This Week's Box Office Report
By: Rick Holter
Issue date: 4/17/06 Section: Entertainment
Rick Holter
The Dallas Morning News (KRT)
VOTE FOR PEDRO, AGAIN: Well, it was not Rob Schneider. And it sure was not David Spade. Two guys made The Benchwarmers the surprise of the week: Adam Sandler and Napoleon Dynamite. Adam's company produced this widely trashed comedy, and Napoleon star Jon Heder brought out the Pedro vote. The result was a shocking 19.7 million dollars and a number two debut. Guess those studio strong-arm tactics, muscling out critics and trashing the one who did manage to review in advance, work after all.
THE UP SIDE: Ice Age: The Meltdown dropped by half, but weekend two's 33.8 million dollars was still enough to easily dominate multiplexes and top the chart. Do not look for a three-peat, though, with the silly chills of Scary Movie 4 on the horizon.
BOMB SQUAD: You can not overcome a terrible title. Just ask the makers of Lucky Number Slevin, a pleasantly received caper flick that tanked in its opening weekend. A Number five finish with seven million dollars might be bearable for the limited-release crowd, but with names like Bruce Willis, , Josh Harnett and Morgan Freeman aboard, this is a train wreck, lucky or not.
SWAMI SEZ: Guess The Benchwarmers hit a little too close to home for the Swami, still smarting from riding the pine in high school.
Prediction: Ice Age: The Meltdown would repeat on top with 28 million dollars. Result: Nice Ice, baby: 33.8 million dollars.
Prediction: The Benchwarmers would not get out of the bullpen at $12 mil and number two. Result: Who knew they could throw high heat? A strong 19.9 million dollars at number two.
Results so far: thirty-one out of fiftey-six (fiftey-five percent).
Very scary: Hard to believe, but the Scary Movie trilogy has made $640 million worldwide. So could this week's SM4 push that total past $1 billion? Swami sez: Probably not, but judging from "3's" $48 million debut, it will break the bank this weekend. Try $39 million and an easy cruise to number one.
FRIENDS, The Movie: Great cast (Jennifer Aniston, Catherine Keener, Frances McDormand and Joan Cusack), intriguing director (indie and TV darling Nicole Holofcener) and underserved audience (intelligent women). Swami sez: Friends With Money surges into the top fifteen with 15,000 dollars per screen and one million dollars-plus in limited release.
The Dallas Morning News (KRT)
VOTE FOR PEDRO, AGAIN: Well, it was not Rob Schneider. And it sure was not David Spade. Two guys made The Benchwarmers the surprise of the week: Adam Sandler and Napoleon Dynamite. Adam's company produced this widely trashed comedy, and Napoleon star Jon Heder brought out the Pedro vote. The result was a shocking 19.7 million dollars and a number two debut. Guess those studio strong-arm tactics, muscling out critics and trashing the one who did manage to review in advance, work after all.
THE UP SIDE: Ice Age: The Meltdown dropped by half, but weekend two's 33.8 million dollars was still enough to easily dominate multiplexes and top the chart. Do not look for a three-peat, though, with the silly chills of Scary Movie 4 on the horizon.
BOMB SQUAD: You can not overcome a terrible title. Just ask the makers of Lucky Number Slevin, a pleasantly received caper flick that tanked in its opening weekend. A Number five finish with seven million dollars might be bearable for the limited-release crowd, but with names like Bruce Willis, , Josh Harnett and Morgan Freeman aboard, this is a train wreck, lucky or not.
SWAMI SEZ: Guess The Benchwarmers hit a little too close to home for the Swami, still smarting from riding the pine in high school.
Prediction: Ice Age: The Meltdown would repeat on top with 28 million dollars. Result: Nice Ice, baby: 33.8 million dollars.
Prediction: The Benchwarmers would not get out of the bullpen at $12 mil and number two. Result: Who knew they could throw high heat? A strong 19.9 million dollars at number two.
Results so far: thirty-one out of fiftey-six (fiftey-five percent).
Very scary: Hard to believe, but the Scary Movie trilogy has made $640 million worldwide. So could this week's SM4 push that total past $1 billion? Swami sez: Probably not, but judging from "3's" $48 million debut, it will break the bank this weekend. Try $39 million and an easy cruise to number one.
FRIENDS, The Movie: Great cast (Jennifer Aniston, Catherine Keener, Frances McDormand and Joan Cusack), intriguing director (indie and TV darling Nicole Holofcener) and underserved audience (intelligent women). Swami sez: Friends With Money surges into the top fifteen with 15,000 dollars per screen and one million dollars-plus in limited release.
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