HOLIDAY WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
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Last week's box office race came down to the wire with Takers and The Last Exorcism both fighting it out for number one. On Sunday it looked like the Eli Roth produced horror film had come out on top but by Monday morning the hip-hop heist film had won the weekend. Now with three highly anticipated new movies opening this Labor Day weekend, including director Robert Rodriguez's Machete, Going the Distance starring Drew Barrymore, and The American with Oscar winner George Clooney, it was inevitable that we would have a new box office champ.
Debuting at number one this week and doing better than expected is the new international espionage thriller starring Oscar winner George Clooney (Syriana), entitled The American. The movie made $4,594 on each of its 2,823 screens for an opening weekend total of $12.9 million, which was still not enough to earn back their $20 million production budget. Its 4-day holiday weekend take is estimated to be $16.1 million, with its cumulative grosses since it opened on wednesday landing at $19.2 million.
Debuting at number two this week, and not doing as well as expected, is the long-awaited new motion picture from visionary director Robert Rodriguez called Machete, which is based on the short film that was featured in his and Quentin Tarantino's movie Grindhouse. The film stars PEwKBywCY6r6Aw||Danny Trejo} (Heat) in the title role and also features a colorful cast of accomplished actors including Jessica Alba (Fantastic Four), Michelle Rodriguez (Avatar), Jeff Fahey (Lost), Cheech Marin (The Perfect Game), Don Johnson (Miami Vice), Steven Seagal (Half Past Dead), Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls) and Oscar winner Robert De Niro (Raging Bull). The movie made $4,232 on each of its 2,670 screens for an opening weekend total of $11.3 million, which was not enough to earn back their $25 million production budget. Its estimated 4-day holiday take, which actually moved the film from third into second place on Monday, is said to be close to $14.7 million, which still does not see the film recouping its total productions costs.
Falling two places back from last week, but still holding strong, is the urban heist film Takers. The movie boasts an all-star cast, which includes Paul Walker (Fast & Furious), Idris Elba(The Losers), Matt Dillon (Armored), Hayden Christensen (Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith), Michael Ealy (Miracle at St. Anna), Jay Hernandez (Quarantine), Chris Brown (Stomp the Yard), T.I. (American Gangster), and Zoe Saldana (Avatar). While the movie dropped almost 44.2% from the previous week, it earned roughly $5,190 on each of its 2,206 screens for a weekend total of $11.4 million. Its estimated 4-day holiday earnings are expected to be around $14.5 million. Now in just two weeks, the movie has made over $40.5 million earning back its entire $32 million production budget.
Falling two places back from last week to number four is the Eli Roth produced scare-fest The Last Exorcism, which stars Patrick Fabian (Must Love Dogs), Louis Herthum (I Love You Phillip Morris) and Ashley Bell (State of Play). While the movie dropped almost 62.5% from the previous week, it earned roughly $2,660 on each of its 2,874 screens for a weekend total of $7.6 million. Its 4-day holiday earnings are estimated to be $9.5 million. Now in just two weeks, the movie has made over $34.3 million, earning back its entire $1.8 million production budget and then some.
Rounding off the top five this week with a disappointing debut is the new romantic comedy about long distance relationships called Going the Distance. The movie boasts an all-star cast of comedic actors including Drew Barrymore (The Wedding Singer), Justin Long (Live Free or Die Hard), Christina Applegate (Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore), Ron Livingston (Office Space), Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Rob Riggle (The Hangover) and Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live). The movie made $2,272 on each of its 3,030 screens for an opening weekend total of $6.8 million, which was not enough to earn back their $32 million production budget. Its 4-day holiday earnings are estimated to be a total of $8.5 million.
Doing extremely well in limited release this week is the new documentary film The Tillman Story about the death of NFL player turned United States Army Ranger Pat Tillman. The film rose an amazing 320.0% since last week and was added in 19 theaters. The movie earned $5,542 on each of its 24 screens for a weekend total of $133,000. Now in just three weeks of release the film has earned about $257,000.
Next week will see the opening of two highly anticipated new films in wide release and three in limited release.
