Sunday, August 19, 2012

"THE EXPENDABLES 2" OPENS STRONG ON ACTION-PACKED WEEKEND AT BOX OFFICE


Still from The Expendables 2
It was no match for The Expendables 2 at the Box Office this weekend as the Sequel with an all-star Cast debuts at number one for Lionsgate/Alliance Films with $28.7 million, from 3,316 theatres across North America. Audiences and Critics also are responding well with the Film receiving many positive reviews, tallying a 66% on Rotten Tomatoes. This result falls just-shy of the previous Film in the Series, earning $35 million back in 2010 in its opening.

Slipping to second this weekend is Universal Pictures' The Bourne Legacy with $16.8 million, for a two-week total of $69.4 million.

Sony Pictures' Musical Sparkle opens at number three this weekend, with the distinction of being Whitney Houston's last Film ever. It opens with $14 million, already recouping its production costs back. Reviews also have been fairly decent despite perceptions, rating a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. There is much praise for Mike Epps' performance in the Film.

ParaNorman, from the same Creators as Coraline, debuts in fourth spot with $14 million from 3,429 theatres, with the misfortune of opening on a crowded weekend of new releases. Like Coraline, it has also has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, rating 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green which opened mid-week for Disney also had a decent opening in seventh, earning $10.9 million from 2,598 theatres. Its five-day total is $14.9 million.

Hope Springs is proof that there indeed is a market for mature audiences, slipping to eighth spot in its second week with a respectable $8.7 million, a two-week tally of $34.6 million. I did actually see the Rom-Com starring Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep and can vouch that it is entertaining, with strong performances all around.

Total Recall rounds out the Top Ten with $3.5 million in its third week, which surprisingly almost is being out-performed by Hope Springs - also from Sony Pictures - costing about an eighth ($30 million) of what it cost to make Total Recall ($250 million).

On a side note, Toronto-filmed Cosmopolis also has a strong bow in a U.S. limited release. The David Cronenberg Film starring Robert Pattinson earns $97k from three theatres, an average of $24.1k per theatre.