The Hunger Games soars into the record books

The Hunger Games has exceeded expectations. That statement is pretty difficult to comprehend because of how enormous those expectations were. Prior this this past weekend, there were many questions surrounding the film. How true to the story will the movie be to the beloved, best-selling book? Will the film gross $140 million and be the highest grossing opening weekend for any March release? Will people other than fans of the novel want to watch this futuristic world where children are forced to kill each other?

Well, thanks to the brilliant marketing and the great direction of Gary Ross, The Hunger Games was everything that people wanted it to be. Grossing approximately $155 million on its opening weekend, The Hunger Games has landed itself on the third highest opening weekend of all-time (only behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and The Dark Knight). Also, it now has the highest grossing opening weekend of any non-sequel film of all-time. And with the majority of the critics giving the film a favorable review, it shows that The Hunger Games has universal appeal.

Box Office Results: Iron Man lifts off to the top

Studio Estimates for May 7-9:

1.  Iron Man 2 – $133.6 million
2.  A Nightmare on Elm Street – $9.2 million
3.  How to Train Your Dragon – $6.8 million
4.  Date Night – $5.3 million
5.  The Back-Up Plan – $4.3 million

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It was smart for studios to stay away from releasing any other films this past weekend because the Iron Man 2 launched the summer blockbuster season with an impressive $133.6 million. Debuting in about 10,000 screens at a record 4,380 theaters, it already ranks as the fourth highest-grossing picture from 2010 (in just three days).

Even though Iron Man 2 isn’t receiving as much critical praise as the first, that didn’t stop the masses from attending, even if it was on Mother’s Day.

Last week’s box office champion, A Nightmare on Elm Street, dropped a dramatic 72 percent to an estimated $9.2 million. Meanwhile, How to Train Your Dragon grossed $6.8 million, which boosted it over the $200 million total.

Rounding out the Top 5 were Date Night with $5.3 million and The Back-Up Plan with $4.3 million.

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This weekend there are three wide releases, with only one film having a chance at topping Iron Man 2 (though very unlikely). Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett is one film I’m excited to see. The other two new releases are the romantic-flick Letters to Juliet and the romantic comedy Just Wright.
All information from Box Office Mojo

Box Office Results: ‘Nightmare’ gets a dream opening

Studio Results for April 30 – May 2:

1.  A Nightmare on Elm Street – $32.9 million
2.  How to Train Your Dragon – $10.6 million
3.  Date Night – $7.6 million
4.  The Back-Up Plan – $7.3 million
5.  Furry Vengeance – $6.6 million

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This weekend, the remake of the classic horror Freddy Krueger film, A Nightmare on Elm Street, took the first spot with $32.9 million. This opening weekend was better than other remakes of horror classics such as Halloween (2007) and The Amityville Horror (2005). Just when we get sick of an ongoing horror franchise, they receive some sort of remake or reboot to be introduced to a new crowd. It’s unfortunate that I don’t foresee the trend to ever stop.

How to Train Your Dragon grossed $10.6 million this weekend, which was good enough for the runner up spot. It’s total domestic gross is now at $192.2 million and should certainly surpass the $200 million mark any by next week.

Rounding out the Top 5 were Date Night ($7.6 million), The Back-Up Plan ($7.3 million), and the disappointing opening for Furry Vengeance ($6.6 million).

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The Summer blockbuster season really starts this weekend when Iron Man 2 crashes into a super wide release. Are you pumped?! I sure know that I am! Expect plenty of sold out shows for that.

Box Office Results: ‘Dragon’ is still soaring

Studio Estimates for April 23-25:

1.  How to Train Your Dragon – $15 million
2.  The Back-Up Plan – $12.3 million
3.  Date Night – $10.6 million
4.  The Losers – $9.6 million
5.  Kick-Ass – $9.5 million

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How to Train Your Dragon found its place at the top of the box office once again after it lost by a nose last weekend to Kick-Ass. Dragon grossed $15 million, which upped their total to about $178 million in 31 days. If the pace continues, Dragon has the chance of becoming DreamWorks’ highest grossing animated film that isn’t Shrek.

Runner-up this weekend was the new release of The Back-Up Plan, which starred Jennifer Lopez. There wasn’t that much anticipation for J-Lo’s first mainstream film in years as it opened to a disappointing $12.3 million.

Date Night continues to land in the middle of the box office weekends as it grossed $10.6 million to bring its total to about $63 million. The Losers opened up with $9.6 million. And rounding out the Top 5 was last week’s champion, Kick-Ass with $9.5 million.

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Opening this weekend are two wide releases that are destined to take the top two spots: Furry Vengeance and A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Box Office Results: UPDATE ‘Kick-Ass’ kicks some ass

Results for April 16-18:

1.  Kick-Ass – $19.8 million
2.  How to Train Your Dragon – $19.6 million
3.  Date Night – $16.7 million
4.  Death at a Funeral – $16.2 million
5.  Clash of the Titans – $15.4 million

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UPDATE:  It seems like all of the studio estimates predicted their movie grosses a bit too high. When the actual results came in, Kick-Ass ended up being the number one movie in America with $19.8 million. How to Train Your Dragon fell to the runner-up spot with $19.6 million.

Rounding out the Top 5 were Date Night ($16.7 million), Death at a Funeral ($16.2 million), and Clash of the Titans ($15.4 million).

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Opening wide this weekend are three films: the J-Lo romantic-comedy The Back-Up Plan, the action flick The Losers, and the documentary Oceans.

