Graphic novel movie burns its way to $127.4 million in two weeks despite being “Banned in Tehran”
By Jeffrey Jolson

 

Persians 300; Spartans 10,000

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 3/18/07 –With a little headline help from the Iranian government, the action film “300” slashed its way to $31.2 million for the weekend and a two-week total of $127.4 million at the boxoffice with its tale of a brave band of outnumbered Spartan warriors who graphically pummel the wicked army from Persia, what is now Iran.

“Banned in Tehran,” like the old “Banned in Boston” tag may be a winner. The film made the front pages this week when the Iranian government said the film was “part of a comprehensive U.S. psychological warfare aimed at Iranian culture.” Iranian cultural adviser Javad Shamghardi held news conferences calling the comic-book based movie “humiliating” to his countrymen and their ancestors.The Sandra Bullock-starrer “Premonition” had enough marketing foresight to bring in a respectable $18 million, making it top new film over the weekend. It ranked No. 3 behind “Wild Hogs,” which revved up $18.8 million and whose road trip extended past the $100 million mark in its third week to $104 million.

The other newbies didn’t pass $10 million with their opening weekend. The evil puppets in horror film “Dead Silence” could only scare up $7.7 million and Chris Rock’s “I Think I Love My Wife” may be heading to divorce court with a $5.7 million bow. He’s been in 12 movies that scored an opening of $10 million or more, in some cases much more. Even his starring vehicle “Head of State” opened at $13.5 million.

Elsewhere in the Top 10, Nic Cage’s “Ghost Rider” zoomed in with a $4 million estimate on the weekend, “Zodiac’s” horoscope isn’t as bright with a $3 million take that brought its total to $29 million, “Norbit” with Eddie Mrrphy ate its way to another $2.7 million and a total pie of $92.3 million and “Music and Lyrics” with Drew Barrymore keeps singing with a $2.2 million weekend and a $47.4 million overture.

WEEKEND TOP 5 STUDIO ESTIMATES, MARCH 16-18, 2007

Rank. Movie Title (Distributor)
Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #

1. 300 (Warner Bros.)
$31.2 million | 3,270 | $127.5 million | 2

2. Wild Hogs (Buena Vista)
$18.8 million | 3,360 | $104.0 million | 3

3. Premonition (Sony / Columbia)
$18.0 million | 2,831 | $18.0 million | 1

4. Dead Silence (Universal)
$7.8 million | 1,805 | $7.8 million | 1

5. I Think I Love My Wife (Fox Searchlight)
$5.7 million | 1,776 | $5.7 million | 1
Source: boxofficemojo.com