J.Lo and J.Fo are back in the game!
The new comedy Monster-in-Law, in which Jennifer Lopez squares off against villainous future mother-in-law Jane Fonda, debuted at No.1 at the weekend box office with a monstrous $24 million. Will Ferrell‘s newest laugh-fest Kicking & Screaming, in which he battles his competitive father played by Robert Duvall, opened in second place with a sporty $20.9, while Jet Li‘s actioner Unleashed premiered at No. 3 with butt-kicking $10.5 million.
Overall box office numbers were still down from last year, making it the 12th consecutive weekend to be in this slump. But insiders are pretty confident that will changed when Star Wars third installment, Revenge of the Sith, opens on May 19.
“I’m encouraged by these numbers,” Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations told The Associated Press. “This shows there is an audience out there. As we head into the week of Star Wars, this is definitely a positive-looking marketplace.”
None of the major studios are planning any wide releases to go up against Episode III, figuring that any new movie will be crushed by the sixth and final episode of George Lucas’ influential sci-fi saga. “Because it’s the final installment, it’s going to go beyond the typical sci-fi audience. It’s a cultural phenomenon. Virtually everyone has a vested interest in this movie,” Dergarabedian said.
This weekend, the Top 12 films grossed an estimated $95.4 million, up 21.65 percent from last weekend’s $78.4 million take but down 6.70 percent from this time last year’s draw of $102.3 million.
The Top Three films at the box office this time last year were: Warner Bros. R-rated Troy, which debuted at No. 1 with $46.8 million in 3,411 theaters, averaging $13,739 per theater; Universal Pictures’ PG-13 rated Van Helsing, which dropped to second place in its second week with $20.7 million in 3,580 theaters, averaging $5,790 per theater; and Paramount Pictures’ PG-13 rated Mean Girls, which dropped to third place in its third week with $10.1 million in 3,015 theaters, averaging $3,377 per theater.
(This week’s box office Top 10 below…)
BOX OFFICE TOP 10, ESTIMATES:
(Source: Exhibitor Relations, Inc.)
No. 1: Monster-in-Law (New Line Cinema, PG-13)
Gross: $24 million
Weeks opened: NEW!
Theaters: 3,455
Per-theater average: $7,017
No. 2: Kicking & Screaming (Universal Pictures, PG)
Gross: $20.9 million
Weeks opened: NEW!
Theaters: 3,455
Per-theater average: $6,049
No. 3: Unleashed (Focus Features, R)
Gross: $10.5 million
Weeks opened: NEW!
Theaters: 1,955
Per-theater average: $5,415
No. 4: Kingdom of Heaven (20th Century Fox, R)
Gross: $9.6 million (-51%)
Weeks opened: 2
Theaters: 3,219 (+3)
Per-theater average: $2,990
Cume to date: $35 million
No. 5: Crash (Lions Gate, R)
Gross: $7.2 million (-21%)
Weeks opened: 2
Theaters: 1,876 (+12)
Per-theater average: $3,838
Cume to date: $19.7 million
No. 6: House of Wax (Warner Bros., R)
Gross: $6.2 million (-48%)
Weeks opened: 2
Theaters: 3,111 (unchanged)
Per-theater average: $2,014
Cume to date: $21.6 million
No. 7: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Buena Vista, PG)
Gross: $4.7 million (-51%)
Weeks opened: 3
Theaters: 2,770 (-363)
Per-theater average: $1,729
Cume to date: $43.2 million
No. 8: The Interpreter (Universal, PG-13)
Gross: $4.4 million (-44%)
Weeks opened: 4
Theaters: 2,602 (-213)
Per-theater average: $1,691
Cume to date: $61 million
No. 9: XXX: State of the Union (Sony Pictures, PG-13)
Gross: $2.2 million (-60%)
Weeks opened: 3
Theaters: 2,387 (-1,093)
Per-theater average: $922
Cume to date: $24.4 million
No. 10: Mindhunters (Dimension, R)
Gross: $2 million
Weeks opened: NEW!
Theaters: 1,040
Per-theater average: $1,926
OTHER OPENINGS
Layer Cake (Sony Pictures Classics, R)
Gross: $79,000
Weeks opened: NEW!
Theaters: 10
Per-theater average: $7,900
Mad Hot Ballroom (Paramount Classics)
Gross: $22,500 million
Weeks opened: NEW!
Theaters: 2
Per-theater average: $11,250
