WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The summer movie season continued to heat up this week with the release of two long awaited remakes of two classic '80s properties, The A-Team and The Karate Kid, finally hitting the charts. While early predictions had The A-Team earning at least $10 million more than The Karate Kid and coming in first for the weekend, the remake of the classic Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita underdog story kicked the adaptation of the beloved Mr. T series in the butt to clearly win "'80s flashback weekend" hands down with $56 million at the box office.

The film, which moves the action from California to China and stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, was produced by Smith's superstar parents Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith and is of course, a remake of the classic '80s film The Karate Kid. The film took the top spot on the charts by earning about $15,288 on each of its 3,663 screens for a very impressive opening weekend total of around $56 million, which is much more than the $35.4 million that the film had been predicted to make. That should make Sony executives (and Will Smith's family) extremely happy considering that the film surpassed it's purported $40 million production cost in its first weekend on the charts.

However, not living up to early predictions and debuting at number two on the charts is the long awaited big screen adaptation of the classic '80s TV show, The A-Team, which starred George Peppard, Dirk Benedict, Dwight Schultz and Mr. T. The A-Team features an all-star cast which includes Liam Neeson as Col. Hannibal Smith, Bradley Cooper as Face, Quinton Jackson as B. A. Baracus and Sharlto Copley as Howling Mad Murdock, who together are an elite unit of soldiers of fortune, eventually living in the Los Angeles underground, hunted by the government for a crime they didn't commit. The film was predicted to take the number one spot with around $46.5 million but instead fell short, coming in second with a disappointing $26 million. The movie was seen on 3,535 screens and made around $7,355 on each, however it will have quite a ways to go if it hopes to breakeven and earn back it's purported $110 million production cost.

Coming in at number three this week and leaving the number one spot for the first time since it debuted almost a month ago is the forth installment of DreamWorks Animation's phenomenally successful Shrek series, Shrek Forever After. The film, stars the returning voice talents of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas and Eddie Murphy. The film was expected to fall two spots to number three this week but came in a bit lower than it's predicted $18.6 million total with only $15.8 million for the weekend. The film dropped around 38.0% from the previous week and was seen in five hundred and eighteen less theaters than the week before earning around $4,085 on each of its 3,868 screens. The film has now earned an amazing $210 million in just over a month at the box office, earning back its $165 million production cost and then some.

Falling two places from its debut last week to number four this week is the rock n' roll comedy Get Him to the Greek, produced by Judd Apatow. The film stars Jonah Hill (Superbad) as a record company assistant who is told by his boss (Sean Combs) that he has three days to get a washed-up, alcoholic rock singer played by Russell Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) from London to Los Angeles for his comeback show. While the film was predicted to come in at number four this week it earned less than it's predicted $11.3 million total, only taking in around $10.1 million in its second week. The film did manage to add five new theaters this week, although the movie was down 42.5% from its debut. The movie ended up earning around $3,738 on each of its 2,702 screens bringing its total gross to about $36.5 million domestically in just two weeks, which is extremely close to earning back its $40 million production cost.

Finally, rounding off the top five this week and falling two spaces back from its debut last week is the action comedy Killers starring Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy) as an average woman unknowingly engaged to an international super-spy played by Ashton Kutcher (Valentine's Day). The film was predicted to come in at number six this weekend only earning around $7.2 million but instead did far better taking the number five spot on the charts and earning roughly $8.1 million. While the film did drop 48.4% from the previous week it still managed to earn $2,858 on each of its 2,859 screens. That brings the film's total domestic gross to around $30.6 million in two weeks, which is still a far cry from earning back its $75 million production cost.

Doing well in limited release this week is the film Winter's Bone, which is based on the novel by Daniel Woodrell and stars Deadwood alumnus's John Hawkes and Garret Dillahunt. The film was seen on only four screens but managed to earn roughly $21,350 per screen for an opening weekend total of $85,400. However the film still has a ways to go if it hopes to eventually earn back its $2 million production cost.

Also doing well in limited release on its debut weekend is the documentary The Lottery by director Madeleine Sackler. The film opened in only one theater but managed to earn around $17,200.

Finally, continuing to do well in limited release this week is the independent film Solitary Man starring Oscar winners Michael Douglas and Susan Sarandon. The movie rose an astonishing 112.7% this week and was added in thirty-one new theaters. The film was seen in a total of fifty-three theaters and earned about $7,355 in each for a weekend total of around $371,00, which brings the film's total domestic gross to just about $874,000 in a little over a month at the box office.

Next weekend will see the summer box office heat up even more with the release of two highly anticipated new films in wide release and four in limited release. First up is the long awaited final chapter of the popular Pixar series, Toy Story, Toy Story 3. Woody, Buzz and all the toys are back along with an all-star cast of voice actors, which include Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Jodi Benson, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Ned Beatty, Timothy Dalton, Jeff Garlin, Kristen Schaal and Whoopi Goldberg.

Also debuting next week is the highly anticipated adaptation of DC Comics' classic Western character, Jonah Hex. The scarred anti-hero rides on to the big screen starring Josh Brolin in the title role and co-starring Megan Fox, John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender, Will Arnett, Michael Shannon, Aidan Quinn, Lance Reddick and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

Debuting in limited release next week is the thriller Unthinkable about the interrogation of a man who has information about the location of nuclear weapons set to detonate in the United States. The film's cast includes Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Sheen, Brandon Routh, Carrie-Anne Moss and Stephen Root.

Also debuting in limited release next week is the quirky comedy, Cyrus, about a man who falls in love with a woman and then must deal with her strange twenty-one year old son. The film is directed by Jay and Mark Duplass and the stellar cast includes John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei and Catherine Keener.

Next week will also see the debut of the new film I Am Love, which stars Oscar winner Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton) and is playing in limited release.

Finally, next week will see the limited release of writer/director Michael Winterbottom's new drama The Killer Inside Me, which stars Kate Hudson, Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba, Elias Koteas and Ned Beatty. So please check back in seven days to see who comes out on top at the box office next week!