There were no big surprises at the box office this weekend. To officially ring in the fall, it was the first weekend since April when no film debuted to more than $20 million. The best opener was the tolerably-reviewed Anna Faris vehicle The House Bunny, with $15.1 million. Interchangeable Jason Statham Movie, a.k.a. Death Race, followed with an estimated $12.3 million -- among Statham's weakest showings and the worst ever for director Paul W.S. Anderson (not counting the indie Shopping, which played on one screen).

Neither The House Bunny nor Death Race could dethrone Tropic Thunder, which held up fairly well to stay on top with a $16.1 million second weekend. It looks to have better legs than Pineapple Express, and should pass that film before all is said and done. In other holdover developments: The Dark Knight fell to fourth, but should reach $500 million by next weekend; Star Wars: The Clone Wars fell an unsurprising 60%+, and will top out around $35 million -- still not bad for a cartoon, I think.

Two more wide release debuts fared poorly. The Longshots -- the Ice Cube/Keke Palmer football drama directed by Fred Durst -- made a predictably tepid $4.3 million bow. But boy was I ever wrong about The Rocker, which was heavily advertised and promo-screened, but landed out of the top 10 with $2.8 million and an under-$1000 per-screen average. Color me surprised -- it's a decent flick, too. I guess Rainn Wilson not only can't open a movie, but affirmatively turns people off.

Hamlet 2 opened on 100 screens before going wide next weekend. Its $435,000 gross -- around $4,200 per screen -- isn't terrible, but doesn't inspire confidence for the expansion.

The full estimates after the jump.

In a weekend glutted with new releases battling the aftershocks of The Dark Knight earthquake, Tropic Thunder debuted below expectations -- but well enough to steal the top spot from The Dark Knight in that film's 5th weekend. The R-rated comedy's $26 million weekend and $37 million 5-day was roughly on par with Pineapple Express' performance the previous weekend, but I think Tropic Thunder was predicted to have broader appeal. In retrospect, the advertising may have emphasized the film's inside-baseball aspects a bit too much.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars did okay in third place with $15 million -- weak for a purported Star Wars film, but not bad for a Saturday morning cartoon. The woeful Mirrors took in a relatively paltry $11 million, a wuss-out signaled by the 11th hour press screening cancellation. Contrast The Strangers, the summer's other major R-rated, non-Shyamalan horror film, which debuted to almost twice as much despite not having as nifty a high-concept.

The Dark Knight, meanwhile, continues to edge toward $500 million. Its 5-weekend total stands at $471 million, enough to top Star Wars' unadjusted numbers. Titanic still looks out of reach, even setting aside the apples-and-oranges aspect of comparing a 1997 release to a 2008 one.

Pineapple Express fell 57% in its second weekend, putting $100 million out of reach. On the other hand, Mamma Mia! continues to be popular, suffering drops of around 20% each week thanks to good word-of-mouth and likely repeat viewings.

Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona came in at #10, with $3.7 million on 700 screens, Woody's second-best opening ever. Two spots below that, the poorly-reviewed 3-D spectacle Fly Me to the Moon made $2 million on 450 screens.

The full estimates after the jump.

If Star Wars: The Clone Wars were a simple board game stacked up in a toy store aisle, the side of the box would read: "Ages 7 through Check Your Star Wars Ego at the Door." While the recent onslaught of superhero movies have brought us darker, more complex (and adult) storylines, one of our most beloved franchises has decided to travel in the opposite direction. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing; it's actually somewhat comforting to find a film with the word 'Wars' mentioned twice in the title alone and know that it's suitable for all ages. When I first watched a Star Wars film on the big screen, my feet could barely touch the sticky theater floor -- and so if a fun-filled, action-packed animated adventure story helps usher in a whole new legion of fans -- subsequently turning younger kids on to three live-action movies that came out, like, a billion years ago -- then right friggin' on!

