Top 10 for June 8-10, 2007 Summary: Sunday estimates are in.
A lucky band of thirteen sunk an already leaking ship of pirates as Warner Bros.'s sequel Ocean's 13 knocked off
two week champ Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, pulling in an estimated $37.1 million in its debut weekend. With newcomers Surf's Up and Hostel Part II both opening below expectations and Pirates slipping another hefty 51%, the overall marketplace slumped 8% below last year's comparable frame.
Given the summer's utter domination from third part sequels (Spider-Man 3, Shrek 3, Pirates 3), it only made sense that another third-parter would top the box office, as Ocean's Thirteen took in a strong $37.1 million. Launching in 3,565 theaters, the star-studded heist flick averaged $10,401 per theater, in line with its two predecessors Ocean's Eleven with $38.1 million and Oceans's Twelve with $39.2 million. The films debuted in December of 2001 and 2004 respectively. Starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, Thirteen had been expected to open in the $40 million range given its solid reviews and heavy marketing campaign (including its glitzy premiere at Cannes), but holdovers Pirates and the adult comedy Knocked Up seemed to have siphoned away enough moviegoers in its core demographic to make this the lowest opening in the Ocean's franchise. Internationally, the Steven Soderbergh-directed pic launched in 30 markets grossing a combined $28 million.
Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End fell another steep 52% in its third frame, losing the top spot while earning an estimated $21.3 million. To date the film has grossed $253.6 million. Despite its record Memorial Day haul the poorly-reviewed $300 million budgeted sequel is slipping at a much more precipitous rate than its two predecessors. 2003's The Curse of the Black Pearl took in $23.1 million in its third weekend on its way to $305.4 million domestically, while 2006's Dead Man's Chest reaped $35.2 million in its third frame on its way towards $423.5 million. At its current pace At World's End appears unlikely to surpass $300 million domestically, which like Spider-Man 3 would make it the most expensive and lowest grossing film of the franchise. Overseas ticket sales are an entirely different picture however, with At World's End adding another massive $51.3 million to its coffers. Its international total now stands at an incredible $493.5 million, pushing its worldwide take to $747 million.
Much like 2005's sleeper comedy sensation The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Universal has another surprise summer hit comedy on its hands as Knocked Up fell just 35% in its sophomore frame to an estiamted $20 million. Budgeted at $30 million the well-reviewed R-rated comedy has now collected $66.2 million in just ten days, out distancing even 40-Year-Old Virgin's $48.6 million two-week haul. That film went on to gross $109 million thanks to strong word-of-mouth, a number Knocked Up should have no trouble surpassing in its domestic run.
Sony's computer-animated penguin flick Surf's Up debuted in a disappointing fourth with an estimated $18 million, averaging $5,102 in an ultrawide 3,528 theaters. The surfing mockumentary opened lower than Sony Animation's Open Season ($23.6 million) and Monster House ($22.2 million), neither of which came close to breaking $100 million domestically. That's unfortunate given the film's solid reviews. The debut was less than half of last November's Happy Feet, which opened with $41.5 million on its way to $198 million domestically.
In fifth was Paramount/DreamWorks Animation's Shrek the Third, which pulled in an estimated $15.8 million in its fourth week of release. Its domestic total now stands at $281.9 million, surpassing 2001's Shrek which grossed $267 million domestically. 2004's Shrek 2 hauled in an incredible $441.2 million. At its current pace, look for this third installment to finish with $320 million domestically.
Lionsgate failed to lure summer audiences to its horror sequel Hostel Part II, as the R-rated film took in an estimated $8.8 million in 2,350 for a weak $3,723 average.
Sony's Spider-Man 3 fell 45% to an estimated $4.4 million in its sixth week of release, pushing its domestic cume to $325.7 million.
The smallest drop in the top ten went to Keri Russell's critically-acclaimed dramedy Waitress which slipped just 18% to an estimated $1.7 million. To date the Fox Searchlight pic has grossed $12 million.
With Ocean's Thirteen finishing below industry expectations the top ten films grossed an estimated $132.5 million, down 8% from last year's comparable frame when Pixar's Cars debuted with $60.1 million.
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