Box office update: ‘Unstoppable’ speeds away with $8.1 mil on Friday

Image Credit: Robert ZuckermanUnstoppable takes its title very seriously, as the Fox runaway-train film led the box office on Friday by grossing $8.1 million, according to early estimates. The result should give star Denzel Washington his eighth debut of at least $20 million in nine films, even though the $85 million action film fell short of the opening days of his last two projects, The Book of Eli ($11.7 million) and The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 ($8.2 million). Also, although Unstoppable was No. 1 on Friday, it’ll likely finish the weekend second to DreamWorks Animation’s Megamind, which tallied $7.9 million on Friday for a drop of 37 percent. Megamind will benefit from kids being out of school on Saturday and Sunday — last weekend, the animated superhero comedy soared 64 percent on Saturday. As a result, expect Megamind to finish the weekend with about $29 million and Unstoppable to pull into the station with around $23 million.

In third place was the Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis comedy Due Date, which fell 55 percent for $5.5 million, and should conclude the weekend with about $16 million. Skyline landed a bit softer than I was expecting — the alien-invasion thriller sucked up $4.7 million on Friday to settle into fourth place. That figure suggest a weekend total of about $13 million, which is right in line with Universal’s hopes for the Brothers Strause film. I thought it’d earn closer to $20 million, but with a budget of only $10 million, Skyline will still be a success story. Fifth place went to the workplace comedy Morning Glory, which attracted $3.1 million. The Rachel McAdams movie should transition from the weekend with just under $10 million. Check back here on Sunday for the complete box office report.

1. Unstoppable — $8.1 mil
2. Megamind — $7.9 mil
3. Due Date — $5.5 mil
4. Skyline — $4.7 mil
5. Morning Glory — $3.1 mil

Box office preview: Can Megamind slow down Unstoppable?

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Box office update: 'Unstoppable' speeds away with $8.1 mil on Friday - Entertainment Weekly

Image Credit: Robert ZuckermanUnstoppable takes its title very seriously, as the Fox runaway-train film led the box office on Friday by grossing $8.1 million, according to early estimates. The result should give star Denzel Washington his eighth debut of at least $20 million in nine films, even though the $85 million action film fell short of the opening days of his last two projects, The Book of Eli ($11.7 million) and The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 ($8.2 million). Also, although Unstoppable was No. 1 on Friday, it’ll likely finish the weekend second to DreamWorks Animation’s Megamind, which tallied $7.9 million on Friday for a drop of 37 percent. Megamind will benefit from kids being out of school on Saturday and Sunday — last weekend, the animated superhero comedy soared 64 percent on Saturday. As a result, expect Megamind to finish the weekend with about $29 million and Unstoppable to pull into the station with around $23 million.

In third place was the Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis comedy Due Date, which fell 55 percent for $5.5 million, and should conclude the weekend with about $16 million. Skyline landed a bit softer than I was expecting — the alien-invasion thriller sucked up $4.7 million on Friday to settle into fourth place. That figure suggest a weekend total of about $13 million, which is right in line with Universal’s hopes for the Brothers Strause film. I thought it’d earn closer to $20 million, but with a budget of only $10 million, Skyline will still be a success story. Fifth place went to the workplace comedy Morning Glory, which attracted $3.1 million. The Rachel McAdams movie should transition from the weekend with just under $10 million. Check back here on Sunday for the complete box office report.

1. Unstoppable — $8.1 mil
2. Megamind — $7.9 mil
3. Due Date — $5.5 mil
4. Skyline — $4.7 mil
5. Morning Glory — $3.1 mil

Box office preview: Can Megamind slow down Unstoppable?

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Box office update: ‘Megamind’ earns $12.5 mil on Friday

Image Credit: DreamWorks AnimationParamount Pictures’ and DreamWorks Animation’s Megamind kicked off the holiday movie season by collecting $12.5 million on Friday, according to early estimates. That’s slightly more than the $12.1 million snared by DreamWorks’ last original CG-animated movie, How to Train Your Dragon, which opened in March. Megamind should see a big uptick on Saturday as kids will be out of school and singing that “Mega-Mega-Megamind” song until their parents crack. Figure a weekend total of about $45 million, which is right in line with what Paramount said they were anticipating for the $130 million film. (I was thinking the star-power of Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, and Tina Fey would knock the movie above $50 million, but we learned a valuable box-office equation today: Ferrell + Pitt + Fey = dragon).

