Newcomers fail to thrill as “Disturbia” claims third weekend. Big guns on deck.
By Jeffrey Jolson
Shia top grosser for third week
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 4/29/07 — Perhaps moviegoers are saving up for May when “Spider-man 3,” “Shrek 3” and “Pirates of the Caribbean 3” battle it out, but neither of the spooky newcomers “The Invisible” and “Next” could top “Disturbia’s” third weekend box office take of $9.1 million. In fact no one could beat a $10 million opening in a world where it takes at least twice that to be thought of as a hit, and two of the above sequels could do 10 times that or more on opening weekend.
Ghost story “The Invisible” and supernatural thriller “Next” only scared up $7.6 million and $7.2 million estimates respectively. More was expected from “Next,” which had Nicolas Cage coming off his hit “Ghost Rider” and cool director Lee Tamahoori (“Along Came a Spider,” “Die Another Day”) but critics drubbed the script as too routine.
Suburban thriller “Disturbia” has grossed $52.2 million in three weeks. Shia LeBeouf may well be matching his hype. Lots of actors are promoted as the “next big thing” but practically none deliver the goods like three weekends at No. 1. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg apparently know how to “choose wisely” and picked him for “Indiana Jones 4” even before this film was released. Spielberg said “We are excited to bring Shia into our Indy family. His talent has impressed not only his audiences throughout his young career but the directors, producers and fellow actors who have worked with him in his television career and now his film career.”
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin was just that at the box office this past weekend, with his action pic “The Condemned” sentenced to ninth place with a $4 million opening. That’s still better than Jamie Kennedy, whose “Kickin it Old School” failed to make the top 10 on its opening weekend box office estimate of $2.8 million.
“Fracture” and “Blades of Glory” hung in with $7.1 million and $5.2 million respectively. “Blades” has now cut out $109 million domestically. And Brit cop spoof “Hot Fuzz” put another $4.8 million in lockup.
WEEKEND TOP 5 STUDIO ESTIMATES, APRIL 27-29, 2007
Rank. Movie Title (Distributor)
Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #
1. Disturbia (Paramount (DreamWorks))
$9.1 million | 3,047 | $52.2 million | 3
2. The Invisible (Buena Vista)
$7.6 million | 2,019 | $7.6 million | 1
3. Next (Paramount)
$7.2 million | 2,725 | $7.2 million | 1
4. Fracture (New Line)
$7.1 million | 2,443 | $21.3 million | 2
5. Blades of Glory (Paramount (DreamWorks))
$5.2 million | 3,056 | $108.1 million | 5
(Chart: boxofficemojo.com)
