WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
The summer movie season continued to heat up this weekend with the highly anticipated release of the forth installment of DreamWorks Animation's phenomenally successful Shrek series, Shrek Forever After. The film, which stars the returning voice talents of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas and Eddie Murphy, debuted at number one on the box office charts this weekend with $71.2 million, knocking off reigning champ Iron Man 2 from the top position for the first time since it debuted. While most people assumed that the film would open at number one, it did end up earning less than it's predicted $100 million total. The film managed to earn $16,354 on each of the 4,359 screens that it opened on, however it still has a way to go if in order to earn back it's purported $165 million budget cost.
Falling one space back to number two for the first time since it debuted on the charts at number one is this summer's biggest hit so far, Iron Man 2. The film, which is directed by Jon Favreau, stars Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson. While it's no surprise that the film finally dropped to number two, it did come in a bit behind its predicted $30.2 million total with only an additional $26.6 million this weekend. In fact, the film dropped almost 50% from last week and was shown in 213 less theaters but it still managed to earn around $6,368 on each of its 4,177 screens. The film has now earned in just three weeks an impressive $251 million domestically, which should make Marvel Studios and Paramount executives very happy considering its $200 million production cost.
Falling one spot back to number three this week, in it's second week on the charts is Ridley Scott's Robin Hood. The film stars Oscar winner Russell Crowe as the famous bow & arrow wielding hero, along with fellow Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and William Hurt, and accomplished actors Mark Strong (Kick-Ass) and Danny Huston (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) rounding out the cast. The film actually did better than expected this weekend holding strong with an additional $18.7 million, well over it's predicted $13.1 million total. The movie only dropped off roughly 48% from it's opening week and even added two theaters for a total of 3,505, earning $5,335 in each. Unfortunately the film has only earned around $66 million in two weeks, which isn't great considering it's purported $200 million production cost.
Debuting at number nine last week and moving up five spots to number four in it's second week is the romantic comedy, Letters to Juliet starring Amanda Seyfried (Dear John). The film was added in seven theaters and managed to earn $3,059 on each of its 2,957 screens for a weekend total of $9.1 million, which brings the film's grand total to around $27.4 million.
Rounding out the top five this week and dropping off two spots from last week is the romantic comedy, Just Wright, set in the world of the NBA starring former rappers Queen Latifah and Common. The movie dropped off almost 50% from it's debut last week but still managed to earn around $2,307 on each of it's 1,831 screens for a weekend total of $4.2 million, bringing it's total gross up to $14.6 million.
Doing extremely well in its opening weekend in limited release is the Bollywood movie Kites. In fact, the film did so well it broke into the top ten taking the tenth spot on the charts this week. The film, which was seen in only 208 theaters, managed to earn nearly $5,000 per screen for an opening weekend total of $1 million.
Also doing well in limited release this week is the independent film Solitary Man starring Oscar winners Michael Douglas and Susan Sarandon. The movie debuted in only four theaters but managed to earn $22,250 on each screen for a weekend total of $89,000. However the film has quite a ways to go if it hopes to earn back it's $15 million production cost.
Continuing to do well in limited release is the documentary Best Worst Movie about the making of '1989s Troll 2. The film, which was added in one more theater this week for a total of two, rose an astonishing 46.9% from last week and earned about $6,000 on each screen for an additional $12,000. That brings the film's total gross to around $32,500 in just five weeks of release.
Also, continuing to do well in limited release is Please Give, which stars Catherine Keener, Amanda Peet and Oliver Platt. The film, which rose another 7.2% this week also added 4 new theaters and managed to earn an additional $266,000 in its forth week. The film was seen on 53 screens and managed to earn $5,019 on each screen. The movie has now earned around $1 million in just four weeks on the charts.
Next weekend will see the summer box office get even hotter with the release of two highly anticipated films in wide release and just one in limited release. First up is the highly anticipated sequel to the film adaptation of HBO's hit series, Sex and the City, Sex and the City 2. The film features returning stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon and this time the girls are leaving New York for a vacation in the Middle East.
Also new next week in wide release is Disney Studios and super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer's adaptation of the classic video game Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton (Clash of the Titans), Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina.
Finally, debuting next week in limited release is George A. Romero's Survival of the Dead from the "Granddaddy of Zombie films himself, director George A. Romero. The film is an unofficial sequel to his 2007 movie, Diary of the Dead, and a continuation of his famous "Dead" series of zombie films, which include the classics Night of the Living Dead, Dawn Of The Dead. So please check back in seven days to see who comes out on top at the box office next week!