Box Office Report Feb 26th 2006

Dude here again. Once again I present to you the weekend's box office estimates. I report, YOU DECIDE! (Note that's probably a registered trademark somewhere, but if Fox is willing to sue a guy who writes for a movie website that calls himself "The Dude", then i say BRING IT ON!!!!)  
This week, we have an exact replica of last year's weekend, with a Tyler Perry in drag film taking the top spot. The difference is this year everybody saw it coming. Last year, it took everyone by surprise. Believe me, I was working at the movie theater back then, and my theater had no idea what to do, aside from moving it into the biggest theater we had. Oh, and Paul Walker also proved that last week was a fluke, or at least that people don't go out of their way if it's a Paul Walker movie. Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and these are the studio estimates. Numbers might change on Monday).

1. Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion (LG) - $30.25, 2194 screens, week 1, $30.25 total
2. Eight Below (BV)- $15.7, 3072 screens, week 2, $45.055 total
3. The Pink Panther (MGM/Sony) - $11.3, 3313 screens, week 3, $61.0 total
4. Date Movie (Fox)- $9.2, 2898 screens, week 2, $33.9 total
5. Curious George (Uni) - $7.0, 2609 screens, week 3, $43.1 total
6. Firewall (WB) - $6.28, 2740 screens, week 3, $36.89 total
7. Final Destination 3 (NL) - $5.35, 2726 screens, week 3, $44.799 total
8. Doogal (Weinstein) - $3.6, 2318 screens, week 1, $3.6 total
9. Running Scared (NL) - $3.075, 1611 screens, week 1, $3.075 total10. Freedomland (Sony) - $2.9,  2361 screens, week 2, $10.778 total

Ok, those are the numbers, so what does this all mean? Well, if you're Tyler Perry, you have even more money than you did last year. Repeating the success of last year's Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea's Family Reunion, which continues the adventures of a man dressing up like a woman (only this time, it's not to deceive anyone, like another certain Big Momma) brought in the crowds. Perry has a fan base, which came out to support the film last year, as well as his numerous touring stage productions. Madea continues the plays to film format, and the audiences come out in droves. The film was not screened for critics, but that doesn't seem to matter, seeing as how Diary was lambasted by many. Seeing as how that had absolutely no effect on the film's box office, Lionsgate thought it smart to continue along this path. And it worked. I'm sure we have another Tyler Perry venture to look forward to next year as well.

If you're Doogal, well you can't win them all. After the success of Hoodwinked a few weeks ago, The Weinstein company thought it a safe bet to release this other CG animated motion picture, but this time it missed the mark, and fell on it's face. Too much, too soon, perhaps. I'm sure the film will have a long life on the video racks, if people discover it's actually good. (I have no idea if the film is any good or not, I haven't seen a single review). 

If you're Running Scared, there's a joke to be made about not running very far that I'm too lazy (or proud) to make. That's a shame, actually, because the movie looks unbelievably kick ass. And the reviews I have read (I'll be seeing it this week at some point) all point out how ridiculous the movie is, while still being enormously entertaining. Paul Walker, you need fast cars or a pack of dogs to help you out at the box office, bro. It's a shame, because this movie looked like it could make me take you seriously. Or at least have some more respect for you.

Everything else dropped significantly.  But that damn Pink Panther movie continues to make movie, and I'm fairly certain it's the highest grossing film released this year so far. Shudder to think. That or it's tied with Big Momma's House 2. Again, I weep silently. And Firewall continues to make some steady cash, making it one of Harrison Ford's highest grossing films in 6 years. An impressive year for steady money making, if not astronomical grosses like the studios wish they could have, but when they don't everyone talks of slump.

Below the radar, Miramax released their Academy Award nominated foreign film entry Tsotsi, about a young thug in Africa who finds redemption in a kidnapped baby. It took in $78,000 on 6 screens, and looks to be generating a fair amount of great reviews. Aside from that, nothing else new was released below the way. But Night Watch, in it's second week, expanded to 34 screens and took in $200,000. Hopefully this platform release will build steadily and produce results.

And in the "just because it's there and because I can" series: King Kong took in $280,000 on 264 screens, bringing  it's tally to $216,689,000 in 11 weeks. 

There you have my wonderful break down. Next week, we have the return of Kurt Wimmer (and hot Milla Jovavich in leather kickin people's asses),the return of Richard Donner to mismatched buddy films (with a mustached Bruce Willis and Mos Def) and a concert film from Dave Chapelle, (curiously enough, also co-starring Mos Def).
 
Until next weekend....