Right behind Megamind was Warner Bros.’ Due Date, which lit up $12.2 million on Friday. The Legendary Pictures co-production is on track for about $35 million this weekend, which is a very solid number for an R-rated comedy. (By comparison, director Todd Phillips’ prior movie, The Hangover, opened to $45 million its first weekend last year). In third place was Tyler Perry’s For Colored Girls, which took home an estimated $7.4 million. The R-rated drama should finish the weekend with around $20 million, which is lower than usual for Perry, but still a commendable result. In fourth place was Saw 3D, which dropped 75 percent from last Friday to snag $2.7 million. And Summit’s action comedy Red continues to age at a glacial speed, slipping only 27 percent for $2.5 million — enough for fifth place.

In limited release, Danny Boyle’s Oscar-hopeful 127 Hours, starring James Franco, made $77,000 from just four locations for an energetic $19,250 per-theater average. And Fair Game, directed by The Bourne Identity‘s Doug Liman, earned a quite respectable $180,000 from 46 theaters. Check back here on Sunday for the complete box office report.

1. Megamind — $12.5 mil
2. Due Date — $12.2 mil
3. For Colored Girls — $7.4 mil
4. Saw 3D — $2.7 mil
5. Red — $2.5 mil

Box office preview: Megamind to lead a monster weekend

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Box office update: 'Megamind' earns $12.5 mil on Friday - Entertainment Weekly

Image Credit: DreamWorks AnimationParamount Pictures’ and DreamWorks Animation’s Megamind kicked off the holiday movie season by collecting $12.5 million on Friday, according to early estimates. That’s slightly more than the $12.1 million snared by DreamWorks’ last original CG-animated movie, How to Train Your Dragon, which opened in March. Megamind should see a big uptick on Saturday as kids will be out of school and singing that “Mega-Mega-Megamind” song until their parents crack. Figure a weekend total of about $45 million, which is right in line with what Paramount said they were anticipating for the $130 million film. (I was thinking the star-power of Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, and Tina Fey would knock the movie above $50 million, but we learned a valuable box-office equation today: Ferrell + Pitt + Fey = dragon).

Right behind Megamind was Warner Bros.’ Due Date, which lit up $12.2 million on Friday. The Legendary Pictures co-production is on track for about $35 million this weekend, which is a very solid number for an R-rated comedy. (By comparison, director Todd Phillips’ prior movie, The Hangover, opened to $45 million its first weekend last year). In third place was Tyler Perry’s For Colored Girls, which took home an estimated $7.4 million. The R-rated drama should finish the weekend with around $20 million, which is lower than usual for Perry, but still a commendable result. In fourth place was Saw 3D, which dropped 75 percent from last Friday to snag $2.7 million. And Summit’s action comedy Red continues to age at a glacial speed, slipping only 27 percent for $2.5 million — enough for fifth place.

In limited release, Danny Boyle’s Oscar-hopeful 127 Hours, starring James Franco, made $77,000 from just four locations for an energetic $19,250 per-theater average. And Fair Game, directed by The Bourne Identity‘s Doug Liman, earned a quite respectable $180,000 from 46 theaters. Check back here on Sunday for the complete box office report.

1. Megamind — $12.5 mil
2. Due Date — $12.2 mil
3. For Colored Girls — $7.4 mil
4. Saw 3D — $2.7 mil
5. Red — $2.5 mil

Box office preview: Megamind to lead a monster weekend

Saturday, November 6th

Danny Boyle (''Slumdog Millionaire'') brings the harrowing yet triumphant story of hiker Aron Ralston (James Franco) to life. Caution: some scenes may not be for the squeamish.

This week's Movie Picks

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Box office update: ‘Paranormal Activity 2′ breaks R-rated midnight record with $6.3 million

The demons, and quite a few moviegoers, were out last night for the midnight debut of Paramount’s Paranormal Activity 2, which grossed $6.3 million from 12:00 a.m. screenings, according to studio estimates. That figure is the highest midnight gross for an R-rated film, besting Watchmen‘s $4.6 million take from last year. It also smashes the record for the largest October midnight opening, which was set all of one week ago when Jackass 3D collected $2.5 million. Paramount has been heavily promoting Paranormal Activity 2 as a “midnight movie,” and this early turnout practically ensures that the sequel will surpass its predecessor’s wide-release opening of $21.1 million.

Box Office Preview: ‘Paranormal Activity 2' attempts to scare its way into first place

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