Dreamworks’ animated feature Monsters vs. Aliens, which was loosely based on the comic series Rex Havoc and the Ass-Kickers of the Fantastic that appeared in Warren’s 1984 magazine, earned an estimated $58.2 million and posted the biggest bow of 2009 so far (and the third largest March opening ever).  The potent debut of Monsters appears to vindicate Hollywood’s current interest in 3-D—the 28% of screens that showed the cartoon feature in 3-D were responsible for 58% of its box office total.  Aided by Monsters big opening and a surprisingly strong showing by Lionsgate’s The Haunting in Connecticut, the total weekend box office surged by some 40% versus last year when 21 topped the weekend with a $24 million bow.

Weekend Box Office (Studio Estimates): March 27-29, 2009

Despite the reservations of critics like the Wall St. Journal’s Joe Morgenstern who called Monsters vs. Aliens “a visual feast and a narrative famine,” the film pleased its young audience (62% under the age of 25) who gave it an “A-“ CinemaScore.  Among Dreamworks animated release only Kung Fu Panda opened stronger ($60 million) and it had the advantage of a summer debut.  Dreamworks had wanted to open Monsters vs. Aliens in May, but moved the film to March when Fox announced that it would be opening James Cameron’s 3-D space epic Avatar in May--there simply aren’t enough 3-D capable screens available (see “Monsters Moves to March”).  Of course Fox later moved Avatar to December, but by then it was too late to change the Monster vs. Aliens release.

Titan Comic

Last weeks winner, Knowing, slipped just 40% and fell to #3, while the Paul Rudd bromance I Love You Man dropped just 29% and finished in 4th ahead of Duplicity, which fell 46%.  Disney’s Race to Witch Mountain, which was hurt the most by the opening of the family-friendly Monsters, fell nearly 56% and finished sixth.  The WWE-backed 12 Rounds starring grappler John Cena was TKO’d in its first frame with an opening gross of just $5.3 million and a less than mediocre average gross of $2,274 per screen. 

Watchmen declined nearly 60% and earned just $2.7 million in its 4th weekend in release.  Watchmen did manage to cross the $100 million mark last week, but in doing so in 21 days it set a dubious record.  It is now the slowest film ever to pass the century mark after a $50 million opening.  Watchmen’s worldwide cumulative is now at $171 million, but Variety reports that Warners has spent more than $70 million to market the film worldwide, which added to the film’s $150 million production cost means that there is no hope of recouping the film’s cost with its theatrical release (studios are lucky to retain 55% of theatrical grosses).

Meanwhile Sunshine Cleaning has expanded to 167 theaters and managed to maintain a solid $8,048 per screen average, which means it is still on track to become the indie hit of the first half of 2009.