Dynamic duo
Wall-E is short on dialogue, but its $63 million opening weekend spoke volumes about audience demand for high-quality animation. The Pixar gem combined with Wanted, which impressed with $50.9 million, to mark the first time that two movies each earned more than $50 million since Memorial Day weekend last year, when Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and Shrek the Third turned the trick.
The up side
The top 12 movies combined to gross 22 percent more than the films populating the same time frame in 2007. That makes five consecutive weeks that 2008 has triumphed over last year.
Bomb Squad
The Squad is not getting much action this summer, as most of the big Hollywood fare has performed at or above expectations. So far, The Love Guru, Speed Racer and Prince Caspian are the summer's only inductees.
Swami Sez
One bulls-eye, and one off the board.
Prediction: $61.8 million is the average opening of the five Pixar movies this decade, so let's go with that for Wall-E.
Result: Pixar stayed true to its track record with $63 million.
Prediction: Wanted comes in at a solid No. 2 with $29 million.
Result: Solid yes, but this guess was way under.
'Hancock' on top
Once again, the definition of "opening weekend" is being expanded. Hancock's listed opening date is Wednesday, though many theaters are showing the film as early as 7 p.m. tonight. So how much can a blockbuster make in six days?
Prediction: Hancock tops the $100 million mark in its first six days.
A greener year
With Hancock the only wide release movie hitting screens this week, let's turn our attention to the box office as a whole. The overall revenues have been up five straight weeks over the same periods last year. Do I hear six?
Prediction: This weekend tops the same weekend last year, making six consecutive weekends that 2008 has defeated 2007.
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