'Megamind' is No. 1 movie: $47.7M

Image Credit: DreamWorks AnimationA trio of new releases propelled the box office to a record weekend, and DreamWorks Animation’s and Paramount Pictures’ Megamind led the way with $47.7 million, according to studio estimates. The $130 million CG-animated comedy starring Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, and Tina Fey got off to a slightly underwhelming $12.5 million start on Friday. But the superhero flick skyrocketed 65 percent on Saturday as parents, starved for a family film to take their tots to, stormed the local multiplex. According to Paramount, 52 percent of Megamind‘s audience was less than 25 years old, and 66 percent of the movie’s earnings came from 3-D screens. For DreamWorks Animation, Megamind was their seventh best debut, topping this year’s How to Train Your Dragon, but falling short of summer blockbusters such as Kung Fu Panda and the three Shrek sequels. For Paramount, Megamind marks the studio’s third No. 1 opening in four weeks. The folks on Melrose Avenue will have plenty to be thankful for in a couple of weeks.

Second place went to the Due Date, starring Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, and a horny French bulldog. The Warner Bros. film, which was co-produced by Legendary Pictures, grossed $33.5 million — a great tally for an R-rated comedy, but short of director Todd Phillips’ last project, The Hangover, which debuted to $45 million. Due Date scored a middling “B-” rating from CinemaScore audiences. However, the younger the moviegoer was, the more likely he or she gave the film a better grade. (Those under 18 rated it an “A-”). Since 59 percent of its audience was under the age of 35, Due Date may hold up better than its CinemaScore indicates.

Tyler Perry’s For Colored Girls, an adaptation of the acclaimed play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf, premiered in third place with $20.1 million. That’s lower than usual for the director, but still a very respectable opening, especially when considering that the film is Perry’s first to be rated R. For Colored Girls played a bit older than normal for Perry’s movies, with 87 percent of the audience more than 25 years old. The serious drama, with its all-star female ensemble including Kimberly Elise, Whoopi Goldberg, Thandie Newton, Kerry Washington, and Janet Jackson, had no trouble attracting Perry’s most supportive fanbase — African-American women. According to Lionsgate, 81 percent of the audience was African American, and 82 percent was female. And with an “A” rating from CinemaScore audiences, Perry’s fanbase clearly loved what they saw.

Summit’s Red continued its slow-motion descent, slipping a minuscule 17 percent to secure fourth place with $8.9 million. The action comedy, starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and John Malkovich, has pulled off the rare feat of dropping each week by a smaller percentage than the week before. Red fell 31 percent its second weekend, then 29 percent, and now 17 percent for a four-week tally of $71.9 million. In fifth place was Saw 3D, which collapsed 64 percent its second weekend for $8.2 million. In limited release, Danny Boyle’s Oscar hopeful, 127 Hours, grossed $266,000 from just four locations for a stupendous per-theater average of $66,500. And the action thriller Fair Game, starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, snared $700,000 from 46 sites — a solid, if not extraordinary, per-theater average of $15,217.

Overall, the box office earned an estimated $157 million this weekend, breaking the 2003 record of $153 million for the first frame of November. Check back next weekend as another trio of films invades theaters — the alien thriller Skyline, the comedy Morning Glory, and the runaway-train action film Unstoppable.

1. Megamind — $47.7 mil
2. Due Date — $33.5 mil
3. For Colored Girls — $20.1 mil
4. Red — $8.9 mil
5. Saw 3D — $8.2 mil

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Box Office: "Megamind" dominates weekend with $47.7 million - CNN

The animated comedy "Megamind" drew younger moviegoers with an estimated 52 percent of its audience under 25 years old."Megamind" took first place with $47.7 million.
"Due Date" came in second taking in $33.5 million.
Tyler Perry's latest, "For Colored Girls" took third with $20.1 million.

(EW.com) -- A trio of new releases propelled the box office to a record weekend, and DreamWorks Animation's and Paramount Pictures' "Megamind" led the way with $47.7 million, according to studio estimates.

