The underperforming of four new titles allowed Think Like A Man to hold the #1 spot for a second-straight weekend (marking the third film of 2012 to do so after The Lorax and The Hunger Games). The book adaptation dropped 48% to $17.6 million, for a strong $60.5 million gross in 10 days. Still playing just 2,015 locations, the film averaged a strong $8,933 in it's second weekend. Comparing the drop to similar films, it actually was a solid hold, considering that Tyler Perry's films and last year's Jumping The Broom all dropped 55% or larger in their second weekends. It also proves that word-of-mouth is getting around on this film (the "A" CinemaScore actually helped this time). With The Avengers invading theaters next weekend, its' obvious this will have to retreat, but we could easily see nearly $100 million out of this by the time everything is said and done.
Out of all four new releases, the stop-motion animated film The Pirates! Band of Misfits fared the best and debuted in second place with $11.1 million, for a per-theater average of a mild $3,317 from around 5,600 screens at 3,358 theaters. That was on par with analysts' and studio expectations, who had expected the film to open with around $10 million. But, on a negative note, the film was Aardman Animation's worst start yet (falling behind Arthur Christmas' $12.1 million three-day start). The British-based studio's films haven't hit high notes stateside, as only Chicken Run has hit $100 million on the domestic front. But it's too early to call the film a disappointment, as the film is looking to play for the next month, as May is completely devoid of family-friendly entertainment. Plus, like other Aardman films, it has already become a hit overseas, grossing over $60 million in foreign territories. The film recieved very positive remarks from critics (88% on Rotten Tomatoes), though audiences were more mixed ("B" CinemaScore). Distributed through Columbia Pictures, Pirates! was produced for a modest $55 million.
The Hunger Games continued to show unbelievable sustainability in its' sixth weekend. Holding on to third place this weekend, the third and final book adaptation in the Top 10 eased a Top 10-best 26% to $10.814 million, for a $372 million gross in 38 days. In the process, it chugged past Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part II through the same point and currently ranks in 17th place on the all-time domestic list. The Avengers will likely steal a lot of its' audience next week, and prevent the film from reaching the $400 million mark domestically.
Just $6,000 behind Hunger Games in fourth is The Lucky One, which dropped 52% in its' second weekend to $10.808 million, for a $39.4 million gross in 10 days. The Nicholas Sparks adaptation is ahead of The Notebook through the same point, though that could change in the weeks ahead as Notebook had the Christmas season to benefit it. Still though, against a budget of just $25 million, the film will at least be headed for $60 million, which should be considered a solid win for Warner Bros.
Debuting in fifth place with mediocre results was Judd Apatow's latest producing effort The Five-Year Engagement, which surprisingly earned only around half of what analysts were expecting with $10.6 million, averaging a relatively weak $3,614 from around 3,300 screens at 2,936 theaters. That was around two-thirds of star Jason Segel's similar film Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and was less than half of Bridesmaids. Critical reception was mixed, and so was audience reception ("B-" CinemaScore), and even though there's no competition for the next couple of weeks, its' going to be a struggle for this flick to match its' $30 million budget on the domestic front. At least it was in line with distributor Universal Pictures' more modest expectations, who had forecasted a low-teens millions debut.
Meanwhile, debuting in a distant sixth place, Jason Statham thriller Safe earned $7.9 million, for a per-theater average of a so-so $3,483 from 2,266 theaters. That was on the low-end for Statham's career, but it was in line with expectations, as distributor Lionsgate was shooting for a debut in the $6-$8 million range. But with The Avengers arriving to take down all other action films on the market next weekend, the film won't be safe for long. Critics were mixed, while audiences were a bit more positive ("B+" CinemaScore). Lionsgate, who recently merged with Summit Entertainment, produced the film for $30 million.
The last new release, horror thriller The Raven was not far behind in seventh, with $7.3 million and averaging a barely acceptable $3,309 from 2,203 theaters. That was less than one-third of director James McTeigue's last effort V for Vendetta, and was below-average for a horror flick. With a budget reported at $26 million, Raven looks to be another bomb for upstart distributor Relativity Media (though it won't be very costly as the studio picked up distribution rights for only $5 million).
Meanwhile, Chimpanzee dropped to eighth place and slid 51% to $5.2 million, for a 10-day total of a fine $18.9 million, and will pass Oceans final gross either today or tomorrow. The drop, while steep, was the lightest second-weekend drop for a Disneynature film, as Earth, Oceans, and African Cats all dropped 60% or more on their second weekends. The nature doc is headed for a finish in the $25-$30 million range, short of Earth's final gross but ahead of the other two.
The Three Stooges eased 47% to $5.2 million, slotting in ninth place. The Farrelly Brothers adaptation of the classic characters has earned a decent $36.9 million in 17 days. The Cabin in the Woods rounded out the Top 10 with a nice hold in the face of The Raven, easing 42% to $4.6 million, for a good, (but not great) $34.8 million gross in the same amount of time.
Overall box office was down a harsh 30% from last year when Fast Five raided the streets and debuted to blockbuster levels, $86.2 million. The fifth film in the Fast & Furious series would go on to gross over $200 million stateside and over $600 million worldwide, ranking as the 5th-biggest film of 2012. Rio slid 44% to second place with $14.8 million, while Madea's Big Happy Family plunged 61% to $9.9 million and Water for Elephants dropped 45% to $9.3 million. Disney's high-school drama Prom and the animated sequel Hoodwinked Too! Hood VS. Evil debuted in fifth and sixth places with disastrous results, $4.7 million and $4.1 million, on their way to just $10 million stateside.
Here is the final Top 10:
# Movie Final Numbers Projected Estimates My Predictions
1 Think Like A Man $17,604,141 $18,000,000 $18,000,000
2 The Pirates! Band of Misfits $11,137,734 $11,400,000 $15,000,000
3 The Hunger Games $10,814,271 $11,250,000 $9,500,000
4 The Lucky One $10,808,023 $11,300,000 $13,000,000
5 The Five-Year Engagement $10,610,060 $11,157,000 $23,000,000
6 Safe $7,892,539 $7,720,000 $7,000,000
7 The Raven $7,289,642 $7,250,000 $9,000,000
8 Chimpanzee $5,227,862 $5,460,000 $6,000,000
9 The Three Stooges $5,167,421 $5,400,000 ----
10 The Cabin in the Woods $4,619,480 $4,500,000 ----
Here is the final Top 10:
# Movie Final Numbers Projected Estimates My Predictions
1 Think Like A Man $17,604,141 $18,000,000 $18,000,000
2 The Pirates! Band of Misfits $11,137,734 $11,400,000 $15,000,000
3 The Hunger Games $10,814,271 $11,250,000 $9,500,000
4 The Lucky One $10,808,023 $11,300,000 $13,000,000
5 The Five-Year Engagement $10,610,060 $11,157,000 $23,000,000
6 Safe $7,892,539 $7,720,000 $7,000,000
7 The Raven $7,289,642 $7,250,000 $9,000,000
8 Chimpanzee $5,227,862 $5,460,000 $6,000,000
9 The Three Stooges $5,167,421 $5,400,000 ----
10 The Cabin in the Woods $4,619,480 $4,500,000 ----
