In a battle of high profile comedy debuts, Warner Bros.’ Get Smart starring Steve Carell took the top spot at the weekend box office with an estimated total of $39.2 million, while Mike Myers’ The Love Guru opened to a tepid take of $14 million.
In its third frame Kung Fu Panda dropped only 35% and apparently took second place (final numbers will be out tomorrow) with an estimated total of $21.7 million just nosing out The Incredible Hulk’s estimated $21.6 million. Overall the top ten box office numbers were up 10% from last year’ total as
Marvel Studio’s The Incredible Hulk fell off 61% in its second frame, a drop that was considerably less than the 70% decline that Ang Lee’s Hulk film suffered in 2003. The not-so-jolly green giant’s new movie has now taken in $96.5 million, but it may have trouble topping the first Hulk movie’s total domestic take of $132.2 million (especially if the Ang Lee’s film’s gross is adjusted for inflation). Still, audiences appear pleased with the film, which Marvel Studios believes is good for the future of the franchise.
The Incredible Hulk will encounter a major new competitor for its male action demographic when the excellently reviewed and hyperkinetic Wanted opens next weekend.
Get Smart is the second small screen import to win the weekend box office crown in 2008 (Sex and the City was the first), and its CinemaScore of B+ means it could have some legs as it will face little competition from other high profile comedies in the coming week. The Get Smart audience was evenly split between males and females and definitely skewed older with 60% over 25.
The Love Guru crowd was younger and predominantly male, but the film only managed to earn $4,648 per venue (Get Smart brought in $10,011). With lousy reviews (only 16% positive on Rotten Tomatoes) and a CinemaScore of B-, The Love Guru appears well on its way to becoming the second box office bomb of the summer (Speed Racer was the first).
As expected Iron Man became the first 2008 film to cross the $300 million barrier, and for the third week in a row it posted the smallest percentage drop (29%) of any film in the top 10, where it has remained now for eight weeks in a row. Iron Man has now earned $304.8 million is poised to pass Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl at $305.4 million and become the #26 highest grossing film of all time this week. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has also been holding up well, but it is no longer a given that the 4th Indy film, which has now earned $290.8 million, will pass Iron Man and win the summer movie crown.
Dreamworks' Kung Fu Panda has earned $155.7 million and looks like it will easily eclipse the $200 million mark, though it will face major competition for the first time this coming weekend with the debut of Pixar’s Wall-E.
