BOX OFFICE BEAT DOWN: The Roommate Moves Into the Top Spot with $15.6 Million!

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The new horror film The Rite, starring Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins, took control of the box office last week earning $15 million in its opening weekend. The new movie took down reigning champ, No Strings Attached starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, and beat out the weekend's other new release The Mechanic starring Jason Statham. But with two new films hitting the charts this week including the college based thriller The Roommate, and the James Cameron produced 3D action-thriller Sanctum, it looks like we will be crowning a new box office champion this weekend.

Debuting at number one this week is the new thriller The Roommate. The film stars an excellent cast of young actors and seasoned veterans including, Leighton Meester (Country Strong), Minka Kelly ((500) Days of Summer), Cam Gigandet (Burlesque), and Alyson Michalka (Easy A), with Billy Zane (The Phantom), and Frances Fisher (Titanic). The film made $6,156 on each of its 2,534 screens for an opening weekend total of $15.6 million. Since the film only cost around $16 million to make, it's almost earned back its entire production budget in its opening weekend.

Debuting at number two this week is the new underwater 3D action-thriller Sanctum from executive producer James Cameron (Avatar). The film stars actor Richard Roxburgh (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), as well as Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four), Alice Parkinson (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), and newcomer Rhys Wakefield. The film made $3,310 on each of its 2,787 screens for an opening weekend total of $9.2 million. The movie will have to find a bigger audience in the next few weeks if it hopes to earn back its entire $30 million production budget.

Falling two places from last week to number three is the new romantic comedy from director Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters), called No Strings Attached. The film features an all-star cast that includes Natalie Portman (Black Swan), Ashton Kutcher (Killers), Lake Bell (What Happens in Vegas), Cary Elwes (Saw 3D), and Oscar winner Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda). While the movie fell 37.4% from last week, it earned $2,754 on each of its 3,050 screens for a weekend total of about $8.4 million. In three weeks of release, the film has made $51.7 million, which earns back its entire $25 million production budget and then some.

Moving up one spot from last week to number four is Oscar frontrunner, The King's Speech. The film stars Colin Firth (Bridget Jones's Diary), Helena Bonham Carter (Alice in Wonderland), Guy Pearce (Memento), Geoffrey Rush (Pirates of The Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl), and Michael Gambon (Layer Cake). While the film only went up 24.9% from last week, it was added in 27 theaters for a total of 2,584. The movie earned $3,216 on each screen for a weekend total of $8.3 million. In over two months of release, the film has now earned a total of $84.1 million at the box office, which is over five times its initial $15 million production budget.

Finally, dropping down one space from last week and rounding off the top five this week is the new film from director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), The Green Hornet, which is based on the classic super-hero TV series from the '60s. The movie stars Seth Rogen (Superbad), Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz (In Her Shoes), Tom Wilkinson (Batman Begins), Edward James Olmos (I'm Still Here) and Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds). While the movie fell 45.5% from last week, it earned $3,033 on each of its 2,011 screens for a weekend total of about $6.1 million. In just over a month of release, the film has made $87.2 million, which is still short of earning back its entire $120 million production budget.

Continuing to do well in limited release this week is the new film from 21 Grams and Babel director Alejandro González Iñárritu, entitled Biutiful. The film stars Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men), Maricel Álvarez, Hanaa Bouchaib, Guillermo Estrella, Eduard Fernández, Cheikh Ndiaye, Diaryatou Daff, Cheng Tai Shen, Luo Jin, and George Chibuikwem Chukwuma. The movie went up 59.9% from last week and earned $4,130 on each of its 177 screens, for a weekend total of about $731,000. The movie recently earned actor Javier Bardem an Oscar nomination for best actor, and has now earned over $1 million since its release.

Also continuing to do well in limited release this week is the new independent drama, Barney's Version. The film features an all-star cast that includes Oscar nominees Paul Giamatti (Sideways) and Minnie Driver (Grosse Pointe Blank), Rosamund Pike (An Education), Rachelle Lefevre, Scott Speedman (Underworld), and Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman (Marathon Man). The movie only went up 0.2% from last week but earned $5,333 on each of its 45 screens, for a weekend total of about $240,000. The movie has now made $903,000 in four weeks of release, but will need to continue to improve if it has any chance of earning back its entire $30 million production budget.

Next week will see the opening of four new films in wide release and one in limited release.

Opening next week in wide release is the new CGI animated film Gnomeo and Juliet. The film is based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and features the music of Grammy Award winner Elton John. The film also features the voice talents of James McAvoy (Wanted), Emily Blunt (Charlie Wilson's War), Jason Statham ((The Expendables), and two-time Academy Award winners Michael Caine (The Dark Knight), and Maggie Smith (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince).

Opening in wide release next week is the new film from The Last King of Scotland director Kevin Macdonald called The Eagle. The film features an all-star cast which includes Channing Tatum (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra), Jamie Bell (Jumper), Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes), Denis O'Hare (Charlie Wilson's War), and Donald Sutherland (MASH),

Another movie opening in wide release next week is the new documentary/concert film from teen-musical sensation Justin Bieber. The film is called Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and will give fans an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look into the pop phenomenon's impressive career.

Finally, opening in wide release next week is the new Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore) comedy Just Go with It, co-starring Jennifer Aniston (Love Happens). The incredible cast also includes Brooklyn Decker (Battleship), Minka Kelly (The Roommate), Dave Matthews (You Don't Mess with the Zohan), Nick Swardson (Bedtime Stories), Rachel Dratch (Spring Breakdown), Kevin Nealon (Get Smart), and Oscar winner Nicole Kidman (The Hours).