie with a message as all of his movies have been.
Why all the handwringing over Tyler Perry’s movies? Because he caters to the black audience that wants to see his movies? Barbershop was a great movie too. Hollywood had NO problem with all the black gangsta movies a decade ago, Boyz in the Hood, etc. Hollywood is weird….
wow, thank the marketing for Taken’s big opening and apparently Neesom for it’s legs….
Be prepared for the next installments of Madea franchise:
Madea saves Ryan’s private
Madea getting married
Madea escapes to Africa
Madea goes to High School Musical for the Grannies/Tyranies
Madea stepping up to the streets
Madea escapes from Guantanamo Bay
And the Oscar winning film from Madea series…drumroll please…
Madea and Tyler Make a Porno!
“Renee” is right. This creepy drag queen has ruined it for anyone who wants to make a film without insulting his race. And white people don’t dare disagree out of fear of being called a racist.
Are Perry’s movie popular because there are no black films?
Or are there no black films because Perry’s movies came along?
If you look at the release calendar going back to his first film, you will see the latter is true.
Haha, BEECEE, maybe I saw you there! that is my theater I go to too. I was SHOCKED that they were playing it there since they rarely play black movies, teen movies or horror. Since there was notihng new this week I went to see it. I am white and never saw a Perry movie for and never wanted to. However, I was pleasantly surprised. While I probably didn’t need to see it, I can see where it is enjoyable. ** out of **** for me. Where Madea and Cora and her husband were there I laughed-out-loud but the second movie with the drama was ridiculous and poorly acted. It was like two separate movies with only one of them being good. I would not reccommend anyone to see it in theaters but to get it on DVD and skip to the Madea scenes.
If the success of Paul Blart and Madea doesn’t symbolize the collapse of the American empire, I don’t know what does. Scary.
@Belle-
Zohan was awesome, butTyler Perry sucks
So many people ripping on TP like it’s the worst thing to ever be granted screen time. The man is a success and you people just can’t handle it. Hey, “if you can’t beat em – join em”. I suggest everyone go out in drag and make 40 million.
@ So Cal
What’s your point?! We had different reactions? Who gives a rat’s ass? Comedy is subjective.
The point was…what did films like Zohan/Love Guru/Meet Dave cost? What did they make? What did Madea goes to jail cost? What did it make? I’m a fan of all the talent in ALL these movies (even though I personally did not laugh at Zohan I like Sandler). Point was…why trash TP who’s doing his thing at a low budget and making money? Good for him! I could be wrong…but didn’t he make right with the WGA? So…why is anyone griping about him having success?
Didn’t realize that people loved drag so much.
Of course they do, Jenna, as long as it’s “normal” men doing the misogynist minstrel show. Of course, if Shawn & Marlon Wayans, Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy and Tyler Perry were gay or ‘out’ transvestites (a la Eddie Izzard), not so much.
Tyler Perry’s movie a Family That Preys is not slapstick or funny but rocks a good storyline and positive images.