Pamela McClintock of Variety:
In the biggest opening of his career, Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino" grossed a stunning $29 million from 2,808 locations to win the weekend box office after a month-long limited run.
Directed by and starring Eastwood, pic's cume is already $40.1 million. Warner Bros. is predicting that "Gran Torino" will easily become Eastwood's top grossing film of all time. Current record-holder is "Million Dollar Baby" ($101.4 million).
"Torino" wasn't the only car on the speedway doing well. Twentieth Century Fox's Kate Hudson-Anne Hathaway comedy "Bride Wars" debuted at No. 2 in grossing an estimated $21.5 million from 3,226 runs.
Upset of the sesh belonged to Relativity/Universal's scare fest "The Unborn," which far outpaced expectations in grossing an estimated $21.1 million from 2,357 playdates. The Rogue Pictures title scored the best January opening for a horror title after Lionsgate's "Hostel" ($19.6 million).
It's a fortuitous start for Relativity's acquisition of Rogue. Under the pact--finalized last week--U will release all Rogue titles and take a distribution fee.
Sony's urban faith-based pic "Not Easily Broken" grossed an estimated $5.6 million from 724 runs for a per screen average of $7,735.
Overall, weekend was up roughly 14% over the same sesh last year, fueled by commercial titles and a flurry of interest in awards contenders on the eve of Sunday's Golden Globe awards.
Fox Searchlight's "Slumdog Millionaire" placed No. 11 overall in grossing an estimated $3.7 million from 600 runs for a per location average of $6,166 and cume of $34.1 million in its ninth weekend.
Paramount's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" continued to thrive, grossing an estimated $9.5 million from 2,947 runs for a cume of $94.3 million in its third weekend. "Button" placed No. 5.
"Button," down 49% from the previous weekend, is among a crowded crop of Christmas Day releases.
Fox's "Marley & Me" continued to lead the pack of holdovers, coming in No. 4. Dramedy declined 53% to an estimated $11.4 million from 2,478 runs for a cume of $123.7 million.
Disney's Adam Sandler family comedy "Bedtime Stories" placed No. 6 for the weekend, declining 58% to an estimated $8.6 million for a cume of $97.2 million.
Tom Cruise Nazi thriller "Valkyrie" declined 53% to an estimated $6.7 million from 2,838 theaters for a cume of $71.5 million.
Joshua Rich of EW:
Clint Eastwood is back in the winner's circle, as his latest out-gunned ''Bride Wars'' and ''The Unborn''
I know the Golden Globe Awards are on TV tonight...But I have decided to sit them out in favor of watching the season premiere of the very cinema-like action drama 24 instead. I know catching up with Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) will be a much more exciting and entertaining way to spend the evening...
No comments:
Post a Comment