Box office report for June 13, 2011: “Super 8″ tops the box office
J.J. Abrams’ period sci-fi mystery “Super 8″ opened to a better-than-expected $37 million at the domestic box office, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Including paid previews on Thursday, the period sci-fi pic has earned $38 million in its first four days.
Overseas, “Super 8″ began rolling out in a handful of markets, grossing $6.7 million for a worldwide launch of $44.7 million.
Produced by Steven Spielberg and intended as an homage to his films, “Super 8″ had been tracking to open with $25 million to $30 million domestically, despite the involvement of high-profile filmmakers Abrams and Spielberg
According to the trade publication, distributor Paramount made apparently successful efforts to generate buzz on the eve of the film’s release. On Thursday, the studio partnered with Twitter to host paid previews across the country, preceded by free sneaks Wednesday in 11 cities.
The film performed on par with the August 2009 sleeper-hit “District 9,” which opened to $37.3 million at the domestic box office. Plus, “Super 8″ made more money Saturday and Friday – $14 million, versus $12.2 million on Friday – an indication of positive word-of-mouth, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“I think we accomplished what we set out to do. It was never positioned as a big blockbuster, but as a smaller movie,” Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore told the trade publication. “We used the sneaks to infuse the marketplace with great word-of-mouth, and it certainly looks like it paid off.”
Paramount told the trade publication “Super 8″ didn’t need a big opening, since it cost $50 million to produce, far less than other summer studio movies.
Set in 1979, “Super 8″ tells the story of a group of kids who are filming a home movie when there’s a violent train crash. When unexplained events start to threaten their town, they begin to suspect something inhuman escaped from the train.
In second place at the weekend box office was 20th Century Fox’s reboot “X-Men: First Class,” which grossed $25 million in its second weekend for a cumulative take of $98.9 million. The prequel fell 55 percent, the second best hold for any X-Men film besides “X2: X-Men United,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Overseas, First Class grossed $42.2 million for a cumulative of $124.2 million and worldwide total of $222.5 million.
Two films jumped the $200 million mark over the weekend at the domestic box office—Warner Bros.’ “The Hangover Part II,” which came in No. 3, and Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” which placed at No. 5.
“The Hangover Part II,” reuniting Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms, dropped only 41 percent to an estimated $18.5 million for a domestic cumulative of $216.6 million. The comedy’s international cume is now $215.5 million for a worldwide total of $432.1 million, not that far behind the $467.5 million earned by the 2009 original.
The fourth “Pirates of the Caribbean” film grossed $10.4 million domestically for a cumulative haul of $208.8 million. Overseas, the 3D blockbuster grossed $41.1 milion, bringing the movie’s international total to a massive $678 million and worldwide total to $886.8 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
At the domestic box office, DreamWorks Animation and Paramount’s “Kung Fu Panda 2,” leaping into fourth place and kicking up another $16.6 million for a cumulative of $126.9 million. Overseas, the 3D cartoon grossed $56.5 million to jump the $200 million mark and reach a worldwide total of $331.9 million.
Besides “Super 8,” the weekend’s other new nationwide release new was Relativity Media and Smokewood Entertainment’s “Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer,” which debuted to a soft $6.1 million. The film, based on the bestselling children’s book series, was distributed by Relativity, although Smokewood paid for all marketing costs in addition to fully financing the $20 million movie.
Domestic box office revenues were down roughly 7 percent from a year ago, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Here are the top 10 movies over the weekend, from IMDB:
1 Super 8 (2011) $37M $38M
2 X-Men: First Class (2011) $25M $98.9M
3 The Hangover Part II (2011) $18.5M $217M
4 Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) $16.6M $127M
5 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) $10.8M $209M
6 Bridesmaids (2011) $10.2M $124M
7 Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer (2011) $6.27M $6.27M
8 Midnight in Paris (2011) $6.15M $14.2M
9 Thor (2011) $2.37M $174M
10 Fast Five (2011) $1.71M $205M
-BAM
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