Early Oscar contender The Social Network had many likes this weekend
as it took first place in the weekend box office race, while the two other
newcomers, Let Me In and Case 39 didn’t fare nearly as well.
Following weeks of tremendous buzz and critical raves, Sony’s The Social
Network led the box office this weekend bringing in an estimated $23M from
2,771 screens for a per screen average of $8,300. The film, which follows the
creation of the popular social networking site Facebook through the eyes of
those involved, has gotten some of the loudest buzz of any movie of 2010.
Already considered an early front-runner in the Oscar race, the tale of Mark
Zuckerberg and company opened with around the same numbers as other adult films
released this same time of year. Just a few weeks ago The Town opened
with $23.8M and an almost identical per screen average. And four years ago
another early Oscar heavyweight, The Departed, opened the first weekend
of October to $26.9M on its way to a total gross of $132.4M and of course, a
Best Picture win. Exit surveys for The Social Network showed the audience
was 53% female and 55% were over the age of 25. A solid B+ from Cinemascore
shows that so far audiences are enjoying what they’re seeing, but only time will
tell if the movie can carry this momentum throughout the rest of the year.
Flying into second place were the owls of Ga’Hoole as Legend of the Guardians
fell a slim 33%, the best hold in the top 10, to an estimated $10.9M, bringing
its total cume to $30. A final gross in the $55-60M range is possible, but is a
disappointment considering the rumored $100M budget and additional 3D
surcharges. Last weekend’s champ Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps crashed
47% in its second weekend, cashing in $10.1M this weekend, according to
estimates, for a total so far of $35.9M. Look for a final gross of around $60M,
though if Michael Douglas gets any award consideration, it could go a little
higher. Another hot Oscar contender, Ben Affleck’s The Town held on well
in its third lap around the box office track, stealing $10M this weekend,
according to estimates, bringing its total so far to $64.3M. With less than $1M
separating 2nd, 3rd and 4th place this weekend, the positions could switch when
the final numbers come out on Monday.
Fifth place belonged to the well-received comedy Easy A which dipped 34%
from last weekend to an estimated $7M bringing its cume to $42.4M. Another
comedy landed in sixth place with the Disney release You Again also
falling a small 34% in its second outing to $5.5M according to estimates. Its
gross stands at $16.4M with a final total in the $30M range likely.
Two new films debuted in seventh and eighth place this weekend, both to highly
disappointing results. Currently in seventh with an estimated $5.35M is the
long-delayed Renée Zellweger fright flick Case 39 which opened on 2,211
screens for a per screen average of a poor $2,420. Following very close behind
was the horror remake Let Me In which opened with an estimated $5.30M
from 2,021 theaters, for a per screen average of $2,622. Both films hoped to get
an early start on the traditional October horror season, but neither connected
with audiences. Even combined their grosses would only be fighting for second
place this weekend. Are people saving their money for the three major horror
films due out the rest of the month? Or will Wes Craven’s My Soul to Take,
Paranormal Activity 2 and Saw 3D suffer the same fate at the box
office?
Speaking of disappointing horror films, M. Night Shyamalan’s Devil fell
44% this weekend to an estimated $3.7M bringing its total to a not-so-scary
$27.4M. And rounding out the top 10 was the family film Alpha and Omega
which dropped 36% in its third weekend to $3M, according to estimates, bringing
its total to $19M.
The top ten films grossed $83.8M which was down 4% from last year when
Zombieland opened in the top spot with $24.7M; and down 7% from 2008 when
Beverly Hills Chihuahua debuted at number one with $29.3M.
