"THE BOURNE LEGACY" CONTINUES TRADITION AT TOP OF BOX OFFICE



Still from The Bourne Legacy

If there was every any doubt that the Bourne Series would survive without its most recognizable face, Matt Damon, then away with that as The Bourne Legacy tops the Box Office this weekend in its debut with $40.3 million in North America for Universal Pictures. Opening in 3.745 theatres, the Film starring brilliant Jeremy Renner, is the third-strongest opening for the Franchise behind the second and third installments released in 2004 and 2007 respectively.

The Campaign starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis seems to have benefited from its ambitious and rowdy Whistle Stop Tour, including a stop in Toronto recently, earning $29 million for Warner Bros. The Political-Comedy opened in 3,205 theatres to a positive 66% on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.

Three-week Champion The Dark Knight Rises finally falls to number three in this its fourth week of release, earning $19.5 million this weekend also for Warner Bros., just ahead of Sony Pictures' Hope Springs starring Thespian Queen Meryl Streep and Steven Carrell. It made $15.5 million this weekend after opening solidly on Wednesday; strong reviews for this one also with 74% on the Tomatometer.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, the third in the Franchise finds itself in fifth spot this weekend with $9 million, ahead of a disappointing Total Recall which in its second week only earned $8.1 million despite some high expectations with its $250 million budget. Still waiting on Overseas numbers where it continues to expand and should fare well...

Universal Pictures' Ted still is going strong in ninth spot in its seventh week with $3.5 million, now breaking the $200 million mark.  Meanwhile The Amazing Spider-Man rounds out the Top Ten with $2.4 million.

"THE DARK KNIGHT RISES" THREE FOR THREE AT BOX OFFICE: "TOTAL RECALL" DEBUTS AT #2

Still from The Dark Knight Rises

Although it was expected to face stiff competition from Total Recall, alas The Dark Knight Rises reigns supreme a third straight week at the Box Office with a stunning $36.2 million earned this weekend. To-date in North America, it has grossed $353 million for Warner Bros.

With high expectations, the Remake of Total Recall from Len Wiseman debuts in second with a decent $26.5 million from 3,601 theatres. This still is a far cry from the $250 million in production costs footed by Sony Pictures for the Toronto-filmed Blockbuster starring Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel. Critics also have been harsh on the Film, with Rotten Tomatoes having it at 31% on their Tomatometer.

20th Century Fox's Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3 opens in third with $14.5 million, which is well below the $23 million the second installment of the Franchise opened with in March 2011.

Ted which in its sixth week of release is still in the Top Ten at number six with $5.5 million for Universal Pictures, just ahead of Step Up: Revolution in its second week slipping to seventh a with $5.3 million, earning a total $23 million domestically.

Former Box Office Champion Brave still is going strong in this its seventh week with $2.8 million, while Magic Mike rounds out the Top Ten with $1.7 million, making it a Warner Bros. top and bottom this weekend.

"HOP" ON TOP OF BOX OFFICE

Still from Hop

The Easter Bunny arrives early this year, despite our late Easter this year. Universal Pictures wins the Box Office battle with authority this weekend, taking in $38.1 million from 3,579 theatres. The Russell Brand-voiced Animated Feature also stars handsome and lithe James Marsden, who did a bulk of the promotion for the Film, including radio appearances on Toronto's CHUM-FM last week.

Summit Entertainment's Source Code starring Jake Gyllenhaal surprisingly made only $15 million in its debut, landing in second spot despite winning rave reviews. Rotten Tomatoes has it pegged at 86% on its Tomatometer.

Horror Flick Insidious debuts in third with $13.5 million for SAW creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell. Generally, the Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne-starring Film which premiered at TIFF this past September, has received positive reviews.

Last week's champion, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules slips to fourth in its second week with $10.2 million, just ahead of another former Box Office topper, Limitless in fifth with $9.4 million.

Despite landing in second spot last week, Warner Bros.' Sucker Punch slips to seventh this weekend, a change of -68.1% from last weekend.

Rounding out the Top Ten is Battle: Los Angeles which just broke even, surpassing the $70 million mark, the amount for which it was made.

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 2 "RULES" THE BOX OFFICE

Still from Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2

Although Warner Bros.’ Sucker Punch was expected to top the Box Office this weekend based on Friday night’s numbers, alas Family prevails. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules landed on top with $24.4 million for Fox, already making back its $21 million budget. The Film based on the popular Children’s books, is the second in its series.

Sucker Punch wound up placing second with $19 million. Despite horrendous reviews, the Zack Snyder (The Watchmen) Action-Fantasy still fares respectably. It was made though for $85 million, but just might do well overseas where it has yet to open.

Last week’s champion Limitless slips to third this weekend with $15.2 million, bringing its total earnings domestically to $41.2 million, finishing just ahead of The Lincoln Lawyer which made $11 million in its second week.

Former number one Battle: Los Angeles finds itself in sixth spot with $7.6 million, just surpassing the $70 million market, for which it was made.

Still going strong is The Adjustment Bureau in ninth spot with $4.2 million, after having been in theatres now for seven weeks. It also just made back its production costs for Universal Pictures, having been made for $50 million.

THE BOUNTY HUNTER SHOOTS, BUT MISFIRES

Despite looking like a genuine threat to the throne, The Bounty Hunter was just no match for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland this weekend, which stays on top for a third week in a row taking in $34.5 million.  

Diary of a Wimpy Kid from Fox, lands in second spot with $21.8 million after getting much word-of-mouth build-up in the kids' demographic.  The adapted film is the first from its popular children's novel franchise.

The Bounty Hunter placed in third, a romantic comedy with a bit of action, stars Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston as a feuding ex-husband and wife.  Universally panned by critics, the film brought in $21 million this weekend from 3,074 theatres.  It was made for a $40 million budget and isn't looking like a loss for Sony Pictures as it has yet to open overseas... yet.  Read my review of it here.

Jude Law's action vehicle Repo Men from Universal Pictures, lands in a distant fourth spot earning $6.1 million, after being made for a $32 million budget.  Ouch.

Rounding out the bottom is Avatar which has seen better days, earning just $1.06 million in its 13th week and likely final week in the Top Ten.   Finally!  The film is said to be amidst another relaunch shortly with extended footage because clearly it hasn't made enough money the first time around.  God, help us.

As an interesting aside, The Runaways, which I loved,  landed in 13th spot with just $800k in earnings, but one most note that it only opened in approximately 230 theatres this weekend.  It will be expanding to wide release April 9, 2010.  Expect a huge spike in a couple weeks' time.