It did it again…Think Like a Man went and surprised everyone for the second week in a row by winning the weekend box office game. I thought we had some pretty solid entries this week, but alas, nothing to take down the Steve Harvey comedy based on his novel. Scoring especially well with the matinees (those crazy kids, always like matinees) The Pirates! Band of Misfits carved out a second place spot over The Lucky One, but was still the worst box office opening for an Aardman Animations production (behind Arthur Christmas). The Hunger Games held in the top five at number four, and The Five Year Engagement, Safe, and The Raven were all, pretty much, well, DOA. All of this led to one of the worst weekends in 2012 so far….not good. However, we don't have to fret for long as The Avengers is still breaking records worldwide, and has opened at #1 in every foreign market. With the onslaught of early ticket sales, I don't think it will have any problem opening at #1 in the US next weekend. Avengers unite!
Box Office
 | 1. Think Like A Man $18 million / $60.8m Total Domestic Although it had a 50% drop, it still came out number one. Again…surprising, well, everyone. |
 | 2. The Pirates! Band of Misfits $11.4 million / New / $75m Total Worldwide A bit off from Ardman's Wallace & Grommit, the misfits managed to get themselves a #2 slot and a respectable opening weekend. Thank the children. |
 | 3. The Lucky One $11.3 million / $39.9m Total Domestic / $43.7m Total Worldwide Zac Efron still has pretty nice biceps. |
 | 4. The Hunger Games $11.3 million / $372m Total Domestic / $601m Total Worldwide Katniss and crew fell one whole slot to number four it it's sixth week of release. It has also now made more than $600 million worldwide. |
 | 5. The Five-Year Engagement $11.2 million / New Bombed...big time. While many believed it would win the box office this weekend, it only managed to barely open in the top 5. A bit strange for an Apatow produced Jason Segel RomCom, especially given the masses of money they put in the marketing…perhaps everyone is just saving their dollars for The Avengers next weekend. |
 | 6. Safe $7.7 million / New The lowest Jason Statham opening since The Bank Job in 2008. Guess he wasn't safe from the awful BO weekend, either. |
 | 7. The Raven $7.3 million / New / $10.8m Total Worldwide It makes me sad, but John Cusack can't really open a movie. Especially a dark thriller inspired by the works of Edgar Allen Poe. |
 | 8. Chimpanzee $5.5 million / $19.2m Total Domestic Dropped from #4 to #8 , but with all of the new entries this week I think that is still a win for Oscar the chimp…and I still want to bring him home with me. |
 | 9. The Three Stooges $5.4 million / $37.1 Total Domestic The Stooges stick around, but will this be good enough for a sequel? I'm thinking not... |
 | 10. The Cabin in the Woods $4.5 million / $34.7 Total Domestic / $43m Total Worldwide It's still in the top 10….at least that is something? |
@Delta_Assault: Ahh, yes...Avengers Assemble! I'm so excited.
Avengers has to be the one to take it down. Otherwise I've lost hope in humanity lol
All of these movies will be destroyed when the Avengers comes out. Summer movie time is almost here!
John Cusack can't open a film?
Serendipity, Identity, 1408 and Hot Tub Time Machine would all like to have a word with you.
Also the Five Year Engdament did not bomb big time. It underperformed, but it's budget wasn't likely high to begin with.
Also the Three Stooges will get a sequel, mark my words.
Even though the reviews are only fifty fifty on it, and I have yet to see it, I'm actually pretty happy with Think Like a Man winning the top slot two weekends in a row. For years I've heard producers talk about how films with mostly African American cast can't do very well at box offices so they never really give them a shot, so I'm so happy to see that a movie has come out to prove them wrong.
You say Avengers unite...you mean Avengers Assemble!
@obscurefan: doubly happy that it isn't a Tyler Perry movie. Which it seems like most black ensemble cast films get lumped into.
Its called the Avengers they are coming (like Winter). Hell I will probably see it twice during the opening weekend the movies shall be taking my money.
I am super excited for The Avengers, which comes out this Friday. Also, I want to see Safe (because I'm a huge fan of Jason Statham), Cabin in the Woods, and Pirates: Band of Misfits.
Shocked and EXSTATIC that The Pirates! made #2! Sure, it's only really 'cause ignorant parents will takes their kids to whatever looks cartoony at the time, but at least it bodes well... Well, I was gonna say it bodes well for Stop-Motion (considering there are 2 other Stop-Motion flicks coming out this year in a medium drenched with shitty yet popular CG) although I'm pretty sure that a lot of those parents may have thought it was CG going in.
Oh well, still great news.
@Moviemaniac said:
Dude, I'm starting to think you were one of the producers. ;)
@Moviemaniac said:
Fair enough, perhaps I should have said John Cusack isn't "guaranteed" to open a film. In my mind his is an actor that will always bring in huge numbers...and Serendipity is one of my favorite comedies of all time, so I make not quarrels with it.
And, with a budge of $30 million, which I am sure is increased a lot when adding in a huge marketing budget, I think it is going to be hard for The Five Year Engagement to make a lot of money. Especially with the fact that it underperformed so largely, which will not help get more people to see it next week...perhaps in DVD, but in theaters, I still stand by "bomb."
@obscurefan said:
That's a very good point!
@staceywi said:
At last, a fellow Serendipity apologist on Screened!
@skidd said:
Yes! My heart melts every time....the gloves, the book, the skating rink...I could go on...sigh.
Interesting are your comments regarding The Raven. I was actually having a discussion about how John Cusack was only cool in the 20th century and how I won't see it (immediately) because of him.
I saw Cabin in the Woods and Five Year Engagement. Cabin was pretty good and Engagement was just ok. Sad to see the movie do as poorly as it did but I guess Zac Efron just won't quit.
@fuzzay said:
I present you with High Fidelity then sir. Probably one of Cusack's last better performances.
@rem25: Touche, good sir! I took a guess and thought that was released in 1999, but I was wrong. Yeah, that movie is pretty great.