Contrast that with today’s newcomers which each should have earned over $20M this weekend because of their star power. But New Line/Warner Bros’ Rock Of Ages (3,470 theaters) is falling to earth with a thud. Which Hollywood expected because the pic had been tracking poorly for weeks (and even went down at one point week to week). The studio felt the 1980s period piece was a hard sell to younger moviegoers. I suspect the problem was casting. Russell Brand has been repellant to moviegoers, while Tom Cruise as iconic rocker proved just too incredulous for audiences. The PG-13 musical is looking to open to only $15.5M after taking in just $5.5M today. …
Columbia/Sony’s That’s My Boy (3,030 theaters) starring Adam Sandler also is bottoming. It will hurt further that audiences only gave it a ‘B-‘ CinemaScore. (“But ‘B’s with everybody under 50,” a Sony exec emails me.) Hollywood didn’t expect Sandler to attract his usual family friendly audience with an ‘R’ rating. But an actor who reliably takes in $30M to $40M every opening weekend dropping to $14M after grossing only $5M today can’t go unchastized. …
Overall moviegoing this weekend may be a dismal $125M, which is -15% even compared to last year when Green Lantern bombed. …
. Madagascar 3 (DreamWorks Anim/Paramount) Week 2 [4,263 Theaters] PG
Friday $9.9M (-52%), Weekend $33.5M, Cume $118.4M
2. Prometheus (Fox) Week 2 [3,442 Theaters] R
Friday $6M (-72M), Weekend $20.5M, Cume $89.1M
3. Rock Of Ages (New Line/Warner Bros) NEW [3,470 Theaters] PG13
Friday $5.5M, Weekend $15.5M
4. That’s My Boy (Columbia/Sony) NEW [3,030 Theaters] R
Friday $5M, Weekend $14M
5. Snow White & The Huntsman (Universal) Week 3 [3,701 Theaters] PG13
Friday $3.9M, Weekend $12.5M, Cume $121.3M
Full analysis and updates here.