Top 10 for August 18-20, 2006 Summary: Final numbers are in.
Snakes on a Plane, the movie which promised to rewrite everything we know about how a movie should be marketed and hyped, turned out to be all hiss and no bite this weekend earning $15.2 million (including Thursday night previews) to lead all films. Capturing the imagination of bloggers and the peculiar sense of humor of the internet community with its ingeniously bad title, the Samuel Jackson starrer looked to have the right ingredients for a sleeper hit. New Line backed their $30 budgeted production by letting ardent internet fans provide the majority of the buzz, and it soon hit the mainstream with magazine covers and Sam Jackson hitting the talk show circuit. But despite launching in an ultrawide 3,555 theaters (third largest in August history), the R-rated snake thriller averaged an unspectacular $4,277 per theater, earning far less than industry analysts had predicted.
Taking away Thursday night previews Snakes -- which was not pre-screened for critics -- managed just $13.9 million over the weekend, putting it on the level of another tepidly received snake pic, 2004's Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid ($12.8 million opening). Snakes on a Plane failed to surpass 1997's Anaconda with $16.6 million. Carrying a modest budget New Line will likely turn a decent profit when theatrical and DVD sales are finally tallied, but expect the film to see significant sales drops in the coming weeks as its core young male demographic quickly disappears for other action fare.
Two week champ Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby fell just 38% to $13.7 million in second, pushing its 17 day total to $114.7 million and becoming the eleventh film of 2006 to surpass $100 million. At its current pace, the Will Ferrell comedy looks headed towards $150 million or more domestically.
Oliver Stone's acclaimed 9/11 drama World Trade Center slipped just 42% in its sophomore frame, grossing $10.9 million this weekend. The $65 million budgeted Paramount release has grossed $45 million in 12 days, and should finish with $70+ million domestically.
Universal's low budget teen comedy Accepted debuted in fourth with an estimated $10.1 million, averaging a sub par $3,470 in 2,914 theaters. Budgeted at $23 million, the PG-13 film no doubt took some business away from Snakes on a Plane's core young adult demographic, and like Snakes should experience heavy declines in the coming weeks.
Buena Vista's sleeper hit Step Up fell 52% to an estimated $9.9 million to round out the top five. In ten days the $12 million budgeted dance drama has grossed a spectacular $39.4 million, and should reach a highly profitable $60 million by the end of its domestic run. Paramount's animated comedy Barnyard fell another slight 23% to an estimated $7.5 million, pushing its 17 day total to an impressive $46 million.
Jumping into the top ten in its first week of semi-wide release was Fox Searchlight's critically-acclaimed comedy Little Miss Sunshine, which grossed an estimated $5.67 million in 691 theaters for a top ten best $8,212 average. In four weeks the $8 million budgeted indie darling has grossed $12.8 million, and will double its theater count to 1400 by Friday.
Disney's summer juggernaut Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest grossed $5.2 million pushing its seven week total to a staggering $401.3 million, making it the seventh highest grossing film of all-time. By next weekend the film will have surpassed the $403.7 million of 2002's Spider-Man. Worldwide, the $225 million budgeted sequel has now amassed $924 million, and appears set to become just the third film in box office history to surpass $1 billion worldwide (only 1997's Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King have accomplished the feat).
Hilary and Haylie Duff's comedy debut Material Girls opened weakly with just $4.6 million, averaging $3,062 in 1,509 theaters.
In limited release, Yari Film Group's period mystery-themed film The Illusionist opened in 51 theaters with an estimated $925,000, averaging a strong $18,137 per theater. Starring Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti, the film opens nationwide on September 1st.
With a weaker than expected debut from Snakes on a Plane, the top ten films grossed $86.6 million, down 7% from last year's comparable frame when The 40-Year-Old Virgin debuted on top with $21.4 million.
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