Sunday, May 20, 2012

"MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS" SINKS "BATTLESHIP"


Still from The Avengers
For the third consecutive week Marvel's The Avengers steals the show at the Box Office, earning a stellar $56.5 million.  Its North American gross thus far is $450 million, making it rather difficult for any other Film seeing a release these past few weekends.

Universal Pictures' Battleship, despite doing v. well overseas earning $250 million to-date, opens in North America only with $25 million from 3,690 theatres. Critics have been harsh on the Film, garnering only a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer. Although $25 million isn't an embarrassment by any means, expectations were much higher with the Action Blockbuster being pegged to make between $35-$40 million originally in its Debut.

The Dictator from Paramount Pictures opens with $17 million and after opening on Wednesday night, earns $26 million total.  This also is below Studio expectations, with it being made for a total $60 million. Critics on the bright side have given the Sacha Baron Cohen-written and starring Comedy favourable reviews, earning 61% on the Tomatometer.

Dark Shadows has the misfortune of having to go its second week against some v. stiff competition after opening last week against a still-strong Marvel's The Avengers.  This weekend it pulls-in $12.5 million this weekend with a total $50 million now domestically; it was made for $150 million.

What to Expect When You're Expecting gave the Ladies a choice this weekend with many of the Top Ten Films being v. much Male-centric.  It opens with $10.5 million for Lionsgate Films/Alliance Films, just ahead of Fox Searchlight's Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which makes $3.5 million this weekend from only 354 theatres - not bad at all. Pirates! Band of Misfits rounds out the Top Ten with $1.6 million in this its fourth week.