This past weekend proved to be one of the strongest of the fall movie season with five films finishing in double digits including all four new wide releases.
Where most of the audience was turned out to be a magical land brought to film by Spike Jonze. Where the Wild Things Are was neither too dreary or adult to keep audiences away en route to pulling in an estimated $32.5 million from Friday through Sunday, short of the $40 million Friday estimates indicated but beyond studio expectations.
Second place went to Law Abiding Citizen with Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler with a strong $21.3 million while third was wrapped up by Paranormal Activity with $20.2 million.
Couples Retreat held strong in the face of four newcomers and secured fourth place with $17.9 million in its second weekend of release. The Stepfather rounds out the top 5 with $12.3 million.
The complete weekend box office results for October 16-18 are as follows:
- 1. Where the Wild Things Are: $32.5m
- 2. Law Abiding Citizen: $21.3m
- 3. Paranormal Activity: $20.2m
- 4. Couples Retreat: $17.9m
- 5. The Stepfather: $12.3m
- 6. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs: $8.1m
- 7. Zombieland: $7.8m
- 8. Toy Story Double Feature: $3m
- 9. Surrogates: $1.9m
- 10. The Invention of Lying: $1.9m
Where the Wild Things Are will be tested next weekend by a pair of newcomers geared towards the younger crowd in Summit Entertainment’s Astro Boy and Universal’s Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant. Adults won’t be left out with Fox Searchlight’s Amelia and Lionsgate’s Saw VI opening wide.
Come back Tuesday to play our interactive Weekend Box Office Prophet game where you can predict what each of these films will make for a chance at prizes.
