Animated rats out cook “Die Hard,” but Bruce still an action king with $33 million
By Damara Popoola
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today ) 7/1/07 – Audiences ate up “Ratatouille” this weekend, landing the Pixar release at number one with $47.2 million for its debut weekend. The critically-acclaimed cartoon centers on an ambitious rat with dreams of becoming a world-class chef. It stars the voices of comedians Patton Oswalt, Janeane Garofalo, and Will Arnett.
“Live Free and Die Hard” didn’t quite muster enough strength to defeat French cuisine, but did earn $33.1 million to secure second. The long-time coming flick is the fourth in “Die Hard” pantheon and early reviews were surprisingly positive. “Live Free” again stars Bruce Willis as hard-boiled cop John McShane, but this time a little older and wiser as he joins forces with an arrested hacker (played by Apple spokesman Justin Long) to save America from catastrophe.
Coming up third is last week’s leader quasi-sequel “Evan Almighty” with about $15 million. Its $60.6 million total gross hasn’t lived up to its predecessor’s greatness and still hasn’t helped the film break even, considering it cost some $175 million to make the biblical comedy.
Down two spots is horror contender Stephen King’s “1408,” scaring up a respectable $10.6 million its second week out. Based on a short story, it had the highest debut for a King adaptation ever last week and features an engrossing performance from John Cusack as the central character trapped in a haunted room in a New York Hotel.
Holding down fifth place is the latest superhero flick “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” capturing an estimated $9 million, bringing it’s total three week gross to $114.8 mil. After five weeks, surprise summer hit “Knocked Up “ kept house at number six with its $7.4 million. That brings Judd Apatow’s sex comedy with heart’s total gross to an impressive $122.4 million.
Hanging at out at number seven is yet another sequel, the star studded “Ocean’s Thirteen,” that brought in an estimated $6 million as audiences continue to gamble on it. Powerhouse “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” refuses to surrender, securing eighth place with $5 million.
Michael Moore’s much debated commentary on American healthcare “Sicko” jumped from number 31 to ninth place its second week with $4.5 mil. That made it this weekend’s biggest jump, but was mainly due to its expansion to 441 theaters.
Rounding out the top ten was this week’s only other debut, generational drama “Evening,” which snagged tenth with a paltry $3.5 million. Based on a Susan Minot (of “The Hours” fame) novel, the film stars dynamic actresses of all ages – Clair Danes, Vanessa Redgrave, Toni Collette, and Meryl Streep – but failed to keep most critics’, and audiences,’ attention.