Pamela McClintock of THR:
Sony and MGM's 21 Jump Street lit up the R-rated comedy marketplace, opening to a stellar $35 million at the domestic box office.
Starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, the light-hearted take on the classic TV show nabbed the best debut ever for a non-sequel, non-summer R-rated comedy, as well as one of the best bows on the books for an action-buddy comedy or a film-to-television adaptation.
21 Jump Street easily wrested the weekend crown from Universal and Illumination's hit Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, which has ruled the domestic box office the past two weekends. The Lorax, coming in No. 2, continued to do good business in its own right, grossing $22.8 million in its third outing for a domestic cume of $158.4 million, by far the best showing of 2012.
Disney's tentpole John Carter continued to struggle, grossing $13.5 million in its second weekend for a weak 10-day domestic cume of $53.2 million. Overseas, the pic grossed $40.7 million--including a strong $10.4 million debut in China--for an international total of $126.1 million and worldwide cume of $179.3 million. Those are big numbers, but far short of what the movie needs to make up for its $250 million budget (Disney is looking at a $100 million write-down or more).
Even with the strong performances of 21 Jump Street and Lorax, the domestic box office dipped behind last year's levels for the first time this year, with revenues down 8 percent. March Madness may have been a distraction for moviegoers, while there was bad weather on parts of the West Coast.
Box office obsevers credit strong reviews and good word of mouth for 21 Jump Street's better-than-expected numbers.
Directed by Phil Word and Chris Miller, 21 Jump Street received a B CinemaScore Friday night, although those under the age of 25 gave the pic an A. Sony's own exit polling showed that 50 percent of audience was under the age of 25, although CinemaScore's exit polling that 67 percent were actually over the age of 25.
The film's ethnically diverse audience -- 47 percent of Friday's audience was non-white -- also bodes well for 21 Jump Street's playability, as well as the fact that it played fairly evenly among the genders, with males making up 53 percent of those buying tickets and females 47 percent.
21 Jump Street features Hill and Tatum as bumbling police officers who go undercover in a high school to bust up a drug ring. 21 Jump Street is a victory for Sony and MGM, which partnered on the $42 million film.
The TV show, which aired on the Fox network from 1987-91, was far more serious and is famous for launching Johnny Depp's acting career (Depp makes a cameo in the remake).
Hill produced 21 Jump Street with Michael Bacall -- who penned the script --and Neal H. Moritz (the late Stephen J. Cannell also has a producing credit).The movie also stars Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Ellie Kemper, Rob Riggle and Ice Cube.
21 Jump Street was the only new nationwide release of the weekend--but it wasn'tt the only new title with big comedic names. Will Ferrell's Spanish-language pic Casa De Mi Padre made its limited debut, opening in 382 theaters across the country and grossing an estimated $2.2 million to come in No. 9.
Top 10 Domestic Box Office, March 16-March 18
1. 21 Jump Street, 1/3,121, Sony/MGM, $35 million.
2. Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, 3/3,769, Universal/Illumination, $22.8 million, $158.4 million.
3. John Carter, 2/3,749, Disney, $13.5 million, $53.2 million.
4. Project X, 3/2,22, Warner Bros., $4 million, $48.1 million.
5. A Thousand Words, 2/1,890, Paramount/DreamWorks, $3.8 million, $12.1 million.
6. Act of Valor, 4/2,765, Relativity/Bandito Brothers, $3.7 million, $62.4 million.
7. Safe House, 6/1,920, Universal, $2.8 million, $120.2 million.
8. Journey 2, 6/2,922, New Line/Warner Bros., $2.5 million, $95.1 million.
9. Casa De Mi Padre, 1/382, Lionsgate, $2.2 million.
10. This Means War, 5/1,660, Fox, $2.1 million, $50.5 million
Next: Three words The Hunger Games....
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