Monday, February 04, 2008

Holy Hannah!

Hannah Montana mania sweeps the land-as Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour takes the top spot...!

Pamela McClintock of Variety writes in 'Montana' mania hits theaters:

Disney 3-D pic “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour” set off tween mania at the weekend box office, scoring the biggest win of any film playing over Super Bowl weekend--including “Titanic--in grossing $29 million from just 683 theaters.

Based on the whammo turnout, the Mouse House announced Sunday it is extending the film’s exclusive, one-week run.

“Hannah Montana” smashed several records, including nabbing the highest opening for a film playing on fewer than 1,000 screens after 20th Century Fox's “Borat,” which opened at $26.4 million from 837 locations in fall 2006. Disney couldn't have gone wider than it did due to the limited number of digital 3-D screens.

Previous record-holder for best Super Bowl opening was “When a Stranger Calls,” which grossed $21.6 million. “Titanic” previously held the record for best Super Bowl weekend gross at $25.2 million.

Overall, business was up at the box office, even with the football game. The film biz has long used Super Bowl weekend to open female-skewing pics, and this year was no exception.

Coming in No. 2 for the frame was Lionsgate’s Jessica Alba horror entry “The Eye,” which debuted at a solid $13 million from 2,436 locations.

The weekend’s other two new wide entries, however, had trouble finding traction in falling outside the top 10 box office chart. Gold Circle’s Eva Longoria Parker starrer “Over Her Dead Body,” distributed by New Line, grossed $4.6 million from 1,977 locations, putting it at No. 11.

Paramount Classics’ nature TV show spoof “Strange Wilderness” grossed $3 million from 1,208 runs, placing No. 13.

In its third weekend, Fox’s “27 Dresses” dropped 37% to $8.4 million from 2,976 locations to place No. 3, besting testosterone-driven “Meet the Spartans,” also from Fox, and Lionsgate’s “Rambo,” both in their second weekends. Cume for “Dresses” is $57.1 million.

Fox Searchlight’s quirky dramedy and best pic nominee “Juno” continued to play exceptionally in placing No. 4 for the weekend. Film declined 27% to $7.4 million from 2,475 runs for a boffo cume of $110.3 million.

“Spartans” came in No. 5, declining 61% to $7.1 million from 2,643 runs for a cume of $28.3 million. “Rambo,” a Lionsgate-the Weinstein Co. co-production, declined 62% to $7 million from 2,764 runs for a cume of $29.8 million. “Rambo” placed No. 6.

Generally speaking, holdovers see steep drops on Super Bowl weekend, and particularly male driven titles...


Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly:

Miley Cyrus' concert movie hauled in $29 million, the most ever for a Super Bowl weekend...

Read more from Rich...

Here's more note-worthy news from the cineplex:

Oscar nominees gain big box office...

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