Almost immediately we're clued into the fact that this big-screen Star Wars flick was gift-wrapped by another department store. That classic, drum-hoppin' 20th Century Fox intro is replaced with a much more subdued Warner Bros. logo, and the film's title swings into frame accompanied by different music. In replace of the classic story scroll, we get a newsreel-esque voiceover bringing us up to date on the main characters and their current mission. No one's trying to trick us here -- this is Star Wars for the need-it-now generation, and whereas previous films seemed to spend too much time rolling around in political-speak, Clone Wars is all about the action, the battles and the cheesy one-liners.

It's starting to look like the only way we're going to get the bats out of the top five is to call an exterminator. Chalk up another $26 million for billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and his war on crime as The Dark Knight hangs on to first place for a fourth week in a row. Seth Rogen's stoner comedy came in respectably at second, taking in only $3 million less than the Batman Begins sequel. Here's the break down:

1. The Dark Knight: $26.1 million
2. Pineapple Express: $23.2 million
3. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor: $16.4 million
4. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2: $10.6 million
5 Step Brothers: $9.1 million

We've got four new releases this week:

Mirrors
What's It All About: Directed by Alexandre Aja of High Tension fame, Mirrors stars Kiefer Sutherland as an ex-cop turned security guard who discovers something evil in the mirrors of an old museum. This scare flick is a remake of a Korean movie.
Why It Might Do Well: Who doesn't like a good scare, and Sutherland is a strong lead who is familiar to millions thanks to his work on 24.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The momentum for Asian horror remakes must be slowing by now, although every time I say that a new one pops up.
Number of Theaters: 2,600
Prediction: $12.5 million

Somehow I've never seen this video clip, but with Star Wars: The Clone Wars arriving in theaters this Friday, it certainly popped into my life at a convenient time. From the short-lived Richard Pryor Show (which lasted only four episodes and aired on NBC in 1977) comes this skit with the comedian acting as a bartender in what appears to be The Mos Eisley Cantina ... but the show simply calls it Star Wars Bar. And I believe all of these are the original costumes worn in Star Wars: A New Hope, which makes the bit even funnier (especially when he wanders over to Greedo's table). The show itself was known for being a tad controversial, and did poorly in the ratings. Greatest line from this skit comes when Pryor reacts to a Star Wars creature by saying, "You look just like a nigga' from Detroit I know." Hilarious. Enjoy!

Another day, another George Lucas related kerfluffle. There's an, um, interesting new character in Star Wars: The Clone Wars named Zero Ziro the Hutt. He's purple, covered in sky blue tattoos, sports a peacock feather behind his squashy head, and really digs Cher.

Ok, I made that last one up, but only just barely. Because according to MTV, Jabba's uncle, Ziro the Hutt "is a gay stereotype that makes what Jar Jar Binks represented to the island of Jamaica look subtle by comparison." It's not his look, design, or movements that push him into iffy waters, but the voice: Ziro speaks like Truman Capote.

Why? Because Lucas insisted on it. Director Dave Filoni was one of many among the crew that was caught off guard by the request. "Ziro, Jabba's uncle, originally spoke in Hutt-ese, like Jabba and then he had a different sluggish voice just like Jabba, and then George one day was watching it and said 'I want him to sound like Truman Capote.' He actually said that and we were like 'Wow!' It's a hybrid of it but the inspiration is definitely there on Capote. It's one of those things that takes him from being an interesting character and I think really does put him over the top and does something. He's a favorite among the crew here."

Only because I watched Star Wars: The Clone Wars yesterday and need a video to accurately sum up how this one fits in with the rest of the franchise. Ahem. Not that I thought Clone Wars was horrific, pointless or catastrophic -- I just thought there were some choices that might, um, upset a few Star Wars fans ... and we'll leave it at that ... "Punky muffin." Okay, I'm done -- saving it for the review later this week.

