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SUNDAY PM/MONDAY AM, 7TH UPDATE: Sources are giving me these North American box office numbers for this Presidents Day long weekend, not helped by wet weather on the West Coast or snow in the Midwest and Plains. The order has been changing since Friday and should keep changing right through Monday evening:
1. Unknown (Dark Castle/Warner Bros) NEW [3,043 Theaters]
Friday $6.7M, Saturday $8.8M, Estimated Sunday $6.3M
Three-Day Weekend $21.7M, Estimated Four-Day Holiday $25.6M
Liam Neeson’s latest action thriller was for Dark Castle/Warner Bros. PG-13 Unknown grabbed No. 1 Friday by overperforming and hasn’t let go yet. Leonard Goldberg brought the book to Joel Silver’s Dark Castle, which for once wound up financing a decently made film to decent reviews. “This could be the Dark Castle film Silver needs to shore up the DC financing and continue to make films under his DC label,” a Warner Bros exec tells me. Studio execs tell me Unknown was positioned as an interesting mystery with a newly popular hero to root for, as shown by early test screenings that proved the film had great playability. Trailers were placed on varied films to reach both younger & older audiences, from Hereafter to Unstoppable, True Grit to The Fighter, and even The King’s Speech. But TV was key, launching in early January with high-profile sports events and a strong mix of cable and prime time, again reaching younger and older audiences, both male and female. The hardest part of the marketing plan was how to protect the twists in the plot. The studio did that by keeping screenings to a minimum until opening week.
2. Gnomeo & Juliet 3D (Disney) Week 2 [3,014 Theaters]
Friday $4.3M, Saturday $8.4M, Estimated Sunday $6.3M
Three-Day Weekend $19.2M (-24%), Four-Day Holiday $24.8M, Cume $55.8M
I’ve been hearing since Friday that “the gnome movie” could end up No. 1 by Monday night. And, frankly, I didn’t believe it. But this holdover has become a real surprise. The toon ended up #5 Friday, but picked up steam thanks to weekend kiddie matinees as the only true family pic.
3. I Am Number Four (DreamWorks/Touchstone/Disney) NEW [3,154 Theaters]
Friday $6.2M, Saturday $7.6M, Estimated Sunday $5.4M
Three-Day Weekend $19.4M, Four-Day Holiday $22.6M
DreamWorks’ first feature release since it reconstituted itself at Disney debuted, and rival studios dumped on it all weekend in emails to me. I Am Number Four was neck-and-neck with Unknown all Friday. Then it started dropping. But the PG-13 sci-fi flick finished the three-day weekend #2 with a “B+” CinemaScore (“A-” under age 25) and underperformed from the high $20sM hoped for by the producers. I don’t know why DreamWorks debuted a pic with no stars, a derivative storyline, and a budget which it claims was under $60M with tax credits. I do think it’s still too early to pass judgment on much-in-demand Alex Pettyfer, who’s the new “It” young guy for so many roles including the upcoming CBS Films pic Beastly. Too bad director DJ Caruso couldn’t do for him what his Disturbia did for Shia LaBeouf’s film future. “We’ve got a well priced film with a new star that is for a targeted audience,” an upbeat Disney exec tells me. Meanwhile, the DreamWorks pic opened in eight territories this weekend, representing approximately 10% of the international marketplace.
4. Just Go With It (Sony) Week 2 [3,548 Theaters]
Friday $5.2M, Saturday $7.7M, Estimated Sunday $5.4M
Three-Day Weekend $18.2M (-40%), Four-Day Holiday $21.7M, Cume $64.2M
After winning last weekend’s box office derby, this Adam Sandler-Jennifer Aniston rom-com Just Go With It is showing legs. But why?
5. Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (New Regency/Fox) NEW [2,821 Theaters]
Friday $4.8M, Saturday $7M, Sunday $4.9M
Three-Day Weekend $16.2M, Four-Day Holiday $19M
Fox is just the distributor of New Regency’s $30M-budget threequel in its Martin Lawrence-in-a-fatsuit franchise Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son which keeps dropping… Can someone explain why anyone goes to see this drivel?
6. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never 3D (Paramount) Week 2 [3,118 Theaters]
Friday $3.8M, Saturday $5.4M, Sunday $4.4M
Three-Day Weekend $13.3M (-55%), Four-Day Holiday $16.5M, Cume $51.3M
Bieber Fever was down nearly 70% Friday from Paramount’s Justin Bieber: Never Say Never 3D debut a week ago because these tween concert pics don’t really have legs. But then it leveled out. Doesn’t matter. The Canadian kid’s biopic only cost $13M and the studio expects it to gross over $60M for a nice chunk of change.
7. The Kings Speech (Weinstein Co) Week 13 [2,086 Theaters]
Friday $1.4M, Saturday $2.8M, Sunday $2.2M
Three-Day weekend $6.5M, Four-Day Holiday $7.9M, Cume $104.6M
8. The Roommate (Screen Gems/Sony) Week 3 [2,160 Theaters]
Friday $1.2M, Saturday $1.6M, Sunday $1.2M
Three-Day Weekend $4.1M, Four-Day Holiday $4.5M, Cume $33.1M
9. The Eagle (Focus Features) Week 2 [2,296 Theaters]
Friday $996K, Saturday $1.4M, Sunday $1.1M
Three-Day Weekend $3.6M, Four-Day Holiday $4.3M, Cume $15.7M
10. No Strings Attached (Paramount) Week 5 [1,966 Theaters]
Friday $900K, Saturday $1.2M, Sunday $1M
Three-Day Weekend $3M, Four-Day Holiday $3.7M, Cume $66.6M
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Was there really a need for a 3rd Big Momma film? Can’t wait for that Ishtar sequel.
the same brain trust that greenlighted THE A-TEAM at Fox decided we need another Momma’s House.
They’re cheap to make, and, until this one, made money. Sequels have nothing to do with story and everything to do with pre-sell.
It’s not a film for me, but $19 million to start is making money. Dollar for dollar, Momma did better than any other opener this weekend.
bill, yes, Big Momma had to happen because Martin Lawrence is desperate…. so… yes.
Nikki, what a missed opportunity for punny headline: I AM NUMBER 4 IS NUMBER ONE!
Word of mouth will certainly sink it to number two by Sunday. The story is terrible and the film lacks in energy and style. It’s just tonally off. And it doesn’t even have the kitsch-factor of a typical Michael Bay spectacle. A real disappointment because DJ Caruso and Guillermo Navarro are such a talented pair.
big momma 3 was better than unknown, sad to say
I think people are underestimating “Unknown”. If it doesn’t win Friday, I bet it will win Saturday and Sunday.
Saw it tonight, good action flick but not way over the top. I like the way it was shot and Liam Neeson was great. There was actual acting in the film, good supporting characters. Lot’s of couples in the audience, I guess the women like Liam.
Unknown was okay but Liam’s wife should have been played by a woman closer to his age. January Jones as his wife seemed absurd.
I was really disappointed with the revelation but up until that point it was great action. I hope no one here gives away the ending. And the revelation wasn’t done very well and a bit confusing.
I was disappointed with the revelation at first but it was the only explanation that made sense. Until you think about what’s motivating him after the twist…
Acting was good except for January Jones. Mad Men’s crew are geniuses to make her look like a credible actress because she’s wooden everywhere else I’ve seen her.
She’s wooden on Mad Men, too. Luckily, the role calls for it.
DJ Caruso was great with Disturbia.
From the trailers,I Am Number Four will be a big hit
with the fans!!!!
I loved Unknown – go see this movie guys!!!!!! and tell your gang to hit the cineplex!!!
Martin better pray Bad Boys 3 comes together. That’s a sequel I want to see. Love the first two.
Martin Lawrence put out three movies (not including Big Momma 3) out in the last two years. Desperate? Naw. You on the other hand….
Wrong.
Martin Lawrence had one movie out in 2010, Death at a Funeral, where he was part of an ensemble cast and it only made $42 million.
In 2008, he had College Road Trip and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins which made $42 and $45 million, respectively.
Yeah. Martin Lawrence is desperate.
What exactly does he have to be “desperate” about? Lawrence has made fourteen, that’s FOURTEEN, movies since 2000, including two each in the years ’01, ’03, ’06 and ’08. And to be clear, College Road trip earned $51,549,674 worldwide, and I noticed you conveniently left out Wild Hogs from ’07, which made $253,625,427m, so I repeat, what exactly does he have to be “desperate” about?
