The Seeker: The Dark is Rising Completely Flops

Wow. Fox's new film, The Seeker: The Dark is Rising, debuted on a large 3,100 screens across the country, but, apparently no one ever knew it was coming. The film opened to only $1 million on Friday, which means at best it will probably achieve $3 million for the weekend.

The movie looked pretty bad as previews had it appearing like a dreary yet more slapstick version of Harry Potter, despite being based on a classic fantasy kid's book by Susan Cooper. Of course, I remember reading the book when I was younger and not really liking it...

Overall, the weekend was a bust, according to Box Office Prophets. The Heartbreak Kid, directed by the Farrelly brothers and starring Ben Stiller, looks like it will achieve around $16 million for the weekend, about half of what some experts were estimating. Last week's #1 film, The Game Plan, will most likely remain in the top spot with just a million more.

Somehow, Feel the Noise, another under-advertised dance flick that looked pretty bad, managed to earn more money on Friday than The Seeker, though only by $0.1 million. Expect $3 million for that film.

Friday Box Office Numbers: Resident Evil wins, of course

Resident Evil will easily win the weekend as it took in $8.8 million on Friday; Good Luck Chuck came in second with $4.4 million; Eastern Promises, unfortunately, made only $1.9, though for a David Cronenberg film I guess it could be worse...

Thankfully, Sydney White earned only $1.75 million. Here's the full list, courtesy of Box Office Psychics:

1. Resident Evil: Extinction (Sony) – $8.8M
2. Good Luck Chuck (Lionsgate) - $4.4M
3. The Brave One (Warner Bros) – $2.3M
4. Eastern Promises (Focus Features) – $1.9M
5. 3:10 to Yuma (Lionsgate) - $1.8M
6. Sydney White (Universal) - $1.75M
7. Mr. Woodcock (New Line) – $1.45M
8. Superbad (Sony) - $850,000
9. The Bourne Ultimatum (Universal) - $810,000
10. Across the Universe (Universal) - $570,000
*In the Valley of Elah (Warner Independent) - $270,000
*The Hunting Party (MGM/Weinstein) - $166,000

The Bourne Ultimatum to make $65 million over the weekend

Despite movies such as Transformers, Spider-Man 3, Die Hard 4, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Pirates of the Carribean 3 (not that I was anticipating that one at all) and even The Simpsons Movie, my most anticipated movie of the summer has always been - perhaps just barely - The Bourne Ultimatum.

Why? The Bourne Identity was a good movie. Not great, and definitely not perfect, but good, and it gets better with repeat viewing. The Bourne Supremacy, directed by Paul Greengrass, was a whole another story. The action movie starring Matt Damon was gritty, fast-paced and unbelievably suspenseful, and ranks among the top of my favorite action movies of all time.

Needless to say, with Paul Greengrass returning, I expect more of the same. It is noon on Saturday and I yet to go see this film, but it is receiving rave reviews and, according to Friday box office figures, getting lots of sold out theaters.

According to Box Office Prophets, a source I rather trust for box office analysis, The Bourne Ultimatum earned $23.7 million on Friday alone, which means it should come in at a minimum of $65 million (I am going to guess something a little closer to $70). That's not too shabby, especially considering Identity opened to "only" $27.1 million and Supremacy to $18.4 on Friday alone (I don't have the full weekend numbers before me and am too lazy to look).

Also remember that Casino Royale "only" opened to $40 million, which means Jason Bourne is kicking some British James Bond ass.

Other movies of the weekend include Underdog, which opened to $4.1 on Friday, Hot Rod, which only managed to earn $2 million on Friday, and Bratz, which an unfortunately high $1.7 (I was hoping audiences would steal money from movie theaters to give it a negative return).

Friday Box Office Analysis - The Condemned is condemned

Based on Friday numbers alone, thanks to boxofficemojo.com, Disturbia once again is leading the pack with $3.2 million, with The Invisible, a new release, close behind. Other new films include Next, which made only $2.3 million, and The Condemned, which tanked, thankfully, with $1.3 million.

