Gravity pulled in $31 million over the weekend to easily take the No. 1 spot for the third week in a row, an astonishing success so far with $170 million total. It should sail over $200 million by next week and will finish with at least $250 total, but could well make more than, maybe even getting to $300 million by the end of its run. Captain Phillips also held well, remaining at No. 2 with $17.3 million and amassing a total of $53 million, ahead of Argo's $43 million at this stage last year. It should get close to or over $100 million, but with Oscar buzz could retain more if it's kept in theaters the way Argo was.
As for the disappointing new releases, Carrie was expected to do well this weekend since horror films typically perform exceedingly well when they're released near Halloween, but it only scared up $17 million and managed a pretty bad "B-" Cinemascore from audiences. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 pulled in another $10 million for a $93 million total, thanks to zero competition for the family audience, and the Sylvester Stallone/Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie Escape Plan pretty much bombed as it rounded out the top five with just about $9 million. But nothing fared worse than the Benedict Cumberbatch vehicle The Fifth Estate, which opened to the worst wide release debut of the year, with only $1 million.
Top 5:
- Gravity- $31 million
- Captain Phillips- $17.3 million
- Carrie- $17 million
- Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2- $10.1 million
- Escape Plan- $9.8 million
In limited release news, the much hyped 12 Years a Slave opened in 19 theaters and pulled in $960,000 for a per screen average of about $50,000 which is very good for a limited debut. It will continue to expand next week before going nationwide on Nov 1st. And the very well-reviewed Robert Redford drama All is Lost made $97,400 from just 6 theaters, which is a tad underwhelming. Next weekend we see if Gravity can hold onto No. 1 for the fourth week in a row as it faces off against Ridley Scott's The Counselor and Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (I have a feeling this one could beat it, but I hope I'm wrong).