He continues to be paid several million per film, and the films haven’t stopped in over two decades. I’ll bet you would LOVE to have a whiff of that kind of “desperation” before you kick the bucket. You don’t even know how what it feels like to be in the same room as a million dollar check, and you never will. But maybe Martin will take pity on you and tell you what that level of success feels like.
You’re right it’s the public who’s desperate for laughs and Hollywood who’s too lazy to find new and better talent.
The public isn’t “desperate” either. Plenty of low-brow laughs can be had by watching Jersy Shore or any other mindless television for FREE. People go to any movie because they CHOOSE to, not out of desperation.
But you are correct that Hollywood is lazy. Nothing new there. The business has worked the same for a couple of centuries now. But, at a $30m budget, Momma is certainly not the premiere example of industry sloth. Try Sandler & Co. getting $80m for a rom com that shouldn’t cost a penny more tht $35. Don’t hear you acting like THAT represents the fall of western civilization, so what is your problem with Lawrence making money from the same machine that has always handed it out like lollipops at the carnival? (Only difference with Lawrence is the color of the hand that is receiving it.)
saw IAN4 a few days ago in Israel in a special screening, it was pretty cool. hated the enging, it’s too open for a movie that might not get a sequel. but i liked the movie, a really fun one with really good action scenes.
It will probably do great internationally.
I have been hearing that the attendance in a number of theaters for I Am Number Four is very low to the point of looking quite empty. Especially it is not filling at least half of IMAX theater seats. So I can’t see it do well for the weekend.
Alex Pettyfer is the weakest actor in the film. Dianna is passable but Teresa Palmer is stealing the show in a below average film.
yea i went to the imax on saturday (second day it came out) and there weren’t many people, not even half full. and i agree with you on the teresa palmer part. she was awesome. to bad there wasn’t much of her.
I went to see I AM NUMBER FOUR Saturday night since UNKNOWN was sold out. Although tickets were not as in demand – likely due to terrible reviews, the theater was packed.
It was embarrassing – people laughed where obviosuly the director had not intended parts to be funny, and the effects were just stupid. I feel bad for Dianna. How’d she get pulled into this?
Overall the movie was absolutely abominable – and it was not just Pettyfer’s fault. Everyone’s performance was bad. Fortunately the warning from Rotten Tomatoes should steer most audiences away.
I’d blame DJ Caruso here.
If there is a sequel, Teresa Palmer (Number Six) will probably get more screen time since the sequel is named “The Power of Six” ?
Since the story came from the repackaging poop chute of James Frey and Co. I won’t bother to see it, and I’m frankly surprised that Hollywood spread open it’s…let’s say arms, to James Frey with this cobbled together remake of Roswell.
That said the coolest person in the commercials was Number Six. Totally agree that they could have a sort of franchise with Six, especially considering that the most of the audience was girls. Would at least make up from stealing the whole Girl Six thing from Trek. Oh James, will you never learn.
I love this site. I had a friend who worked on I Am Number Four and the 56 mil is closer to the truth than you think. And if you saw the film you’d see why. There are special effects at the points in the film but most of the time it looks like the first Twilight film or an episode of Smallville. And the 40 mil for publicity sounds about right as well. That means if it makes 30 mil this weekend and gets decent foreign it will do all right. Especially since I heard the book didn’t do all that well. A New York Times best seller these days ain’t what it used to be.
Pettyfer does just fine in I Am Number Four. The girls are going to eat him up.
Pettyfer was horrible in I Am Number Four. By far the worst actor in a movie full of bad actors.
Non-existent girls in empty theaters.
Don’t worry babe, nobody is following him.
No really, there are theaters full of girls watching IAN4. What girls? Well they go to another school. Yeah, in another town. Did I say town? They’re from overseas actually. Really cool foreign girls, yeah, and they like love Alex. No really, I like totally swear.
The Girl Who Crashed Taxi-Cabs errr ‘Unknown’ is extremely disappointing. A nonsensical plot followed by laughable dialogue… Ouch. The audience was groaning.