The $130 million, CG-animated comedy starring Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, and Tina Fey got off to a slightly underwhelming $12.5 million start on Friday. But the superhero flick skyrocketed 65 percent on Saturday as parents, starved for a family film to take their tots to, stormed the local multiplex.

According to Paramount, 52 percent of "Megamind's" audience was less than 25 years old, and 66 percent of the movie's earnings came from 3-D screens. For DreamWorks Animation, "Megamind" was their seventh best debut, topping this year's "How to Train Your Dragon," but falling short of summer blockbusters such as "Kung Fu Panda" and the three "Shrek" sequels.

For Paramount, "Megamind" marks the studio's third No. 1 opening in four weeks. The folks on Melrose Avenue will have plenty to be thankful for in a couple of weeks.

Second place went to "Due Date," starring Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, and a horny French bulldog. The Warner Bros. film, which was co-produced by Legendary Pictures, grossed $33.5 million -- a great tally for an R-rated comedy, but short of director Todd Phillips' last project, "The Hangover," which debuted to $45 million.

"Due Date" scored a middling "B-" rating from CinemaScore audiences. However, the younger the moviegoer was, the more likely he or she gave the film a better grade. (Those under 18 rated it an "A-"). Since 59 percent of its audience was under the age of 35, "Due Date" may hold up better than its CinemaScore indicates.

Tyler Perry's "For Colored Girls," an adaptation of the acclaimed play "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf," premiered in third place with $20.1 million. That's lower than usual for the director, but still a very respectable opening, especially when considering that the film is Perry's first to be rated R.

"For Colored Girls" played a bit older than normal for Perry's movies, with 87 percent of the audience more than 25 years old. The serious drama, with its all-star female ensemble including Kimberly Elise, Whoopi Goldberg, Thandie Newton, Kerry Washington, and Janet Jackson, had no trouble attracting Perry's most supportive fan base -- African-American women. According to Lionsgate, 81 percent of the audience was African American, and 82 percent was female. And with an "A" rating from CinemaScore audiences, Perry's fan base clearly loved what they saw.

Summit's "Red" continued its slow-motion descent, slipping a minuscule 17 percent to secure fourth place with $8.9 million. The action comedy, starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and John Malkovich, has pulled off the rare feat of dropping each week by a smaller percentage than the week before. "Red" fell 31 percent its second weekend, then 29 percent, and now 17 percent for a four-week tally of $71.9 million.

In fifth place was "Saw 3D," which collapsed 64 percent its second weekend for $8.2 million. In limited release, Danny Boyle's Oscar hopeful, "127 Hours," grossed $266,000 from just four locations for a stupendous per-theater average of $66,500.

And the action thriller "Fair Game," starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, snared $700,000 from 46 sites -- a solid, if not extraordinary, per-theater average of $15,217.

Overall, the box office earned an estimated $157 million this weekend, breaking the 2003 record of $153 million for the first frame of November. Check back next weekend as another trio of films invades theaters -- the alien thriller "Skyline," the comedy "Morning Glory," and the runaway-train action film "Unstoppable."

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Chilean miner thanks America for NY marathon support - Telegraph.co.uk

Mr Peña hobbled his way over the finish line in Central Park at 3.30pm, five hours and 40 minutes after beginning the race in Staten Island.

“I’m not from this country, but I saw posters saying ‘Go Edison!” and 'Go for it Peña!' from people I didn’t even know," he said at the finish line.

"The warmth from the American people is amazing.”

The 34 year-old, who was the 12th man to be raised to the surface in the Phoenix rescue capsule from deep below the Atacama Desert last month, had been dubbed "the runner" for his gruelling subterranean exercise regime.

The fitness fanatic and Elvis Presley enthusiast jogged in his heavy miners' boots for several miles each day of his ordeal through dark uneven tunnels finding his footing by the light of his miner's lamp.