In honor of the lighter side of Star Wars returning to theaters this Friday, check out this pretty impressive stop-motion video above featuring everyone's favorite bounty hunter Boba Fett (in action figure form) as he reenacts that classic scene from the film Flashdance. That is, until he has some jet pack issues (foreshadowing??) and, well, I won't spoil it for you. Gotta love The Fett!

Oh, and don't forget to participate in our Are You Excited About New Star Wars Poll. Unfortunately, as of now, it seems the majority isn't very excited. Get excited people!

[via JoBlo]

I'm heading out to watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars later on today, and while a part of me is excited to be revisiting some of my all time favorite characters, the rest is sort of "eh" about the whole thing. And I'm not sure why, either. It's funny, too, because Campea over at The Movie Blog wrote up a similar piece recently where, prior to attending this film's premiere, he was trying to figure out why he wasn't excited about going to see a brand spanking new Star Wars movie. For him, it seems dude wasn't keen on watching another between-episode story.

Me? Not sure. I really enjoyed the last Clone Wars series, and ever since the original flicks I've always wanted to see this time in the Star Wars mythology played out a bit more. Honestly, I think I'm just spent on summer movies. I mean, is it just me or does it feel like Iron Man came out seven years ago already? I'm hyped out. I'd rather spend the last days of summer watching simple comedies or dramas (especially before a heavy awards season) than with a beloved franchise like Star Wars. So yeah, for me maybe it's the release date. A movie like this in late February, early March or early April and my excitement level is higher. End of August and, well, I'm just burnt. Still, though, I really do hope it rocks.

What about you? Are you excited for a new Star Wars movie?

Cinematical fought through the massive crowds tonight on the convention floor to bring you tons and tons of photos from the 2008 San Diego Comic Con Preview Night. While we didn't spot too many people dressed in costume (except for a group doing a Batman theme), there were some very, very cool toys, games, statues, posters and movie props. Among the larger attractions was Nite Owl's ship from Watchmen (pictured below -- see inside by clicking through the gallery), a huge Iron Monger statue (in gallery), James Bond's hot set of wheels (in gallery), a ginormous Star Wars exhibit, with Star Wars: The Clone Wars statues alongside dudes in Storm Trooper attire (pictured above), as well as monitors displaying the new video game, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (which looks hella cool).

Check out a few images from Preview Night below, then definitely make sure to head on over to the gallery to see what this year's San Diego Con is all about.

P.S. Masters of the Web panel tomorrow morning, 10am. Be there! Say hello! Make it look like I have friends!



Nite Owl's ship from Watchmen (more images from inside the thing down in the gallery).



Our friends in Batman gear!

Cinematical's Official Comic Con Hub

Repeat after me, in a drone-like voice if necessary: "I am very happy that my friends, colleagues, and thousands of complete strangers will be attending Comic-Con while I am stuck at home, pining away pitifully on my battered old laptop." Seriously, even though I won't be in attendance, I am eager to read all the cool movie news that should be emanating from San Diego starting on July 23.

Erik has already detailed the events arranged by 20th Century Fox, and now Cinematical has gotten a look at what Warner Brothers has planned -- and it looks pretty good, my friends. Panels have been scheduled for Watchmen, with director Zack Snyder, Terminator Salvation, with the always entertaining McG, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, with director Dave Filoni, producer Catherine Winder, and, I'll bet, a large army of Storm Troopers trampling the unwary.

Jeremy Piven, Ludacris (AKA Chris Bridges) and Mr. Madonna (AKA Guy Ritchie) will talk RocknRolla, while Rain (AKA Korean sensation Ji Hoon Jung) will excite fangirls -- though I can't guarantee he'll dress the part -- as Ninja Assassin, with director James McTeigue and fellow star Naomie Harris. The new version of Friday the 13th will also be spotlighted, with Jared Padalecki and Derek Meaks ready to talk Crystal Lake and hockey masks.

As always, film talent is tentative, but the Cinematical talent is confirmed and will be on hand to provide great coverage that should make us all wish we were there.