Pixar and Disney continue their perfect box office track record with the debut of their 13th release Brave in 3-D featuring the voices of Kelly Macdonald as Merida as well as Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters and Robbie Coltrane. With $66.7 million this weekend “Brave” gives Pixar its 13th consecutive number one debut as it remains one of the most consistent and enduring movie brands in box office history. Set against the historic backdrop of the Scottish highlands, the PG-rated film is Pixar’s first foray into fairy tale territory and certainly is reminiscent of “The Hunger Games” with its female protagonist wielding a bow and arrow. The Pixar films have been wildly successful earning $7.2 billion theatrical dollars worldwide since the first “Toy Story” film opened with $29.1 million way back in 1995. The film earned $13.5 million this weekend internationally for a global total of $80.2 million. Fun fact: Every Pixar film has debuted at number one at the box office.
In second place with $20.2 million and a tiny third weekend drop of 41% is Paramount Pictures PG-rated Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (read the review) from Dreamworks Animation which held onto first place for its first two weekends. The film had new family competition in the form of the first place movie, but no matter as the 3-D family favorite is already a certified worldwide hit having more than $300 million in the bank and around $135 million in total North American dollars as it headed into this, its third weekend. The film features the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett-Smith and will have around $157 million in North America by Sunday night.
Casting historical figures as action heroes has become an increasingly common theme as Fox brings Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter to theaters this weekend with a $16.5 million debut. The R-rated action fantasy stars Benjamin Walker as Lincoln as we have never seen him before in the role of a badass vampire killer hell bent on preventing the bloodsuckers from taking over The United States. Timur Bekmambetov, directs in his singular visual style so evident in 2008’s action crime thriller “Wanted” starring Angelina Jolie and the vampire-themed films “Night Watch” and “Day Watch” released in 2004 and 2006.
Fox’s sci-fi horror film Prometheus from acclaimed director Ridley Scott has been a certified R-rated sci-fi hit since its release on June 8. With an impressive ensemble cast featuring Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace and Charlize Theron, a third weekend gross of $10 million pushes it beyond the $100 million mark in North America and past $260 million worldwide by the end of the weekend.
Universal’s “Snow White and the Huntsman” continues to be a major factor in the marketplace as solid word-of-mouth allowed it to hold at number five with $8.012 million. Now in its fourth weekend, this updated fairy tale features Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth and is now up to an impressive $137 million in North America. This leaves both
Warner Bros. PG-13 musical “Rock of Ages” featuring Tom Cruise is close behind at number six with $8 million in its second weekend of release. A 45% drop shows solid word-of-mouth has allowed the film to remain a contender and now has nearly $30 million in North America.
Steve Carell and Keira Knightly make their debut this weekend in 1,618 theaters in the quirky R-rated dark comedy Seeking a Friend for the End of the World from Focus Features. With an asteroid hurtling toward Earth, Carell ventures off along with his neighbor (Knightly to reunite with his high school sweetheart and the film chronicles their misadventures as the impending doom approaches. Lorene Scafaria who wrote the screenplay for 2008’s “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” makes her directorial debut for the film that earned just $3.875 million yhis weekend.
This will be the second “down” weekend vs. the comparable frame a year ago when Pixar’s’ “Cars 2” led the weekend with $66.1 million and “Bad Teacher” opened with $31.6 million.
Weekend Box Office (Estimates)
Top Movies for Weekend of June 22, 2012
Movie Weekend Gross Total to Date
1 Brave (PG) $66.7M $66.7M
2 Madagascar 3 (PG) $20.0M $157.4M
3 Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (R) $16.5M $16.5M
4 Prometheus (R) $10.0M $108.5M
5 Snow White and the Huntsman (PG13) $8.0M $137.055M
