As expected, Puss in Boots is on top, but it performed much weaker than expected with just $34.1 million from around 7,100 screens at an ultrawide 3,952 theaters, for a per-theater average of a good $8,623 and 3-D showings accounting for 51% of business. That was the studios' least-attended film yet, and was their lowest-grossing opening since Flushed Away in 2007. Part of the reason why Puss failed to get a strong opening was because of DreamWorks' decision to move the film up one week from its' originally scheduled November 4 release date, where it had to compete against a lot of halloween family-oriented events. Plus, the big snowstorm in the northeastern U.S. also may have trimmed down the grosses from Saturday and Sunday. The good news is that critical and audience reception has been positive, as the film earned an encouraging A- CinemaScore grade. With more families available next weekend, trajectories indicate that the film may see strong holds over the next two weeks before a brigade of family movies come marching in for the Thanksgiving holiday. The film was produced for $130 million by distributor DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures.
After its' record-breaking start, Paranormal Activity 3 retreated to second, as expected, but crashed by 66% (typical for a horror film) to $18.1 million, for a 10-day total of a stellar $80.9 million. The threequel should see a strong performance tomorrow (Halloween) then continue to fall hard, and will probably end up finishing at around $105 million, short of the originals' $108 million tally.
Following close behind in third is Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried's futuristic romantic thriller In Time, which earned an okay $12.1 million on its' debut, for a per-theater average of a mild $3,860 from around 4,000 screens at 3,122 theaters. For a wide release, that isn't a strong number, but it was in line with both stars' tracking records, which typically average in the $15-$20 million range. Produced for $40 million by distributor 20th Century Fox, it was in line with analysts' expectations and earned $14.5 million in its' debut on the foreign market, so it should turn out as a modest success for the studio.
The remake of Footloose held decently in its' third weekend, but still dropped 47% to fourth place and to $5.5 million, for a 17-day total of $38.5 million. The dance drama will likely tap its' last step at just north of $50 million.
The final new release, Johnny Depp's The Rum Diary, was unable to live up to the reputations of both Depp and distributor FilmDistrict, as it earned just $5.1 million, for a per-theater average of a dismal $2,259 from 2,272 theaters, despite being able to clinch fifth place. That was one of the poorest and least-attended starts of Depp's career, and unless overseas grosses are strong, which is a possibility because of the starpower, it will likely end as a disappointment. The film was produced for $40 million by FilmDistrict, who has had such a good year until this point.
After holding well for two weeks straight, Real Steel felt the brunt of fellow family-adjacent action flick Puss, dropping 56% to sixth place and $4.8 million, for a 24-day total of $73.9 million and now looks like it may finish just north of $80 million. That may be a disappointing result domestically, but its' made gangbusters overseas, as it has just about crossed the $200 million milestone worldwide. Meanwhile, audiences retreated from The Three Musketeers, which tumbled 60% to seventh place and earned $3.5 million for a 10-day total of $14.8 million. The film may struggle to reach $20 million domestically, but it has done exceptionally overseas, with already over $65 million in foreign sales.
George Clooney's The Ides of March continues to hold on to a Top 10 spot in its' fourth weekend, with a 42% ease to eighth place with $2.8 million, for a $33.6 million tally in 24 days. Brad Pitt's Moneyball followed with a 40% drop to $2.4 million, and has earned $67.4 million in six weekends of release and has jumped ahead of Dolphin Tale through the same point. The Christian drama Courageous climbed back into the Top 10 in its' fifth weekend after coming in 11th last week, and had the best hold out of the entire field, easing 26% to $1.8 million, for a solid $27.7 million tally in one month of release. It looks like that it has a shot at beating Fireproof's $33.6 million final tally.
Overall box office was up 10% from the same time last year when the series-ending horror flick Saw 3-D topped the box office with a modest $22.5 million, but would crash to a $45.7 million finish domestically and would gross $136 million worldwide. Paranormal Activity 2 crashed to second with a 59% drop to $16.5 million, while Red held onto third place with a 29% drop to $10.7 million. Jack*** 3-D and Hereafter rounded out the Top 5, with 60% and 47% drops to $8.5 million and $6.4 million.
Here is the final Top 10:
# Movie Actual Number Projected Estimate My Prediction
1 Puss in Boots $34,077,439 $34,000,000 $47,700,000
2 Paranormal Activity 3 $18,144,516 $18,500,000 $22,000,000
3 In Time $12,050,368 $12,000,000 $13,100,000
4 Footloose (2011) $5,502,026 $5,400,000 $5,600,000
5 The Rum Diary $5,135,369 $5,000,000 $12,000,000
6 Real Steel $4,783,149 $4,700,000 $6,000,000
7 The Three Musketeers (2011) $3,507,359 $3,500,000 $4,000,000
8 The Ides of March $2,804,435 $2,600,000 $3,000,000
9 Moneyball $2,387,049 $2,400,000 $2,600,000
10 Courageous $1,838,096 $1,780,000 ----
