For the second consecutive week, the blackjack movie 21 trumped the top spot at the North American box office this weekend with $15.1 million, leaving newcomers Leatherheads and Nim’s Island tussling for second and third place.
The football comedy Leatherheads, starring and directed by George Clooney, opened in second place with $13.5 million, while the family film Nim’s Island, starring Abigail Breslin and Jodie Foster, followed closely in third with $13.3 million. The two films were so close that their rankings could switch after final weekend numbers are released Monday, according to the Associated Press.
Despite mostly favorable reviews, Leatherheads fell below expectations. “I’m disappointed for us, I’m disappointed for George. I think he’s a great guy and think he’s got tons of directing talent,” Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal, told AP. “I wish I could have that crystal ball and tell you what went wrong.”
This weekend’s other new wide release–Paramount’s horror story The Ruins, about tourists who discover an ancient evil during a jungle trip–debuted in fifth place with $7.8 million.
The Top 12 movies took in $80.8 million, down 26.62 percent from the same weekend last year at $110.1 million and down 10.36 percent from last weekend’s total of $90.2 million. The top three openers the same weekend last year were: Blades of Glory, which stayed at No. 1 with $22.5 million; Meet the Robinsons, which stayed in second place with $16.7 million; and Are We Done Yet?, which opened in third place with $14.2 million.
BOX OFFICE TOP 10 ESTIMATES (Source by: Media by Numbers)
No. 1: 21 (Sony, PG-13)
• Gross: $15.1 million (-375)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 2,653 (+5)
• Per-theater average: $5,692
• Cume to date: $46.5 million
No. 2: Leatherheads (Universal, PG-13)
• Gross: $13.4 million
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 2,769
• Per-theater average: $4,870
No. 3: Nim’s Island (Fox, PG)
• Gross: $13.3 million
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 3,513
• Per-theater average: $3,786
No. 4: Horton Hears a Who (20th Century, G)
• Gross: $9.1 million (-49%)
• Weeks opened: 4
• Theaters: 3,571 (-255)
• Per-theater average: $2,548
• Cume to date: $131 million
No. 5: The Ruins (Paramount, R)
• Gross: $7.8 million
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 2,812
• Per-theater average: $2,774
No. 6: Superhero Movie (MGM, PG-13)
• Gross: $5.4 million (-43%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 2,965 (+5)
• Per-theater average: $1,821
• Cume to date: $16.8 million
No. 7: Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns (Lionsgate, PG-13)
• Gross: $3.5 million (-53%)
• Weeks opened: 3
• Theaters: 1,554 (-462)
• Per-theater average: $2,259
• Cume to date: $37.7 million
No. 8: Drillbit Taylor (Paramoung, PG-13)
• Gross: $3.4 million (-39%)
• Weeks opened: 3
• Theaters: 2,707 (-354)
• Per-theater average: $1,291
• Cume to date: $25.5 million
No. 9: Shutter (20th Century Fox, PG-13)
• Gross: $2.8 million (-45%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 2,125 (-631)
• Per-theater average: $1,353
• Cume to date: $23.1 million
No. 10: 10,000 B.C. (Warner Bros., PG-13)
• Gross: $2.7 million (-44%)
• Weeks opened: 5
• Theaters: 2,335 (-720)
• Per-theater average: $1,188
• Cume to date: $89.3 million
OTHER OPENINGS
My Blueberry Nights (Weinstein Co., PG-13)
• Gross: $73,742
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 6
• Per-theater average: $12,290
Meet Bill (First Look, R)
• Gross: $39,305
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 36
• Per-theater average: $1,092
The Flight of the Red Balloon (IFC First Take, NR)
• Gross: $36,000
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 2
• Per-theater average: $18,000
Sex and Death 101 (Anchor Bay Ent., R)
• Gross: $15,000
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 5
• Per-theater average: $3,000
