The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Be sure to check back on Tuesday for final figures based on actual box office.
Paramount Pictures’ new monster movie Cloverfield, produced by J.J. Abrams (upcoming Star Trek, “Lost,” “Alias”), destroyed the four-day Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend record set by Black Hawk Down ($33.7 million) in 2002. The anticipated film, shot from the perspective of a hand-held camera, earned an impressive $46 million for the four days from 3,411 theaters. Created for just $25 million (plus marketing costs), the movie averaged $13,496 per location over the long weekend. On Sunday, the Matt Reeves-directed pic had earned $40 million and surpassed the biggest 3-day opening weekend record set by “Star Wars: Special Edition” ($35.9 million) in 1997. Written by Drew Goddard, Cloverfield stars Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas and T.J. Miller.
Opening in second place, 20th Century Fox’s 27 Dresses saw solid ticket sales as well, as the Katherine Heigl romantic comedy collected $27.3 million from 3,057 theaters, an average of $8,920 per site. The film, also starring James Marsden, Malin Akerman and Ed Burns, cost about $30 million to make.
Dropping two spots to third, Warner Bros.’ The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, added another $16.1 million to bring its four-week total to $43.7 million. The dramedy carried a budget of $45 million.
Fox Searchlight’s Juno, starring Ellen Page and written by Diablo Cody, garnered $12 million in its seventh weekend in theaters, pushing its remarkable sum to $87 million.
Screen Gems’ First Sunday, starring Ice Cube, Katt Williams and Tracy Morgan, rounded out the top five with $9.4 million. The comedy has earned $30.1 million in two weeks.
Disney’s National Treasure: Book of Secrets dropped a couple of spots to sixth with $9.4 million and has brought in $199.2 million in five weeks.
Fox’s Alvin and the Chipmunks and Overture Films’ first feature, Mad Money, each earned an estimated $9.2 milllion this weekend. The final figures on Tuesday will determine which one came out ahead.
Warner Bros.’ I Am Legend, with Will Smith, added $5.7 million in weekend #6, bringing its total to $248.3 million to date.
Golden Globe winners Atonement and There Will Be Blood added more theaters allowing the former to keep its 10th spot with $5.7 million (total $32.8 million) and the latter to take the 11th spot with $3.5 million (total $8.5 million).
Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films.