First up is the fourth chapter of the popular Resident Evil series, Resident Evil: Afterlife, based on the popular video game. Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element) returns in the lead role and is accompanied by a talented cast of actors, which includes Ali Larter (Heroes), Wentworth Miller (Prison Break), Boris Kodjoe (Surrogates) and Kim Coates (Sons of Anarchy).
Also opening in wide release next week is the romantic comedy The Romantics starring Katie Holmes (Batman Begins), Anna Paquin (True Blood), Josh Duhamel (Transformers), Malin Akerman (Watchmen), Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring) and Candice Bergen (Gandhi).
Opening in limited release next week is the long-awaited directorial debut of Oscar nominated actor entitled I'm Still Here. The documentary film examines the life of retired-actor turned hopeful-rapper Joaquin Phoenix.
Also in limited release next week is the wrestling drama Legendary starring John Cena (12 Rounds), Patricia Clarkson (Miracle) and Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon).
Finally, opening in limited release next week is the teen-pregnancy comedy Expecting Mary, which stars an all-star cast of veteran actors including Elliott Gould (MASH, The Long Goodbye), Linda Gray (Dallas), Lainie Kazan (Beaches, My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Oscar winner Cloris Leachman (The Last Picture Show, Young Frankenstein), Della Reese (Touched by an Angel, Harlem Nights), Cybill Shepherd (Moonlighting, Taxi Driver, Fred Willard (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Best In Show) and Gene Simmons from the legendary rock band "Kiss."
So please check back in seven days to see who comes out on top at the box office next week!
The American was released September 1st, 2010 and stars George Clooney, Thekla Reuten, Irina Björklund, Violante Placido, Paolo Bonacelli, Samuli Vauramo, Filippo Timi, Björn Granath. The film is directed by Anton Corbijn.
Takers was released August 27th, 2010 and stars Chris Brown, Hayden Christensen, Matt Dillon, Michael Ealy, Idris Elba, Steve Harris, T.I., Jay Hernandez. The film is directed by John Luessenhop.
Comments (42)
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Spongebob_Boxofficepants
The American is the 1st winner of the fall battle or The Ber War
2 years agoby @spongebob-boxofficepantsFlag
moviegeek
Not a single 3D film in the top ten!!! :D :D
2 years agoby @moviegeekFlag
The Soylent Green Monkey
Machete f*ckin' OWNED.
2 years agoby @soylentgreen2Flag
ed_wood
The American had a great performance from Clooney but that's about it. I'm not sure why, something about it was just off for me. Machete was fun, just like I expected. Going the Distance was painful to watch but had a couple of funny parts. No doubt Resident Evil will be on top next week.
2 years agoby @ed-woodFlag
ejk1
Eight Legged Freaks. I love when that's on TBS late at night. It's dumb, and has David Arquette, but works for me.
2 years agoby @ejk1Flag
Diaigma
Well, someone paying for your ticket. Who would say no to THAT? Good man :P
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag
Dan
Well, I made my brother pay for my ticket when we saw Machete, so technically I didn't spend any of "my" money on it lol.
2 years agoby @dan1Flag
Diaigma
My stance - I'm not seeing Takers OR Machete. When I go to a movie, I take (as hard as I might) no expectations with me. If a film presents itself as something that forces me to have an expectation (mindless/B-movie/over-the-top dumbness) in order to validate its existence, that's the moment I refuse to hand over my hard-earned money towards it. Both films won't get a penny from me.
But I see your points, @Paolo and @moviegeek. I agree, it's an art, but I'm the type who likes films that I can enjoy time and time again. I saw Eight-Legged Freaks once. Do I have a desire to watch that again? No way, because it was meant to be taken seriously. Now, if you make it a comedy (Billy Madison/UHF), it works! But you're right. It's all about tastes. I can't stand shell-fish :P
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag
ejk1
I have to say that I had no interest in seeing Machete. After seeing the trailer, I thought it looked awful. Unfortunately, the way everyone is taking shots at this flick does nothing to hinder my theory that DeNiro is done being a top actor in Hollywood. I do hope his next project will help him gain the lofty status he held for almost thirty years.
