'Superbad' Stays on Top
by Brandon Gray

Jonah Hill in Superbad

August 27, 2007

True to late August's reputation as a dumping ground, five lackluster wide releases entered the fray, leading to an unexciting weekend at the box office. Superbad ranked first again, though it did not hold well. Off 45 percent to $18 million, the raunchy comedy fell harder than Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin among others but, with $68.6 million in ten days, it has accumulated more than those pictures through the same point.

In second place, The Bourne Ultimatum became the highest grossing picture of its series. Again holding better than previous movie The Bourne Supremacy, the action thriller made $12.5 million, lifting its total to $185.3 million in 24 days. Supremacy grossed $176.2 million in its entire run, and soon Ultimatum will become the only sequel of the summer to see greater attendance than its predecessor.

On the other hand, Rush Hour 3 continued to trail Rush Hour 2 by a wide margin. Down 45 percent, the action comedy rounded up $11.7 million for $108.5 million in 17 days. It's also lagging behind the first Rush Hour in terms of attendance.

Faring best among the new movies, Mr. Bean's Holiday sprouted $9.9 million at 1,714 sites. A hit internationally, Universal Pictures' lowbrow comedy sold far fewer tickets in its debut than its predecessor Bean from ten years ago.

WAR was defeated with $9.8 million at 2,277 theaters. Pitting Jet Li against Jason Statham was the sole hook in Lionsgate's martial arts picture which was otherwise pedestrian in its premise and marketing campaign. The result was a below average start for both Li and Statham. The two previously appeared together in The One, which did about twice the business in its opening.

Nicholas Art and Scarlett Johansson in The Nanny Diaries

The Nanny Diaries raised $7.5 million at 2,629 locations, a fraction of the similarly-themed The Devil Wears Prada. Based on a reportedly best-selling book, MGM and The Weinstein Company's comedy, which came off as considerably less relatable and charismatic in ads than Devil, was also upstaged by another August nanny comedy, Uptown Girls, which opened to $11.3 million in 2003.

Resurrecting the Champ delivered the weakest start on record for a widely-released boxing-themed picture, earning $1.7 million at 1,605 venues. Yari Film Group's drama was a tricky sell, though, as it covered issues of journalism and not a boxer's comeback to the ring as the title might suggest, and such pictures have usually had modest audiences in the past (The Insider, Shattered Glass).

Worst among wide openers, September Dawn reaped an estimated $635,000 at 857 locations. Slowhand Cinema Releasing's period drama had a modicum of controversy surrounding its subject matter, a religiously-driven massacre by Mormons on Sept. 11, 1857, but overwrought marketing emphasized the historical description over story.

Yet again, Hairspray held best among wide releases, easing 27 percent. The musical mustered $3.3 million for a $107.3 million total, surpassing Dreamgirls as the second most popular non-animated musical of the past 20 years. Meanwhile, Transformers climbed past Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End to become the third-highest grossing picture of the summer with $308.6 million in 55 days.

RELATED ARTICLES
• Review: 'September Dawn'
• 8/28/06 - 'Invincible' Tackles Top Spot (Same Weekend, 2006)
• 8/29/05 - 'Virgin,' 'Grimm' Top Glum Weekend (Same Weekend, 2005)

RELATED CHART
• Weekend Box Office Results

NOTE: This report was originally written on Sunday, Aug. 26 and was revised on Monday, Aug. 27 with actual grosses.