Here are the results from Friday (estimates):

1. Disturbia ($3.2 million)
2. The Invisible ($3.0 million)
3. Next ($2.3 million)
4. Fracture ($2.0 million)
5. Blades of Glory ($1.6 million)
6. Hot Fuzz ($1.5 million)
7. Vacancy ($1.4 million)
8. The Condemned ($1.3 million)
9. Meet the Robinsons ($1.2 million)
10. In the Land of Women ($1.0 million)

Friday Box Office Analysis - Disturbia Conquers

According to the Friday Box Office Analysis from BoxOfficeProphets, Disturbia took in much more than anticipated with $8.7 million on Friday, which should lead to around $24 million over the weekend, easily putting it in the top spot. Halle Berry and Bruce Willis star power will only drive Perfect Stranger to around $11 million, while films like Pathfinder and Redline thankfully flopped, Aqua Teen Hungerforce will be lucky to make the Top Ten, and other new releases/expansions such as The Hoax and Slow Burn decided to not show up to the fight in the first place.

Here are the estimates for the April 13th - April 15th, 2007 weekend, based on Friday numbers only:

1. Disturbia ($24.3 million)
2. Blades of Glory ($15.1 million)
3. Perfect Stranger ($11.4 million)
4. Meet the Robinsons ($11.1 million
5. Are We Done Yet? ($7.8 million)
6. Wild Hogs ($4.7 million)
7. The Reaping ($4.5 million)
8. Pathfinder ($4.3 million)
9. Redline ($4.0 million)
10. Aqua Teen Hunger Force ($3.5 million)

Friday Box Office Analysis - Grindhouse doesn't grind

Grindhouse defied box office analysts this weekend and will earn a less than expected $13.0 million for the weekend, according to Friday box office numbers. It's a real shame, because Grindhouse looks amazing and looks to be more "original" than most stuff padding the top of the box office right now. Blades of Glory continues to shine, while Meet the Robinsons also performs strongly. Unfortunately, Are We Done Yet?, the lame sequel to Are We There Yet? (that was the title of that Ice Cube stinker, right>), made more than Grindhouse.

While box office analysts were not overly surprised, I was little started to see The Reaping way down in #5. Perhaps the shine has completely come off horror movies, but The Reaping, starring critical darling Hilary Swank, looked to at least be entertaining. Marketing was strong and all over the place - I expected this one to be a top contender.

The only good news of the weekend is that Firehouse Dog, the lame PG-rated dog movie, will make less than $5 million.

Estimates, based on Friday box office numbers from BoxOfficeProphets.com, are (in millions):

1. Blades of Glory ($26.1)
2. Meet the Robinsons ($22.8)
3. Are We Done Yet? ($16.4)
4. Grindhouse ($13.0
5. The Reaping ($10.1)
6. 300 ($9.2)
7. Wild Hogs ($7.2)
8. TMNT ($6.6)
9. Shooter ($6.1)
10. Firehouse Dog ($4.5)

Friday Box Office Analysis - Blades of Glory

Will Ferrell's Blades of Glory earned $12 million on Friday, guaranteeing it a top spot, while Meet the Robinsons also performed quite well. TMNT dropped a staggering 71% from last Friday. Did The Lookout not get released wide? It's not in the top ten...

Estimated cash earned over the weekend, in millions, based on Friday figures*:

1.Blades of Glory $34.2
2. Meet the Robinsons $27.1
3. 300 $11.1
4. Wild Hogs $8.4
5. Shooter $8.3
6. TMNT $7.7
7. Premonition $5.0
8. Reign Over Me $3.9
9. The Last Mimzy $3.8
10. The Hills Have Eyes II $3.7

*Source: Box Office Prophets

Friday Box Office Analysis - 300 plunges, but still takes #1

To no great surprise, 300 drops 60% from last weekend as the fanboy rush is off, and, to no great surprise, 300 once again still wins the weekend. Wild Hogs continues to perform strongly despite all odds, and Premonition, which looked okay but wasn't expected to do much at all, earned enough to where it could end up being Sandra Bullock's best weekend opening ever (how the heck does that happen?). Thankfully, audiences told director James Wan that his first film, Saw, was a fluke success, and that no one really thinks he's all that good, as his new horror film Dead Silence didn't repeat Saw's success. I Think I Love My Wife, a Chris Rock movie I actually wanted to see despite so-so reviews, crashed and burned with only $1.8 million on Friday.

And people, go and see Zodiac! It is amazing! It deserves better treatment than the box office take it is currently receiving!

1. 300 ($30.5 million)
2. Wild Hogs ($19.2 million)
3. Premonition ($18.2 million)
4. Dead Silence ($7.5 million)
5. Bridge to Terabithia ($5.6 million)
6. I Think I Love My Wife ($5.0 million)
7. Ghost Rider ($4.2 million)
8. Zodiac ($3.1 million)
9. Norbit ($2.8 million)
10. Music & Lyrics ($2.1 million)

*Weekend estimates based on Friday box office numbers, from Box Office Prophets