Top 10 for January 19-21, 2007 Summary: Final numbers are in.
With just one underwhelming debut this weekend (The Hitcher) to go along with mostly solid holdovers (and a few post-Golden Globe expansions), the box office slipped a hefty 13% from last year's comparable frame, when Underworld: Evolution raked in nearly $27 million in its debut.
Continuing to surprise industry analysts for a second straight weekend was Screen Gems' low budget urban dance hit Stomp the Yard, which held onto the top spot with an estimated $13.3 million, a modest 39% drop from its debut weekend. Clearly an audience favorite, the $14 million budgeted release averaged another strong $6,484 average in just 2,051 theaters, bringing its ten day cume to a whopping $41.5 million. At its current pace and with a lack of compelling competition on the horizon, Yard could finish with a highly profitable $70 million domestically.
Finishing a close second was Fox's blockbuster comedy Night at the Museum, which slipped just 24% to an estimated $13 million, pushing its five week cume to a staggering $205.8 million. Show no signs of slowing down, the Ben Stiller comedy became the fifth highest grossing film released in 2006, surging past Superman Returns' $200 million take. By next weekend the film may even surpass The Da Vinci Code's $217.5 million domestic total for fourth overall. At its current pace, look for the effects-laden comedy to break $240 million.
Hot off its three Golden Globe wins and suddenly surging Oscar buzz, Paramount/DreamWorks' smash hit musical Dreamgirls posted a 4% increase in sales to an estimated $8.7 million. The total was boosted by the addition of 307 theaters, making its total theater count 2,214. In four weeks of national release (and six weeks overall), the Best Picture contender has now amassed $78.1 million and is certain to surpass $100 million before Oscar night.
Rogue Pictures' horror thriller The Hitcher debuted rather weakly in fourth, managing just $8.2 million in 2,831 theaters for a mediocre $2,908 average. A remake of the 1986 Rutger Hauer pic, the R-rated film failed to lure many teens away from Stomp the Yard, thanks in large part to very poor reviews.
Will Smith's The Pursuit of Happyness rounded out the top five with an estimated $6.7 million, pushing its six week cume to a very impressive $146.5 million. Budgeted at a modest $55 million, the Sony pic should finish with a highly profitable $165 million domestically.
Three films rocketed up the charts thanks to some big theater increases and new-found Oscar buzz, with Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth jumping 117% to No. 7 with an estimated $4.7 million, and Miramax's The Queen leaping 232% to No. 8 with $3.7 million. To date, the films have grossed $10.1 million and $35.8 million respectively. Best Picture favorite Babel skyrocketed nearly 500% to $2.28 million, thanks to a 716 theater increase. In thirteen weeks, the Brad Pitt-Cate Blanchett starrer has grossed $23.9 million.
With a lack of new blood entering the marketplace, the top ten films grossed an estimated $70.7 million, down a troubling 19% from last year's comparable when Underworld: Evolution debuted with $26.9 million.
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