Box Office Results: Clash of the Titans edges out Date Night

Results for April 9-11:

1.  Clash of the Titans – $26.6 million
2.  Date Night – $25.2 million
3.  How to Train Your Dragon – $24.9 million
4.  Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too? – $11 million
5.  The Last Song – $9.8 million

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Despite early studio results predicting that Date Night won the weekend box office, Clash of the Titans prevailed for its second straight weekend at the top.  Grossing $26.6 million, the 3-D action-adventure dropped 57 percent form its opening, but has an impressive $110.2 million ten-day gross.

Date Night opened to $25.2 million this weekend. NBC’s TV stars Steve Carell (The Office) and Tina Fey (30 Rock) starred in the action-comedy and exit polls indicated that the film was indeed a ‘date night’ kind of movie, appealing to a lot of couples.

How to Train Your Dragon only dropped 14 percent and grossed $24.9 million over the weekend. Its $133.4 million in 17 days is headed to out-gross another DreamWorks’ 3-D animation, Monsters vs. Aliens, which grossed $198.4 million.

Rounding out the Top 5 were Why Did I Get Married Too? with $11 million and The Last Song with $9.8 million.

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Opening up this weekend are two comedies that will appeal to different demographics. The remake of Death at a Funeral starring Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, and Tracy Morgan is one… while the action-comedy Kick Ass is the other.

Box Office Results: Movies ‘Clash’ this holiday weekend

Studio Estimates for April 2-4:

1.  Clash of the Titans – $61.4 million
2.  Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too? – $30.2 million
3.  How to Train Your Dragon – $29.2 million
4.  The Last Song – $16.2 million
5.  Alice in Wonderland – $8.3 million

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Guess what? Another 3-D film has topped the box office! Surprise, surprise. Clash of the Titans grossed about $61.4 million this holiday weekend, crushing all of its competition.

Runner up was Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too? which grossed an impressive $30.2 million. This opening weekend is among one of Tyler Perry’s best.

In the third spot was How to Train Your Dragon, which grossed $29.2 million during its second weekend. That puts the 10-day total to $92.3 million.

Rounding out the Top 5 were The Last Song with $16.2 million and Alice in Wonderland with $8.3 million.

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There is only one new release coming out this weekend. The comedy starring the hilarious duo of Tina Fey and Steve Carell in Date Night.

Box Office Results: ‘Dragon’ slays rest of competition

Studio Estimates for March 26-28:

1.  How to Train Your Dragon – $43.7 million
2.  Alice in Wonderland – $17 million
3.  Hot Tub Time Machine – $14 million
4.  The Bounty Hunter – $12 million
5.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid – $10.1 million

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I sense a trend that will be taking over the movie scene for the rest of time. Huge blockbusters will be in 3-D and will dominate the box office. Alice in Wonderland has grossed a domestic total of appromixately $293 million in four weeks, including the $17.7 million it grossed this weekend that landed them the runner-up spot. And in its 3-D debut, How to Train Your Dragon snagged the top spot with $43.7 million. With films like Toy Story 3 and Harry Potter’s final installment to be released in 3-D, expect ticket prices to soar. Is this goodbye to 2-D as we know it?

Hot Tub Time Machine managed to be the top grossing 2-D film of the weekend with $14 million. And rounding out the Top 5 were The Bounty Hunter with $12 million and Diary of a Wimpy Kid with $10.1 million.

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On Wednesday, the most recent of Nicolas Sparks adaptation hits the screen starring tween idol Miley Cyrus, The Last Song. And then on Friday two more wide releases hit the theaters: Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too and another 3-D film, Clash of the Titans.

Box Office Results: Alice still in Wonderland for third straight weekend

Studio Estimates for March 19-21:

1.  Alice in Wonderland – $34.5 million
2.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid – $21.8 million
3.  The Bounty Hunter – $21 million
4.  Repo Men – $6.2 million
5.  She’s Out of My League – $6 million

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For a third straight weekend, Alice in Wonderland topped the box office with a very strong $34.5 million, becoming Tim Burton’s highest grossing film ever at $265 million.

In the runner-up spot was the family-friendly Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which grossed $21.8 million. I thought because of Alice in Wonderland, there wouldn’t be that much of an audience for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but I was wrong. I guess the children books were more popular than I exptected.

In third place was The Bounty Hunter with $21 million. It was a solid opening, but still was a slight disappointing when compared to past romantic comedies with higher opening grosses like The Ugly Truth ($27.6 million) and The Break-Up ($39.2 million). 

Rounding out the Top 5 were Repo Men with $6.2 million and She’s Out of My League with $6 million.

Check back on Friday for my new predictions when two new releases hit the theaters: Hot Tub Time Machine and How to Train Your Dragon. Both have the potential of finally taking the first spot away from Alice in Wonderland.

Box Office Predictions (March 19-21)

While Alice in Wonderland continues to pack the theaters, there are three new releases this weekend that will try to dethrone the 3-D adventure.

First, The Bounty Hunter starring Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston. This PG-13 rated sexy, romantic-comedy should probably be the best bet of the weekend who could overtake the #1 spot from Alice in Wonderland. Personally, I’m not interested in this film at all, but this rom-com has a wide appeal to adults and the PG-13 rating will allow teenage couples to attend as well.

Next is Repo Men, a sci-fi thriller starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker. The reviews aren’t that good and its R-rating will limit the audience. Don’t expect this movie to break any box office records.

Finally, the PG-rated adaptation Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the last of the new releases for the weekend. It’ll be tough for this film to compete against the family appealing giant that is Alice in Wonderland, but I think there’s decent potential for Diary of a Wimpy Kid to make a splash in the box office.

Here are my predictions:

1.  Alice in Wonderland – $35 million
2.  The Bounty Hunter – $22 million
3.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid – $19 million
4.  Repo Men – $11 million
5.  Green Zone – $7 million