Overall box office should be up from last year...
Elysium, as expected, debuted on top, and earned an estimated $11.2 million on Friday (which includes $1.6 million from Thursday night showings). That is a solid start, though it won't hit some analysts' expectations of a mid-30's millions debut. But with a "B" CinemaScore, word-of-mouth is mixed, while critics have been positive towards the flick. I think a $30 million weekend is reachable here, in line with my $28 million prediction.
We're The Millers is doing very well, earning second place and a strong estimated $8.5 million. Since Wednesday, the film has picked up $20 million. Critics despised the R-rated comedy, but audiences liked it, giving it an "A-" CinemaScore. At this point, Millers looks likely to match my 3-day and 5-day projections ($25 million for the weekend, $36 million in five days).
Planes surprised in third place, as Disney's cash gamble paid off, earning an estimated $8.1 million. While paling in comparison to Disney and Pixar flicks, considering its' competing against three other animated flicks in the marketplace, this is a strong debut. If it were to follow Turbo and The Smurfs 2's weekend trajectories, it would earn $26 million for the weekend, taking second place from Millers.
That solid stretch of grosses didn't extend to Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, which disappointed with an estimated $4.9 million on Friday. Since Wednesday, the film has earned $13.8 million. A "B+" CinemaScore should help, but $17 million over the weekend and $26 million in five days looks like the ceiling at this point.
2 Guns rounded out the Top 5 with a huge plunge, down 66% to an estimated $3.4 million, in what will be a $10.5 million second weekend. It will likely be surpassed by The Smurfs 2 for fifth place on the weekend, which surprisingly held its' own, off 43% to an estimated $3.1 million and will likely earn $11 million for its' second weekend, a solid 35% hold from last week.
