The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films and then check back on Monday for the final figures based on actual box office.
After two weeks of The Hangover dominating the box office, moviegoers finally selected another comedy as its weekend choice. The Proposal (Disney/Touchstone) pit Sandra Bullock against Ryan Reynolds in a high concept premise for the actress’ return to the romantic comedy genre, and the effort paid off, as The Proposal became the actress’ biggest opening movie to date grossing an estimated $34.1 million in over 3,000 theaters and averaging over $11 thousand per site. That would make it Bullock’s first movie to open over $20 million. Reportedly produced for just $40 million, The Proposal is another example of how making strong comedies for smaller budgets can pay off, as it’s guaranteed to be profitable based on its solid opening. The romantic comedy was co-produced by the team of Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, who also wrote J.J. Abrams’ hit Star Trek and next week’s big release, Michael Bay’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
Even though it dropped to second place, Todd Phillips’ R-rated comedy The Hangover (Warner Bros.) continues to do huge business, taking in nearly $27 million in its third weekend, off just 18% from last week. It crossed the $150 million mark over the weekend, well on its way to passing Ben Stiller’s “Night at the Museum” sequel to make it into the Top 5 highest-grossing movies of the year.
DisneyPixar’s animated-adventure Up dropped to third place with an additional $21.3 million and a running total of $224 million, pushing it past the amount grossed by Pixar’s last two movies, WALLE and Ratatouille, as well as making it the second-highest grossing movie of the year so far.
Meanwhile, the other new comedy, Harold Ramis’ biblical satire Year One (Sony), teaming Jack Black and Michael Cera, opened with $20.2 million in 3,022 locations to settle for fourth place.
Tony Scott’s action-thriller The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (Sony), starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta, dropped to fifth place with roughly $11.3 million, down 52% from last weekend. It has grossed $43 million in ten days.
20th Century Fox’s Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian dropped to sixth place with $7.3 million as it too crossed the $150 million mark. Overseas, it has reached $192.5 million and stands at $348.5 million worldwide.
J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek (Paramount) was the only returning movie to maintain its spot in the Top 10, remaining in seventh place with $4.7 million and a total gross of $239.4 million. It’s still the highest grossing movie of the year domestically, but it has Up nipping at its heels, as well as Michael Bay’s “Transformers” sequel opening on Wednesday. Star Trek has earned $122.2 million internationally and $361.6 million worldwide.
he rejuvenated “Star Trek” has accumulated $122.2 million overseas, making it the biggest offshore grosser in the 11-title series. Its weekend international action was $1.9 million from 1,981 locations.
Universal Pictures’ big screen version of Sid and Marty Kroffts’ Land of the Lost, starring Will Ferrell and Danny McBride, dropped a whopping 56% in its third weekend, adding $4 million to its meager gross of $43.7 million, less than half what it cost to make.
Eddie Murphy’s family fantasy Imagine That (Paramount) dropped 44% in its second weekend, making $3.1 million with $11.4 million total.
McG’s Terminator Salvation (Warner Bros.) ended its run in the Top 10 with just $119 million, adding another $3 million in its fifth weekend. Internationally, the film has made $200 million, bringing its worldwide total to $319 million.
The Top 10 grossed a little less than $136 million, which is right on track with last year when Warner Bros.’ Get Smart topped the box office with $38.6 million and Mike Myers’ The Love Guru bombed with just $14 million.
Opening in nine theaters in New York and L.A., Woody Allen’s latest comedy Whatever Works, starring Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood, grossed $281 thousand in its first weekend, an impressive per-theater average of $31 thousand per site.
Click here for the full box office results of the top 12 films.
