Box Office: It's Time to Build Bunk Beds!
Filed under: Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Box Office, Remakes and Sequels, Box Office Predictions
Last weekend, the box office exploded with The Dark Knight, which broke the opening weekend record, while Mamma Mia! did what it could in the shadow of bat wings and Space Chimps couldn't reach the top five with its $7.2 million. Matt was almost spot-on with his predictions last week, but I'll try to hold down the fort this week while he's away.
The top five totals:
1. The Dark Knight: $158,411,483 *
2. Mamma Mia!: $27,751,240
3. Hancock: $14,040,178
4. Journey to the Center of the Earth: $12,340,435
5. Hellboy II: The Golden Army: $10,117,815
There's two new wide releases this week -- one for laughs, and one for those who yearn to believe.
Step Brothers
What It's All About: It's the typical new-family scenario with a much older twist. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly star as spoiled adults who live at home and are less than pleased when their parents meet and get married. Quickly, however, they become best friends who indulge in all the fun things kids do. You know, whispering after lights out, making things... But then their folks have had enough and want to kick them out, spoiling their fun.
Why It Might Do Well: It's Ferrell and Reilly acting like kids, the bunk beds scene is flipping hilarious, and the two actors have a solid following.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The duo's shtick could be getting old, and it still has to face the roaring-forward Dark Knight.
Number of Theaters: 2,800+
Prediction: $23 million
The X-Files: I Want to Believe
What It's All About: All these years later, David Duchovny's Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson's Dana Scully are back, six years after the show left the airwaves. Much of the plot has been kept under wraps, save spoilers and speculation. It's in the tradition of the X-Files, and it takes the relationship between the two stars in "unexpected directions."
Why It Might Do Well: There's a big fan base for the series, and a whole slew of questions to be answered.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The geek contingent might be too wrapped up in Batman, or have moved on from Mulder and Scully's pursuits.
Number of Theaters: 3,100
Prediction: $25 million
The Dark Knight is mixing things up with its huge impact on the box office, and I wouldn't be surprised if everything continues to bow down to that bat. Here's my stab at the top five.
1. The Dark Knight
2. The X-Files: I Want to Believe
3. Step Brothers
4. Mamma Mia!
5. Journey to the Center of the Earth
Hellboy's quick fall to the #5 spot came out of nowhere and made for some lower numbers this week, but everyone seemed to know that mass amounts of cash would fall on The Dark Knight.
1. John: 12
1. Avant Ridiculous: 12
1. Romel: 12
1. Chris: 12
1. lostinafog: 12
1. VP: 12
1. Vera: 12
1. Mario: 12
2. darkagair: 11
2. Bradford Oman: 11
3. Matt: 10
3. vega: 10
3. Alex Focker: 10
3. Ray: 10
3. filmsuki: 10
4. Brent Todd: 9
4. I Eat Robots: 9
4. greatone: 9
4. cough: 9
4. Aileen: 9
4. airtoast: 9
5. Mark Jackson: 8
It took me a good ten minutes to decide who would be the victor in a race between Step Brothers and The X-Files. Am I right? Am I wrong? Post your predictions for the top five movies in the comments section below before 5:00PM Eastern Time on Friday. One point for every top five movie correctly named, two points for every correct placement, and one extra point for the top movie.
*Edited
The top five totals:
1. The Dark Knight: $158,411,483 *
2. Mamma Mia!: $27,751,240
3. Hancock: $14,040,178
4. Journey to the Center of the Earth: $12,340,435
5. Hellboy II: The Golden Army: $10,117,815
There's two new wide releases this week -- one for laughs, and one for those who yearn to believe.
Step BrothersWhat It's All About: It's the typical new-family scenario with a much older twist. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly star as spoiled adults who live at home and are less than pleased when their parents meet and get married. Quickly, however, they become best friends who indulge in all the fun things kids do. You know, whispering after lights out, making things... But then their folks have had enough and want to kick them out, spoiling their fun.
Why It Might Do Well: It's Ferrell and Reilly acting like kids, the bunk beds scene is flipping hilarious, and the two actors have a solid following.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The duo's shtick could be getting old, and it still has to face the roaring-forward Dark Knight.
Number of Theaters: 2,800+
Prediction: $23 million
The X-Files: I Want to BelieveWhat It's All About: All these years later, David Duchovny's Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson's Dana Scully are back, six years after the show left the airwaves. Much of the plot has been kept under wraps, save spoilers and speculation. It's in the tradition of the X-Files, and it takes the relationship between the two stars in "unexpected directions."
Why It Might Do Well: There's a big fan base for the series, and a whole slew of questions to be answered.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The geek contingent might be too wrapped up in Batman, or have moved on from Mulder and Scully's pursuits.
Number of Theaters: 3,100
Prediction: $25 million
The Dark Knight is mixing things up with its huge impact on the box office, and I wouldn't be surprised if everything continues to bow down to that bat. Here's my stab at the top five.
