Let’s hear it for the Western. The gun-slingin’ remake 3:10 to Yuma shot to the top of the heap at the North American box office this weekend, bringing in $14.1 million.
The performance of 3:10 to Yuma, starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, thrilled Lionsgate executives, who chose this weekend to position the film for Oscar consideration.
“We wanted to be the first Western into the marketplace this fall, we wanted to be the first prestige film this fall and we wanted to set ourselves up as the first award-caliber picture of the fall and I think we accomplished all of those goals,” President of Lionsgate Tom Ortenberg told The Associated Press.
The weekend’s other high profile opener, Shoot ‘Em Up, starring Clive Owen, debuted in sixth place with $5.5 million.
The Top 12 movies took in a total of $66.1 million, up 22.46 percent from last year’s total of $54 million but down 31.92 percent from last weekend’s total of $97.1 million.
The Top Three films at the box office this time last year: Sony/Screen Gems’ The Covenant, which opened at No. 1 with $8.8 million in 2,681 theaters, averaging $3,302 per theater; Focus Features’ Hollywoodland, which opened in second place with $5.9 million in 1,548 theaters, averaging $3,828 per theater; and Buena Vista’s Invincible, which dropped to third in its third week with $5.6 million in 2,987 theaters, averaging $1,885 per theater (Click here to read last year’s box office report).
BOX OFFICE TOP 10 ESTIMATES
(Source: Exhibitor Relations, Inc.)
No. 1: 3:10 to Yuma (Lionsgate, R)
• Gross: $14.1 million
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 2,652
• Per-theater average: $5,317
No. 2: Halloween (MGM, R)
• Gross: $10 million (-62%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 3,475 (+3)
• Per-theater average: $2,887
• Cume to date: $44.2 million
No. 3: Superbad (Sony, R)
• Gross: $8 million (-36%)
• Weeks opened: 4
• Theaters: 3,069 (+67)
• Per-theater average: $2,607
• Cume to date: $103.6 million
No. 4: Balls of Fury (Rogue/Focus, PG-13)
• Gross: $5.6 million (-50%)
• Weeks opened: 2
• Theaters: 3,081 (+29)
• Per-theater average: $1,848
• Cume to date: $24.2 million
No. 5: The Bourne Supremacy (Universal, PG-13)
• Gross: $5.4 million (-47%)
• Weeks opened: 6
• Theaters: 3,010 (-280)
• Per-theater average: $1,820
• Cume to date: $210 million
No. 6: Shoot ‘Em Up (New Line, R)
• Gross: $5.4 million
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 2,108
• Per-theater average: $2,585
No. 7: Rush Hour 3 (New Line, PG-13)
• Gross: $5.3 million (-38%)
• Weeks opened: 5
• Theaters: 2,690 (-318)
• Per-theater average: $1,980
• Cume to date: $129.1 million
No. 8: Mr. Bean’s Holiday (Universal, G)
• Gross: $3.3 million (-43%)
• Weeks opened: 3
• Theaters: 1,778 (+13)
• Per-theater average: $1,905
• Cume to date: $25 million
No. 9: The Nanny Diaries (MGM, PG-13)
• Gross: $3.3 million (-35%)
• Weeks opened: 3
• Theaters: 2,444 (-192)
• Per-theater average: $1,359
• Cume to date: $21 million
No. 10: Hairspray (New Line, PG)
• Gross: $1.9 million (-29%)
• Weeks opened: 8
• Theaters: 1,393 (-211)
• Per-theater average: $1,400
• Cume to date: $114.8 million
OTHER OPENINGS
Brothers Solomon (Sony/Revolution, R)
• Gross: $525,000
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 700
• Per-theater average: $750
In the Shadow of the Moon (ThinkFilm, PG)
• Gross: $41,200
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 4
• Per-theater average: $10,300
The Hunting Party (MGM, R)
• Gross: $40,000
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 4
• Per-theater average: $10,000
Fierce People (After Dark Films, R)
• Gross: $20,815
• Weeks opened: NEW!
• Theaters: 2
• Per-theater average: $10,408
