It’s ‘Hellboy 2’ with $36 million edges out week two ‘Hancock’ at $33 million
By Robin Rowe

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 7/13/08 – “He’s a complete underachieving, lazy slob, a beer-drinking, football-watching average American guy who has no desire to be a superhero,” says ‘Hellboy 2’ star Ron Perlman. “He just happens to have these abilities commensurate with where he’s from and who he is. His extraordinary superhuman traits are coincidental and not something he aspires to.”

If the premise of ‘Hellboy 2’ sounds a little familiar, consider last weekend’s top bow, ‘Hancock’. “He drinks a little too much,” says Will Smith. “He’s an alcoholic superhero.”

‘Hancock’ was panned by most critics. However, not by this film reviewer. Many critics took issue with a plot curve ball. It didn’t seem to matter as it took a weekend gross of $63 million and now reaching $163 million. ‘Hancock’ isn’t done fighting. It’s the broadest release this weekend with 6,800 screens at 3,965 theaters.

Weekend Theater Counts (>1,000)

1. ‘Hancock’ (Sony) 3,965 (0)
2. ‘Wall-E’ (Buena Vista) 3,849 (-143)
3. ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’ (Universal) 3,204 (new)
4. ‘Meet Dave’ (Fox) 3,011 (new)
5. ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D’ (New Line) 2,811 (new)
6. ‘Kit Kittredge’ (Picturehouse) 1,849 (+6)
7. ‘Wanted’ (Universal) 3,159 (-26)
8. ‘Get Smart’ (Warner Bros.) 3,086 (-488)
9. ‘Kung Fu Panda’ (DreamWorks Animation) 2,704 (-643)
10. ‘The Incredible Hulk’ (Universal) 1,949 (-1094)
11. ‘Indiana Jones’(Paramount) 1,664 (-528)
12. ‘Sex and the City’ (New Line) 1,025 (-250)

Does America have the appetite for two loser superheroes? Theater owners weren’t convinced. Despite a massive marketing campaign for ‘Helboy 2’, it has less theaters than ‘Hancock’ or ‘Wall-E’. ‘Hellboy’ 2004 did a $23 million opening weekend in 3,028 theaters on it’s way to $60 million. ‘Hellboy 2’ is looking at a $36 million weekend. ‘Hancock’ will have the typical 50% second-weekend dip, for $33 million.

Weekend Box Office Studio Estimates

1. ‘Hellboy II’ (Universal)    $35,885,000
2. ‘Hancock’ (Sony) $33,000,000
3. ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D’ (New Line) $20,580,000
4. ‘Wall-E’ (Buena Vista) $18,509,000
5. ‘Wanted’ (Universal)  $11,586,000
6. ‘Get Smart’ (Warner Bros.) $7,105,000
7. ‘Meet Dave’ (Fox) $5,300,000
8. ‘Kung Fu Panda’ (DreamWorks Animation) $4,300,000
9. ‘Kit Kittredge’ (Picturehouse) $2,357,000
10. ‘Indiana Jones’ (Paramount) $2,250,000

Family fun ‘Journey 3D’ did a respectable $21 million. Audiences have apparently not forgotten ‘Pluto Nash’, giving Eddie Murphy’s ‘Meet Dave’ a disappointing $5 million. Overall, a $145 million weekend, off 15% from last year. The weekend last year was powered by ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ bringing Warner Bros. $77 million.

Next weekend’s big openers are ‘The Dark Knight’ (Warner Bros.), ‘Mamma Mia!’ (Universal) and Space Chimps (Fox).

Data Source: Box Office Mojo