BOX OFFICE REPORT: ‘Wall-E,’ ‘Wanted’ debut strong at the box office
Written by Rick From Chicago on June 30th, 2008 in Box Office Report, Movies. 237 views
Pixar delivered another #1 hit movie with their latest studio effort.
Pixar and Disney’s endearing “Wall-E” and Universal’s Angelina Jolie-James McAvoy actioner “Wanted” made for another boffo weekend at the summer box office as overall revenues for the year moved ahead of 2007 for the first time in months.
The critically acclaimed “Wall-E,” directed by Andrew Stanton, easily won the weekend, grossing an estimated $62.5 million from 3,992 runs. The R-rated “Wanted” rocketed past expectations, grossing an estimated $51.1 million from 3,175.
Each made the record books.
“Wall-E” was anything but robotic, scoring the second best June opening of all time, after “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” ($94.7 million). Opening is the third highest among the nine Pixar films after “The Incredibles” ($70.5 million) and “Finding Nemo” ($70.2 million). And at $23.1 million, toon scored the biggest opening-day gross of any Pixar title, reflecting the fact that kids were out of school and free to hit theaters on Friday.
“Wanted” scored the best opening ever for an R-rated film released in June and the sixth best of all time for any R-rated pic. Film, also starring Morgan Freeman, placed No. 2 for the weekend and played well across ethnic groups. U said it’s already eyeing a sequel.
Strength of the domestic box office in June suggests that soaring gas prices and the sagging economy have left Americans eager to escape — without necessarily traveling out of town. For the most part, Hollywood’s summer slate is hitting the right chord with consumers.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. “WALL-E,” $62.5 million.
2. “Wanted,” $51.1 million.
3. “Get Smart,” $20 million.
4. “Kung Fu Panda,” $11.7 million.
5. “The Incredible Hulk,” $9.2 million.
6. “The Love Guru,” $5.4 million.
7. “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” $5 million.
8. “The Happening,” $3.9 million.
9. “Sex and the City,” $3.8 million.
10. “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan,” $3.2 million.
[Credit: Variety / Media By Numbers]