He suffered from a knee injury while in the mine, which made his progress during the marathon extremely painful. Mr Peña, who sported a knee support for the run, was forced to walk the last section of the course, from Manhattan to the finish.

“I cried twice because of the pain in my knees,” he said. “But I didn’t travel this far to give up."

Carrying aloft the Chilean flag, Mr Peña was met at the finish line by his wife, Angélica.

He was invited to participate in the challenge through the streets of Manhattan by organisers, who were inspired by his drive and stamina.

"I could have come just to watch, but I decided to take part, to feel the emotion," he said ahead of Sunday's race.

"I have a strong desire to motivate the others. This is the most important thing for me."

On arrival in New York on Thursday he was a guest on The Late Show hosted by David Letterman, where with gyrating hips and quivering lip the miner won over the audience with his own rendition of Elvis's "Suspicious Minds".

He will visit Graceland, Presley's mansion in Memphis, Tennessee and will make a trip to Las Vegas to see "Viva Elvis," a Cirque du Soleil show, before flying home to Chile.

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'Hangover' director grows with his movies - Toronto Sun

(L-r) Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis and director/producer Todd Phillips during the filming of Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' comedy "Due Date," a Warner Bros. Pictures release. (HO)

BEVERLY HILLS -- Having already covered college in Old School and marriage in The Hangover, it only makes sense that director Todd Phillips' latest film, Due Date, revolves around an impending bundle of joy.

"I sort of grow with my movies," Phillips, 39, says during a news conference for the new comedy, in theatres now.

"(My films) are always about my age range, it feels. And that's the next step in life, having a kid and fatherhood. It just seemed like an interesting thing, both for emotion and for comedy."

Mind you, Due Date isn't muddied with dirty diapers and blood-curdling infant screams. Instead it's a road trip comedy in which soon-to-be first-time dad Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr.) finds himself in Atlanta without a wallet and -- with his wife (Michelle Monaghan) set to give birth in L.A. in just a few days -- he's forced to ride home with airhead wannabe actor Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis) and Ethan's French bulldog Sonny.

Ethan quickly ignites Peter's already-short fuse, making pot pit-stops, crashing the vehicle and engaging in, um, interesting behaviour with Sonny.

It's the second road comedy Phillips has directed (2000's Road Trip is the first), and one of many (in addition to 2003's Old School, 2004's Starsky & Hutch, and last year's megahit The Hangover) that have seen him exploring male friendships, this time through the ticked-off eyes of Downey Jr.'s temperamental architect Peter.

"I think that every time I feel that I really hit critical mass and I'm in the right place is when I feel like the director and I become a third thing and that's the character," says Downey Jr., who calls himself "an appendage" of Phillips in Due Date.

"I always feel like I'm playing an aspect of the director, particularly when he's an auteur. And to me, it's a way of almost making him a proud parent."

But not without a few fights. Phillips says he and Downey Jr. had a lot of "spirited discussions", some lasting up to three hours, each morning during Due Date's filming.

"He is basically another writer in the room," Phillips says of the star. "He had the pages and then he'd go, 'OK, what are we REALLY doing?'

"Robert has an aversion to things that are typed," Phillips continues. "So even if we just rewrote the actual scene on a napkin, even if it was the same scene, he felt better about it.

"A lot of times you hear actors are worried about their lines. Robert thinks of the movie as a whole, he thinks of every character as a whole. For me it was an unequalled experience."

Downey Jr.'s comeback in the last few years has included blockbusters Iron Man and its sequel, as well as Sherlock Holmes and its upcoming sequel - though he'll go so far as to say that Phillips' Hangover followup is his "most healing project" yet.

Though it's not hard to believe, given all of the aggression Peter gets to let out on Ethan.

"There was something so cathartic about (this)," Downey Jr. says. "I've never come across anyone who is so confident and is so thoughtful and so spontaneous that it's not even daunting. He's just in a class by himself, and I think Todd is the best director I've worked with, bar none."

Downey Jr. adds, "We're generally pretty happy guys -- but we love just getting crabby together."

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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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