The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend and the Weekend Warrior has a full write-up and analysis of the weekend. Be sure to check back on Monday for final figures based on actual box office.
This weekend, director Ridley Scott’s R-rated crime drama American Gangster (Universal) proved that putting two bonafide box office stars into a movie with a strong premise can get a lot of people into theatres, and Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe helped American Gangster win the weekend over DreamWorks’ animated Bee Movie from the mind of Jerry Seinfeld, which had to settle for second place despite opening in 900 more theatres.
After an impressive opening day of nearly $16 million, American Gangster grossed an estimated $46.3 million over the weekend, averaging more than $15,000 per theatre, while Bee Movie didn’t quite make its projected $40 million, instead averaging less than $10,000 in 3,928 theatres to gross $39.1 million its opening weekend.