2 years agoby @ejk1Flag
moviegeek
@Paolo I agree with half of what you are saying. I will state clearly that I don't think Takers, in any way shape or form, ever tried to be serious. But that was just how I felt about it. But you mention that Machete is so over-the-top that it works? Over-the-top in what? You say violence and grotesque-ness, but allow me, for the sake of the discussion, to substitute the word dumbness, since that is what we are talking about.
Because Machete is so blatantly and viciously over-the-top, so purposefully dumb, that its redeemable? Whereas, because Takers was 'supposedly' more serious-minded that it was a clashing contradiction to how dumb it was? (1) It's all going to come down to the mindset you enter a film with. But (2), I think we (moviegoers) tend to look for extremes in any area. We praise films that are extremely mind-blowing, extremely dramatic, extremely well-acted, etc. But we also praise movies that are extremely sick, extremely twisted, extremely BAD ("So bad it's good" is something I may never understand...), and even, as @Diaigma would have it, extremely B-movie. Because of this, I think we have to hit an extreme in order to ever be engaged with a film. Takers, sure, no masterpiece. In fact it's a rather insignificant movie that touches no extreme. You say Machete is over-the-top and that's the point. Takers is over-the-top as well. But because it isn't so much so, it won't work in comparison. I don't think any film should ever purposefully try and be mindless. Because mindless is mindless, regardless of just how far it goes.
And about money, Takers made more because of that very accessible PG-13 rating.
2 years agoby @moviegeekFlag
Paolo Sardinas
@moviegeek: I respect your opinion and the fact that you took the time to post up a well thought out and well written response to my post. I applaud you for not being like some of the other immature users on this site who call people "douchebags" just because they don't agree with their opinion at an attempt to make themselves feel better.
2 years agoby @sardinasFlag
Paolo Sardinas
@moviegeekL I understand what you're saying. I actually just came back from a second viewing of Machete (it wasn't my idea, I got dragged to it), and I have to agree with what you're saying. Allow me to recant, or further explain, my previous comment. Machete is dumb entertainment. Its perversion is at an all time high but what I was trying to get at was that with Machete I was already expecting Danny Trejo to rip out someone's intestine and use it to swing out of a window. With Takers I wasn't expecting Oscar material but I was expecting something with a little bit more substance. I knew I was in for a dumb film but I wouldn't have expected it to be so dumbly written or plotted. With Machete I was expecting it to be over-the-top, violent if not grotesque entertainment. But your reasoning is that if you hate one type of mindless entertainment you should hate it all. Machete is over-the-top but thats the point. Takers is stupid just because it tries to be so serious. In your comment you state that people love to complain about movies that make money yet those same people pity films that don't make money. Yet both Machete and Takers are both films that are increasingly dumb and de-sanitized of any sense yet one makes more money than the other one. How do you reason that? Personally if I had to choose between the two I'd choose Machete. Why? Because its actually entertaining. Did I love the movie? No. In fact if it weren't for Danny Trejo I probably wouldn't have seen it in the first place. Takers was just painful. You say that I praised Machete. I didn't praise it I just simply said that it was enjoyable. After seeing it a second time I actually liked it less the second time than I did the first time.
@ Diaigma: B-movies, like the ones Machete is homaging, in their own right, were art forms. But in the 70's they were art forms. Today they're blockbuster and the average regular movie goer, frankly, isn't going to know what Machete is homaging to unless they do some research on it before hand. They'll just perceive it as a cheesy B-movie but probably won't get the idea of it being that way on purpose. I never really cared for exploitation or B-movies but its the same logic that can be applied to music can also be applied to movies. You could despise rap music but you still have to admit that it is a certain type of art that certain people enjoy. Its all a matter of taste.
2 years agoby @sardinasFlag
moviegeek
Well my finger went bezerk when typing your user name O.o
2 years agoby @moviegeekFlag
moviegeek
@Diaiiaigma Thank You!!
2 years agoby @moviegeekFlag
Diaigma
The fact that people settle for B-movies disturbs me :P
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag
DarkKnight89
Machete was a great "B movie", much like Planet Terror was. Its just good entertainment not to be taken seriously.
