Hop to the top
A couple of new franchises and an established one took the top three spots at the box office over the extended Valentine’s Day through President’s Day weekend. Jumper ($32 million) and The Spiderwick Chronicles ($24.7 million), both of which could spawn a sequel, took the top two spots, while Step Up 2 the Streets, the follow-up to Step Up, earned $22 million to keep the machine humming.
The up side
Step Up 2 the Streets didn’t take the gold, but pound-for-pound it did the best of any of the top three films. At a cost of about $22 million, it earned back its investment in just one week, clearing a path for profits. Jumper and Spiderwick each cost more than $85 million to make, meaning they had better have some legs.
Bomb Squad
While inducting Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights — From Hollywood to the Heartland in to the Squad last week, we were remiss in leaving out another deserving candidate: Paris Hilton’s The Hottie and the Nottie. It earned a miniscule $27,696 in 111 theaters the weekend before last. So how much did it earn last weekend? Try $0, as each of those 111 theaters promptly pulled the stinker. It’s doubtful that five-figure gross even covered the party thrown for Paris at Ghostbar when she came to town last month.
Swami Sez
Fewer dead presidents than expected for President’s Day weekend
Prediction: Jumper earns $38 million Thursday through Monday to win the weekend.
Result: No. 1 yes, but $6 million less that predicted.
Prediction: The Spiderwick Chronicles ropes in the kids on the way to $27 million and a No. 2 finish.
Result: No. 2, yes, but a little closer on the total.
And the winner is …
Oscar weekend is always an off weekend for new movies, the thinking being that most movie fans are taking the weekend off to focus on the shiny trophies being handed out Sunday. But someone’s got to take the top spot, and that someone will be …
Prediction: Vantage Point earns $21 million to top the charts.
Who’s next?
It’s anyone’s best guest as to which of the other new releases finishes best. Be Kind, Rewind has the star (Jack Black) and opens in 800 theaters. Charlie Bartlett opens in the middle in a thousand theaters. And in a bit of Oscar counter-programming, the Larry the Cable Guy vehicle Witless Protection bows in 1,250 theaters.
Prediction: By virtue of its greater theater count, Witless Protection bests the other two new releases with $5 million.
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