Three action sequences, all of them had Kruger and Liam in cabs. Uninspired filmmaking even if this came out in 1986.
Go gnomeo
Anyone remember this TV show from way back in the ’80s?
“Matthew Star was a prince on the planet Quadris, who was forced to flee to Earth when his planet’s government was overthrown by despots. On Earth, he took the form of an ordinary high-school student (albeit one with superpowers), and was accompanied by his guardian Walt, who became the school’s science teacher. ”
See “Powers of Matthew Star” on IMDB for more. Whatever strengths “I Am #4″ may have, originality sure ain’t one of them.
And yet there is another story; that of a young boy named Max, who landed on Earth and blended into high school life, while battling baddies from his home planet because he was the Chosen One.
Or the one about the boy named Kyle XY with no belly button, who likes to brood about where he came from, why he’s the Chosen One, and where his belly button went.
Is Lady Gaga one of the producers?
Do the masses like Liam Neeson? He’s awesome for sure, but does he have a draw beyond the coastal crowds that like a Schindlers List and Husbands and Wives, not an Unknown? Not hating, just curious.
Of course Liam has a following thanks to “Taken.” It was one of the biggest word of mouth hits of the last few years and enjoyed equally by men and women.
After “Taken”, he has become an action hero for Adults. He also has become popular with Urban audiences. “Taken” has done a lot for his action cred.
Um, Taken?
TAKEN. The movie had great action scenes equal or superior to the BOURNE films and some of the more morbid ones had a twisted sense of humor, “It’s only a flesh wound.” Neeson is a masculine hero, superior to James Bond and others. He doesn’t have a feminine side and he doesn’t clench his jaw or purse his lips. He just says the words and gets off the stage. TAKEN was no dumber than the BOND or BOURNE flicks and done at a fraction of the cost. Mercifully, it’s short and sweet, even if Maggie Grace doesn’t make a convincing teenager.
My suburban mom in Dallas has had a crush on him for years.
Glad to see Dark Castle have a hit. Good job!
Why? Most of their releases have been terrible up this point (and I’m a big genre fan). They take big name stars and put them in bad B-movies, which aren’t even guilty pleasures.
I’m pretty surprised at how Gnomeo is performing. Sure, it’s the only kid flick out there, but for such a strange concept and little to no strong appeal, it’s doing very well. This could have performed like Valiant or The Wild and I don’t think anyone would have been surprised. I may have to check it out now.
Everything else this week is pretty status quo at the BO.
When it’s the only kids flick during a weekend + 1 weekday where kids are out of school, by definition it will be a winner. Simple economics and parent fatigue/desperation.
Don’t forget, it over performed last weekend as well. That it’s still doing well says something.
Um, that was because it was the only kids film out last weekend as well.
I bet Big Mommas House 3 makes it to number one or two by monday.
I liked big mamma #1 — but hated #2 so much because it was so badly written — anyone watch #3 who felt that same was i do?
I disagree. I thought part 2 was funnier and I liked it more. Haven’t seen 3 and won’t.
Big Mommas was funny! I needed the laugh, great chemistry with Martin and Brandon T. Jackson! We’ll see what happens..
….a well deserved Razzie by years end.
Imagine a cast-off garden gnomes movie in its 2nd week beating a much publicized Disney-DreamWorks would-be franchise.
Disney should have released the Muppets movie last weekend. Obviously families are desperate to go see ANYTHING remotely family-oriented. Maybe then that Jason Segel piece of shite would have a chance.
GO BLACK SWAN!!! 10O MILLION DOLLARS(DR EVIL PINKY)
Congratulations to all the overworked people at the New DreamWorks! Let’s hope there is another outlet for all of us who are struggling for our FIRST script sale, or a shot at directing a feature film. Most comments here do nothing but attack, attack,attack. Sad, can’t we see some joy when others succeed?
I’m glad to see I AM NUMBER FOUR open successfully. Congratulations to Kevin MT etc. Enough people attack the industry from outside. Let’s welcome the birth of another viable studio for all of us. You know what- let’s even congratulate Alex.
I would not call a $20-24 million, 4-day weekend opening “successful.”
Why would you congratulate Alex? He is the worst thing about the movie, and a big turn off.
Not a good start for a movie that is supposed to start a franchise.