1. The Dark Knight
2. The X-Files: I Want to Believe
3. Step Brothers
4. Mamma Mia!
5. Journey to the Center of the Earth
Hellboy's quick fall to the #5 spot came out of nowhere and made for some lower numbers this week, but everyone seemed to know that mass amounts of cash would fall on The Dark Knight.
1. John: 12
1. Avant Ridiculous: 12
1. Romel: 12
1. Chris: 12
1. lostinafog: 12
1. VP: 12
1. Vera: 12
1. Mario: 12
2. darkagair: 11
2. Bradford Oman: 11
3. Matt: 10
3. vega: 10
3. Alex Focker: 10
3. Ray: 10
3. filmsuki: 10
4. Brent Todd: 9
4. I Eat Robots: 9
4. greatone: 9
4. cough: 9
4. Aileen: 9
4. airtoast: 9
5. Mark Jackson: 8
It took me a good ten minutes to decide who would be the victor in a race between Step Brothers and The X-Files. Am I right? Am I wrong? Post your predictions for the top five movies in the comments section below before 5:00PM Eastern Time on Friday. One point for every top five movie correctly named, two points for every correct placement, and one extra point for the top movie.
*Edited










Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-23-2008 @ 1:05AM
Alex Focker said...
1- The Dark Knight
2- Step Brothers
3- X-Files 2: 'I want to believe a pedophile priest has psychic abilities'
4- Mamma Mia
5- Hancock (still surprised a s***ty movie can do soo well)
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 1:52AM
victor de la torre said...
1- The Dark Knight
2- Step Brothers
3- Mamma Mia
4- Journey to the Center of the Earth
5- X-Files 2
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 3:47AM
odiin said...
1. The Dark Knight
2. X-Files 2
3. Mama Mia
4. Step Brothers
5. Hancock
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 5:03AM
Gregory Rubinstein said...
1. The Dark Knight
2. Step Brothers
3. X-Files: I Want to Believe (god, thats a horrible title)
4. Mamma Mia
5. Journey to the Center of the Earth
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 7:19AM
I Eat Robots said...
1. The Dark Knight
2. X-Files
3. Step Brothers
4. Mamma Mia
5. Hancock
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 8:15AM
filmsuki said...
Wow, how did Hellboy II drop so quickly, and Hancock survive?
This just personal feelings - being a former X-Files fan - but I think interest in the series has died faster than 21st century Star Trek convention. Then again, Abram's Trek will probably resurrect that franchise (boo to prequels though...bring it to the 29th century!).
What I wanted to see from X-Files was a resolution to the series finale...wasn't there an imminent alien invasion to contend with? :\
1. The Dark Knight
2. Step Brothers
3. X-Files
4. Mamma Mia!
5. Hancock
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 8:19AM
Brent Todd said...
I'm going out on a limb here as I don't think the marketing for either movie this weekend will help.
Dark Knight
Mama Mia
Step Brothers
X Files
Handcock
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 9:45AM
tim said...
1. TDK
2. Step Brothers
3. X-Files:IWtB
4. Mama Mia
5. JttCotE
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 10:12AM
rlrse said...
1. The Dark Knight
2. Step Brothers
3. Mamma Mia!
4. The X-Files: I Want to Believe
5. Hancock
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 10:36AM
The Pepto Pimp said...
Batman made $158,411,483 million?!?!
That's like $158 trillion dollars!!!!
Or $25,000 from every single person on the planet.
Is that movie really worth almost $3 per second?
I don't even have $25,000, but if I did, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't spend it on a movie. I'd probably buy some gum and a soda. Maybe a candy bar...
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 10:40AM
Monika said...
Good lord, thanks for catching that, Pepto!
7-23-2008 @ 12:26PM
Kevin said...
Clearly, you have not seen The Dark Knight yet. It was definitely worth my $25,000.
7-23-2008 @ 11:17AM
Max said...
1. The Dark Knight
2. Step Brothers
3. X-Files
4. Mama Mia
5. Journey
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 12:01PM
lostinafog said...
1. Dark Knight
2. X-files
3. Step Brothers
4. Mama Mia
5. Journey to the Center of the Earth
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 12:23PM
Bradford Oman said...
1. The Dark Knight
2. Step Brothers
3. X-Files: I Want to Believe
4. Mamma Mia
5. Hancock
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 3:02PM
VP said...
1. The Dark Knight
2. Step Brothers
3. X-Files: I Want to Believe
4. Mamma Mia
5. Hancock
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 4:16PM
Smiggy said...
1. The Dark Knight
2. Step Brothers
3. Mamma Mia!
4. The X-Files: I Want to Believe (It's not that I don't like it, just that it's not going to be that big. Please prove me wrong!)
5. Hancock
Reply
7-23-2008 @ 11:34PM
Ray said...
1. The Dark Knight
2. Step Brothers
3. The X-Files
4. Mama Mia
5. Hancock
Reply
7-24-2008 @ 5:22AM
Vera said...
The Dark Knight
Step Brothers
Mamma Mia
The X-Files
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Reply
7-24-2008 @ 10:44AM
greatone said...
1. The Dark Knight
2. Step Brothers
3. The X-Files
4. Mamma Mia
5. Hancock
Reply