2 years agoby @darkknight89Flag
Flipsyde933
Saw Takers yesterday and didn't think it was that good, didn't seem to have depth with the characters, and most of the top actors didn't have much screen time really. I think it could have been alot better than it was. But what I do love is that Inception is still in the top 10, it deserves it.
2 years agoby @flipsyde933Flag
Daveactor7
@moviegeek1 lol
2 years agoby @daveactor7Flag
moviegeek
In that case, goodbye! :p
2 years agoby @moviegeekFlag
Daveactor7
I swear if people watch resident evil and it becomes number one ur gonna see me back on an article like this
2 years agoby @daveactor7Flag
moviegeek
@Paolo Really? Really? You commend Machete for being dumb entertainment yet throw shame on Takers for being the same? I think many people love to trash on films that unexpectedly rake in big dollars, and then have pity on the films that underwhelm (i.e. Machete). If you want to trash both of these films for being dumb entertainment for the dumb American, do so. But don't spew about how one film is worthy and another is not without observing both sides.
In my opinion, Machete was the real waste of time hear this weekend. To those who found it's perversion fun, I'm happy and sad for you at the same time. But no ill will meant all the same. People have different tastes in films I suppose.
2 years agoby @moviegeekFlag
Daveactor7
@Paolo AMEN to that. Takers was a horrible movie. American audiences have a low educational level now a days. Action being the only important thing in cinema. People, I suggest u dont see a movie for that only or else i think that u are not a true movie fan.
2 years agoby @daveactor7Flag
Paolo Sardinas
Machete served its purpose in being dumb entertainment. I thought it was a fun movie but nothing spectacular. It'll probably see some return though when it comes to DVD/Blu-Ray sales. The American I enjoyed it as well but it had its fair share of mistakes. I don't know why some people are bashing Clooney? Just 'cause his films don't make money everyone attacks him for it. Wes Anderson's films don't make any money yet they're consistently one of the best films of the year when they're released. I applaud Clooney for taking on different roles that don't consist of him jumping from building to building blowing things up. He did well in Syriana (though the film itself could've been better) not to mention Michael Clayton and Up in the Air. Everyone loved him in Up in the Air and said that they're glad that he tried a different role yet he does this and everyone says he has a large ego. What the hell do people want? He's got more money than God the only difference is he doesn't spend it on fast cars and cocaine. The American might not be everyone's cup of tea but to be frank this (along with Inception) was probably the only film that actually didn't make me feel like it was a waste of time.
On a side note; it befuddles me how Takers, a poorly made heist film starring a bunch of people no one cares about (aside from Idris Elba), gets an A- from audience members and The American gets a D-. Why? 'Cause there is more talking than car chases and shootouts? News flash for everyone whose too ignorant to research what they complain about but there was a time when movies were actually able to grasp your attention for more than 90 minutes.
I apologize for the rant. But to avoid another one I rather not comment on Drew Barrymore's sh*tty romantic comedy.
2 years agoby @sardinasFlag
WiseGuy
I cant believe that Inception is still up there! It deserves a spot in the top ten! Love seein' it still doing well
2 years agoby @zgcorleone072Flag
The Dark Knight
Im impressed too bad Going the Distance didnt grab 3rd
2 years agoby @thedarkknight23Flag
Daveactor7
The american was average. I liked the cinematography and the acting. But still the story was boring.
2 years agoby @daveactor7Flag
The Boondock Saint
i heard that takers and machete were switched? oh well. i dont care either way. enjoyed takers. havent seen machete yet though. the american was great though
2 years agoby @combatmadness360Flag
Daveactor7
@theSoylentGreenMonkey hell yeah its still there
2 years agoby @daveactor7Flag
The Soylent Green Monkey
Wow...and Inception is still in there, holy sh*t.
2 years agoby @soylentgreen2Flag
Diaigma
@Monkeyiron - becamed? . . .
Anyways, I knew Machete wouldn't take #1. What a slow labor day weekend!
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag