Box Office Weekend 5/2: WOLVERINE Big

[AndyDursin]

Doesn't look like the workprint download controversy and the paranoia over the "swine flu" took a hit out of WOLVERINE. That's a solid opening.

EARLY ESTIMATES

1. Wolverine (Fox) OPENER [4,099 Theaters] $35M Friday, Wkd Est $90M
2. Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past (NL/WB) OPENER [3,175] $6.5M Friday, Wkd Est $17M
3. Obsessed (SG/Sony) [2,514] $4.4M Fri (-60%), Wkd Est $12.5M, Cume $47.5M
4. 17 Again (NL/WB) [3,255] $2.2M Friday, Wkd Est $6.5M, Cume $49M
5. The Soloist (DW/Par) [2,033] $1.9M (-39%) Friday, Wkd Est $6.5M, Cume $19M
6. Monsters v Aliens (DWA/Par) [2,626] $1.6M Friday, Wkd Est $6.5M, Cume $184
7. Fighting (Rogue/Uni) [2,312] $1.6M Friday, Wkd Est $4.5M, Cume $18M
8. Earth (Disney) [1,804] $1.4M Friday (-51%), Wkd Est $4M, Cume $20M
9. State of Play [2,445] $1.2M Friday, Wkd Est $4M, Cume $31M
10. Hannah Montana (Disney) [2,819] $1.2M Friday, Wkd Est $4M, Cume $70M

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/

[Eric W.]

Hold on to that memory a week from now when the Star Trek numbers go up.

[AndyDursin]

Oh, it won't compete with TREK. I'll be shocked -- SHOCKED -- if it does not do $100 million. At least.

But that said I think $85-$90 mil for WOLVERINE is pretty dang impressive, all things considered. Nobody going to see a comic book movie cares about the reviews anyway.

[AndyDursin]

Full weekend estimates...

1 N X-Men Origins: Wolverine Fox $87,000,000 - 4,099 - $21,225 $87,000,000 $150 1
2 N Ghosts of Girlfriends Past WB (NL) $15,325,000 - 3,175 - $4,827 $15,325,000 - 1
3 1 Obsessed SGem $12,200,000 -57.4% 2,514 - $4,853 $47,002,000 $20 2
4 2 17 Again WB $6,355,000 -44.8% 3,255 - $1,952 $48,497,000 - 3
5 6 Monsters Vs. Aliens P/DW $5,800,000 -31.9% 2,626 -732 $2,209 $182,405,000 $175 6
6 4 The Soloist P/DW $5,600,000 -42.4% 2,033 +9 $2,755 $18,108,000 - 2
7 5 Earth (2009) BV $4,184,000 -52.6% 1,804 - $2,319 $21,848,000 - 2
8 3 Fighting Rog. $4,173,000 -62.1% 2,312 +3 $1,805 $17,507,000 - 2
9 8 Hannah Montana The Movie BV $4,075,000 -36.7% 2,819 -412 $1,446 $70,857,000 - 4
10 7 State of Play Uni. $3,655,000 -46.6% 2,445 -362 $1,495 $30,883,000 - 3
11 9 Fast and Furious Uni. $2,725,000 -56.1% 2,547 -1,019 $1,070 $149,768,000 $85 5
12 N Battle for Terra LGF $1,064,000 - 1,162 - $916 $1,064,000 - 1

[romanD]

pretty big, but given the overall disappointment with it Im pretty sure it will end up far behind the last 2 installments... add the immense budget and it seems unlikely we will get another Wolvie-Film... and do we really need one?

still, Im very curious about STAR TREK's success... it can be really big, or just like the last film a big desaster... hard to tell if anyone really cares... though I know a lot of people who are really excited about it, more thant about any other film coming...

[AndyDursin]

pretty big, but given the overall disappointment with it Im pretty sure it will end up far behind the last 2 installments... add the immense budget and it seems unlikely we will get another Wolvie-Film... and do we really need one?

