BOX OFFICE REPORT "” August 2-4, 2013(estimates from BoxOfficeMojo.com)
TOP 5
1. 2 Guns ($27.3 million)2. The Wolverine ($21.7 million)3. The Smurfs 2 ($18.2 million)4. The Conjuring ($13.6 million)5. Despicable Me 2 ($10.3 million)
After spendings lots of their hard-earned dollars on Monsters University, Despicable Me 2 and even Epic, parents weren't going to spend any more money at the box office, especially not for something as crappy as The Smurfs 2. The European-set sequel only made $18.2 million, good enough for third place. That's roughly half what the first one made this weekend two years ago. Don't worry, though. They've already planned a Smurfs 3 for 2015. While the first film made $142 million here, it made $421 million overseas. So it's weak domestic opening doesn't mean we'll be spared future installments.
But the winner of the weekend was definitely 2 Guns. While $27.3 million is a modest opening, it was good enough for No. 1, and its relatively cheap budget ($61 million) means this one will be out of the red in the next few weeks, something fewer and fewer movies were able to say this summer. It was pure escapist fun and good word-of-mouth could keep it doing steady business until Labor Day.
After opening way too wide in just a short amount of time, Fruitvale Station has now fallen out of the national zeitgeist, earning only $2.7 million this weekend. It's still an important movie, but The Weinstein Company's strategy to open as widely as possible backfired. Right now, it's only made $10.9 million. Expect a re-release toward the end of the year to remind Academy voters of its importance
Outside the top 5: - This Weekend's Indie Champ: The Spectacular Now, a teen romance critics say avoids all the clichés, opened huge, averaging $50,000 on its four screens. The writers of 500 Days of Summer adapted the beloved novel. It will take some huge audience reaction to match the gross of that film ($32 million).
- After setting a 2013 record, Blue Jasmine continued its arthouse dominance, averaging $42,125 on all 48 screens. It's made $3 million in just two weeks and could be on its way to being another big hit for Woody Allen, though the caustic film won't be as big as the delightful Midnight in Paris ($56 million).
- It's sad for Lindsay Lohan's career that this counts as a success, but her last-ditch comeback effort made $15,200 on its lone screen. The Canyons, directed by Paul Schrader, scripted by Bret Easton Ellis and co-starring porn actor James Deen, may only be a curiosity, but so far it's a money-making one.
Next week: It's going to be a crowded weekend, but only one movie will truly be able to call itself a success. Elysium, the long-awaited second film from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp, will easily be No. 1 next week. While it doesn't have that intangible quality District 9 had"”mainly, that reaction we all had of "I don't know what this is, but it looks awesome and I have to see it""”Matt Damon's star power when it comes to action movies should be enough to bring in $30 million. The other three movies are just hoping not to be embarrassed. Both Planes and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters will end up whiffing as most the parents' movie budget has been sucked dry. The former will probably make around $18 million, while the latter will fall even harder, earning just $15 million and will hopefully kill this franchise. Logan Lerman deserves better. We're the Millers will probably end up with just $10 million, but it's unlikely it cost more than $20 million, so it will still be counted a success when all is said and done.
