Performance Issues

Will Ferrell found a way to both win and lose at the box office this weekend with the comedy Semi-Pro ...

Andrew Daly And Ferrell

Pamela McClintock explains in Variety:

New Line’s sports spoof “Semi-Pro” was worse than semi-soft in its debut, grossing an estimated $15.3 million from 3,121 theaters to make it the lowest opening for a major Will Ferrell comedy in almost a decade.

Film was able to capture the weekend crown, but is nevertheless a blemish for New Line founders Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne as they exit. Their studio will cease being a standalone operation and become much smaller production label under the Warner Bros. umbrella.

“Semi-Pro” came in well below expectations. Box office observers pointed to poor reviews and an R-rating, which made it difficult for younger boys to see the film, although it is that demo that helped fuel box office successes like Ferrell’s “Blades of Glory” and “Talladega Nights: Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” both rated PG-13.

Sony had much better luck with historical romance-drama “The Other Boleyn Girl,” which grossed an estimated $8.3 million from 1,166 runs for a lusty per screen average of $7,118. Pic came in No. 4 for the frame.

The sultry Boleyn sisters, played by Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman, proved tough competition for Summit’s modern-day fairy tale “Penelope,” which grossed an estimated $4 million from 1,196 runs for a per location average of $3,350.

“Penelope,” toplining Christina Ricci and a pickup for Summit, essentially tied for No. 8 with Oscar winner “No Country for Old Men.”

Parlaying its Academy Awards victory into a nice box office bump, “No Country” saw a 67% surge in business as it almost doubled its screen count. Film grossed an estimated $4 million from 2,037 runs for a cume of $69.6 million in its 17th weekend.

Sony, which has been quiet much of the year so far, took two of the top spots on the box office chart with “Boleyn” and political thriller “Vantage Point.”

Placing No. 2, “Vantage” declined just 43% in its second sesh to an estimated $13 million from 3,150 locations for a cume of $41 million in its first 10 days.

Paramount’s family entry “The Spiderwick Chronicles” continued to please, coming in No. 3 and declining only 33% to an estimated $8.7 million from 3,654 runs for a cume of $55 million in its third weekend.

Also showing strong legs was 20th Century Fox’s sci-fi actioner “Jumper,” which placed No. 5. Pic declined 40% in its third frame to an estimated $7.6 million from 3,128 theaters for a cume of $66.8 million.

Coming in No. 6 was Disney’s “Step Up 2 the Streets” declined 41% to an estimated $5.7 million from 2,538 runs for a cume of $48.6 million in its third weekend. Next up at No. was Warner Bros.’ romance-adventure “Fool’s Gold,” which declined 28% in its fourth frame to an estimated $4.7 million from 2,845 runs for a cume of $59 million.

Fox Searchlight’s specialty hit “Juno” came in No. 10, declining 19% to an estimated $3.3 million from 1,631 runs for a cume of $135.1 million in its 13th frame

Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly:

Will Ferrell's basketball comedy won a slow weekend at the box office, but its estimated $15.3 million gross was well below expectations

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Ferrel's formula. as seen in sports parodies like Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Blades of Glory, and the news spoof Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy never really wowed me all that much to begin with. Pro's lukewarm victory may mean the general public may be starting to feel a certain "been there done that" with his schtick...