I'm interested in seeing how it does. It opened bigger than X-MEN 2, and the "disappointment" seems to come from hard-core comic book fans displeased with anything that's less than Shakespeare. Seriously, these movies work for a lot of people if they're big, dumb, and fun -- and from what I've read in these reviews the movie at least provides that. Not saying it works or it doesn't, but for all the hate X-MEN 3 received, I liked it quite a bit for what it was. Comic book fans seem to have this incredibly high standard for adaptations that nobody really cares if they live up to -- except for them.

If it tails off fast like you expect Roman, so be it -- and it probably will, because it's all Jackman and doesn't have the original cast -- but I just laugh when I see the same comic book people who hated X-MEN 3 gush at how much they were going to like SUPERMAN RETURNS...that is, until they actually saw it. Same deal on this movie too. What do people expect they're going to get with a WOLVERINE movie anyway?

still, Im very curious about STAR TREK's success... it can be really big, or just like the last film a big desaster... hard to tell if anyone really cares... though I know a lot of people who are really excited about it, more thant about any other film coming...

This movie will make more money in 24 hours in the U.S. than NEMESIS took in -- total.

It's going to be absolutely massive at the box-office...bank on it.

I was also glad to see comments from the cast that the movie doesn't give us a "dark, moody" Kirk or a depressing take on TREK a la even the new BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. That's not what Trek is about, and I'm thrilled the film is optimistic the way Roddenberry conceptualized it.

[romanD]

Im very positive about STAR TREK too...

as Im not a comic book reader or at least not a superhero reader I dont expect high art and there are certainly many comic books which are just silly, yet the readers think a film of it would be the best thing ever...
still, WOLVERINE was really really awful. Im one of the few who actually like x3 (maybe a bit too much, because I liked the characters, who were established in the films before so well...), but this one was really a joke. Even if it was a film by itself... nonsensical story, idiotic characters who behaved like whatever the script required... I could forget all that if at least it was fast, full of action and cool effects. But forget that... a major bore... amazing what FOX put up for 140million dollars... it looks like 20... and add a "worst score of the year" contender... drumloops, nothing else... Gregson-Williams continues to prove that he is one of the worst working out there... just the first scene alone is such a mis-scored scene, then you know this film is in trouble. A big emotional thematic score could have helped the film quite a bit, but it really comes through in the end, that nobody cared.
Avoid.

[The Pessimist]

Im very positive about STAR TREK too...

as Im not a comic book reader or at least not a superhero reader I dont expect high art and there are certainly many comic books which are just silly, yet the readers think a film of it would be the best thing ever...
still, WOLVERINE was really really awful. Im one of the few who actually like x3 (maybe a bit too much, because I liked the characters, who were established in the films before so well...), but this one was really a joke. Even if it was a film by itself... nonsensical story, idiotic characters who behaved like whatever the script required... I could forget all that if at least it was fast, full of action and cool effects. But forget that... a major bore... amazing what FOX put up for 140million dollars... it looks like 20... and add a "worst score of the year" contender... drumloops, nothing else... Gregson-Williams continues to prove that he is one of the worst working out there... just the first scene alone is such a mis-scored scene, then you know this film is in trouble. A big emotional thematic score could have helped the film quite a bit, but it really comes through in the end, that nobody cared.
Avoid.

Hollywood is essential for the big action flick. The money they can generate to do it is spectacular. I'm just no convinced the medium is that great for character films. It can be, but I think the tv format is better because it's season-long I suppose. My bias is that tv programs like the old Doctor Who series, Red Dwarf, etc, are getting the most out of their poor to mediocre budgets. Most action films I feel the reverse. I wonder with Star Trek if we'll get another cool looking film, but Kirk's youth will not be explored beyond 'being a rebel before maturing to be a leader'. I think I will wait and see what people are saying. The buzz isn't happening for me yet.

[AndyDursin]

I wonder with Star Trek if we'll get another cool looking film, but Kirk's youth will not be explored beyond 'being a rebel before maturing to be a leader'. I think I will wait and see what people are saying. The buzz isn't happening for me yet.

Best movie I've seen in years. And the best reviewed movie in forever. Don't take my word for it though...other than a couple of dissenters there hasn't been a movie this well-reviewed in ages.