'Book of Eli' Tops 'Avatar' at the Friday Box-Office
But 'Avatar' should surge back to win the weekend
Avatar's more family-friendly rating and the fact it only has to make up $1.3 million on The Book of Eli should mean we are looking at a fifth weekend in a row for Avatar. I guess the big question now is whether or not Avatar can withstand Extraordinary Measures, Legion and The Tooth Fairy next weekend for a sixth weekend in a row.
With what looks to be a fifth weekend in a row for the sci-fi feature means Avatar is the first film since The Sixth Sense in 1999 to take five weekends straight, but should it manage to win next weekend it will be the first time a film has achieved that feat since Cameron's last film, Titanic took 15 weekends straight back in the 1997-98 frame. Whether you are a box-office guru or not, you have got to be impressed with that. Hell, people should rally together to go see it just to make it happen.
As for the rest of Friday's estimates, The Lovely Bones finally expanded and managed $5.7 million from 2,563 theaters and should pull about $16 million for the weekend. Lionsgate's new release The Spy Next Door managed a meager $2.4 million tying with Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel for the fifth slot, which I'm assuming they'll take since they did little more than online advertising for the flick. However, Lionsgate's Daybreakers, which opened in the #4 slot last weekend with $15.1 million is suffering this weekend with only $1.4 million on Friday and will likely miss the top ten completely. Not too impressive.
However, the same could be said for the Weinstein Co.'s Youth in Revolt, a film that deserved much better than it got and after a $6.9 million opening weekend earned only $950,000 on Friday and will now struggle to make $2.5 million for the three-day and won't be seen in the top ten or likely heard from again. Like the graphic says, "Sad panda."
Variety brings us the following Friday estimates, stay tuned as Laremy will be here Sunday morning with the three-day results.
- The Book of Eli – $11.7 million
- Avatar – $10.4 million
- The Lovely Bones – $5.7 million
- Sherlock Holmes – $2.8 million
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel – $2.4 million
- The Spy Next Door – $2.4 million
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Wow, small drop for Avatar. Its getting less shocking everytime it happens…
Funny picture.
IN YOUR FACE PEOPLE, I PREDICTED A TIE BETWEEN SPY NEXT DOOR AND THE SQUEAKQUEL AND SO FAR I'M RIGHT!
Avatar will surge on Sat while Eli will remain flat and possibly even dip a little. Avatar takes a the weekend again, but Eli will have a solid showing.
@m1: You rule! I'm having lot's of difficulty predicting children's films, e.g. A Christmas Carol, The Princess & the Frog, Planet 51, and now The Spy Next Door. I'm usually too optimistic. I even kept giving Alvin & the Chipmunks too much credit.
While I am glad that I was the first to predict that Avatar would win its 5th weekend in a row (look it up people, Laremy can back me up on this), I'm not so sure it can beat out Legion. What I am saying is this, Paul Bettany (Legion – January 22) and Mel Gibson (Edge of Darkness – January 29) should be shaking in their boots.
Legion will bomb, that is sure. But Edge of Darkness is a serious oponent to become the movie that will dethrone Avatar from the first place.
@John-PT:
Unless every Constantine fan goes to see it, which they should. Actually everyone should because the movie looks amazing…does anyone know how it much it cost to make? I wouldn't think it was very expensive…
@Seiko: After being underwhelmed by Legion's initial trailer, I was not expecting much from this film; however, I began to change my mind after catching a viewing of the Red-Band trailer for this film – it was pretty frickin' sweet. But, after repeat viewings, again I'm just not that impressed with the film. While it might become a surprise sleeper, I still think it will only muster a Daybreaker size box office take ($15 million range sounds about right).
Avatar just grossed an estimated 17.5mil for Sat (1/16), which is a ridiculously strong hold from the 21mil it grossed last Sat. The 500mil barrier is gone by the end of Monday or Tuesday.
@junjun: How much did Book of Eli take on Saturday?
youth in revolt was soooooooo funny i loved that movie … i wish it got more viewing. I didnt like avatar , to me the story was just too weak and i couldnt let the amazing picture be wut i liked about it.
@Jezza:
Eli grossed an estimated 12mil. 31mil is the 3-day projection, and unless I'm mistake, it's Denzel's 2nd best weekend opener behind only American Gangster's 40mil.