Top 10 for August 11-13, 2006 Summary: Sunday estimates are in.
Despite falling behind on Friday to newcomer Step Up, Will Farrell's Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby crossed the finish line in first for the second straight weekend, earning an estimated $23 million. Falling 51% from its opening weekend, the $73 million budgeted Sony comedy pushed its ten day take to an impressive $91.2 million, and seems headed towards $140-150 million domestically.
The weekend's biggest surprise was Buena Vista's dance drama Step Up, which surged past industry expectations with an estimated $21.1 million opening in second, averaging a powerful $8,539 in 2,467 theaters. Targeting a teen girl demographic that's been largely ignored this summer, the $12 million budgeted pic opened stronger than 2000's surprise hit Bring It On ($17.4 million) and slightly less than 2001's Save the Last Dance ($23.4 million). With four newcomers entering the fray next weekend including the college comedy Accepted and Hillary Duff's Material Girls, Step Up may have a hard time gaining any traction in the coming weeks.
Paramount's World Trade Center, the consensus pick to lead all newcomers this weekend, finished in third with an estimated $19 million, averaging a solid $6,430 in 2,957 theaters. Directed by Oliver Stone, the well-reviewed Nicolas Cage starrer has grossed $26.8 million since its opening on Wednesday. Though the debut was weaker than expected the $65 million budgeted picture opened much stronger than April's United 93, which bowed to $11.4 million on its way to $31.4 million domestic. With strong word of mouth expected, look for World Trade Center to have a steady run at the box office.
Paramount's Barnyard: The Original Party Animals fell a lower than expected 36% in its sophomore frame, earning another strong $10 million in its sophomore frame. In ten days the computer-animated comedy has grossed $34 million, and should have no trouble surpassing its $51 million budget domestically.
Dimension's horror-thriller Pulse debuted weakly in fifth with $8.4 million, averaging just $3,640 in 2,323 theaters.
Disney's megasmash Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest added another $7.2 million to its coffers, pushing its six week total to an amazing $392.4 million. The $225 million budgeted sequel now sits at #7 on the all-time list, just behind 2001's Spider-Man with $403.7 million. Worldwide, the Johnny Depp starrer has amassed a staggering $855 million, ahead of 2005's Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith ($848 million) and just behind 2001's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring ($860.7 million).
The Tim Allen family comedy Zoom flopped in seventh with an estimated $4.6 million, averaging a pathetic $1,839 in 2,501 theaters.
Fox Searchlight's indie comedy Little Miss Sunshine added 95 theaters to its release slate, earning an estimated $2.6 million. The Sundance sensation has been a surefire hit in limited release, averaging another scorching $16,993 in 153 theaters. Budgeted at $8 million, the well-reviewed comedy should continue to expand in the coming weeks.
Paramount Vantage's global warming doc An Inconvenient Truth pulled in an estimated $367,000 in its 12th week of release, pushing its total to $21.9 million. That makes the Al Gore pic the third highest grossing documentary of all time, surpassing 2002's Oscar-winner Bowling for Columbine with $21.6 million.
With the help of four newcomers, the top ten films grossed an estimated $105.9 million, up 6% from last year's comparable frame when Mark Wahlberg's Four Brothers debuted at No. 1 with $21.2 million.
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