Horton hears another $25 million, Perry meets $20 mil

By Jeffrey Jolson

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 3/23/08 — Actor Owen Wilson’s return to the big screen after his hospitalization and reported suicide attempt was an auspicious one, with “Drillbit Taylor” scoring only fourth place on the Easter weekend boxoffice with a meager $10.2 million. Whether from a weak, poorly reviewed film or audiences now failing to buy Wilson’s standard happy-go-lucky character, the film did a fraction of the weekend’s leader “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!,” which screamed loudly with $25 million in its second outing.

The big winner this weekend may not have been Dr. Suess, but Tyler Perry, who proved he can open films at $20 million with consistency. His latest film “Meet the Browns” (see related story) did just that, coming in No. 2.

Horror title “Shutter” clicked at No. 3 with $10.7 million, not that wide an aperture for a widely promoted film in the genre.

A Spanish-language record was set by “Under the Same Moon,” which grossed $2.6 million on its opening weekend.

WEEKEND TOP 5 STUDIO ESTIMATES, MARCH 21-23, 2008

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

1. Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! (Fox) $25.1 million | 3,961 | $86.5 million | 2

2. Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns (Lionsgate) $20.0 million | 2,006 | $20.0 million | 1

3. Shutter (Fox) $10.7 million | 2,753 | $10.7 million | 1

4. Drillbit Taylor (Paramount) $10.2 million | 3,056 | $10.2 million | 1

5. 10,000 B.C. (Warner Bros.) $8.7 million | 3,454 | $76.1 million | 3

Figures: Boxofficemojo