By Chris Kavan - 01/06/13 at 10:54 PM CT
Never underestimate the power of deprived horror fans. It turns out this demographic can only go for so long without getting a fix. The Collection dropped on Nov. 30th, Paranormal Activity 4 on Oct. 19 - so apparently horror fans have been biting their nails and pulling their hair out with anticipation ever since then.
1) TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D
Taking the top spot with $23 million, Texas Chainsaw 3D landed between the 2003 Texas Chainsaw Massacre ($28.1 million) and Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning ($18.5 million). I thought this movie would struggle to place in the top five, let alone top the box office. It just goes to show that if you market to your audience correctly, have an established franchise name and include a hot talent (in this case popular singer/producer Trey Songz) - the recipe for success greatly improves. Though it was front-loaded and only received a C+ cinemascore, both are par for the course for a horror film. Likely it will take a bit hit next week, but it should be able to cross the $50 million mark.
2) DJANGO UNCHAINED
Quentin Tarantino's violent western had to settle for second place with $20.08 million (down 33%). The film crossed the $100 million mark in its second weekend, winding up with $106.3 million total. That total already topped last year's late R-rated film, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ($102.5 million) and should easily be able to out gross Inglourious Basterds ($120.5 million) in the next week. Add in some award buzz and a $150 million total should be an easy target to hit.
3) THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
Coming in third place in its fourth weekend of releases, Peter Jackson's Middle Earth epic took in $17.5 million and crossed the $250 million mark to end up at $263.82 million. It just passed The Amazing Spider-Man ($262.03 million) to become the 6th-highest grossing film of 2012 and should be able to knock Twilight from its 5th-place perch before it ends its run. It's also of note that in its fourth weekend of release, it beat all of the other Lord of the Rings films in grosses (Fellowship was closest with $16.2 million).
4) LES MISERABLES
The sweeping musical took in $16.1 million (down 41%) and also crossed the $100 million mark this weekend, bringing its total to $103.6 million. It was the fasted $100 million grossing musical of all time and eased passed Dreamgirls ($103.3 million) to become the 7th-highest grossing musical of all time - and should move up to fifth by next weekend.
5) PARENTAL GUIDANCE
Rounding out the top five, Parental Guidance had just a 30% drop and took in $10.1 million and bringing its total over the $50 million mark for a $52.76 million total. With just a $25 million budget, the family comedy has managed to make a nice name for itself (despite the fact I still think it looks terrible).
Outside the top five - The fracking political drama The Promised Land expanded from its limited release but wound up not attracting much attention in 10th place with $4.3 million. Not even Matt Damon is going to be able to save this one, which should exit theaters quietly and quickly.
In tale of complete opposite on limited releases - Zero Dark Thirty finally expanded beyond a handful of theaters to 55 and took in $2.75 million for an impressive per-theater average of $45,833 - the fourth highest average for any film playing in 50+ theaters.
On the other hand, David Cross of Sopranos fame, probably wishes he just went straight to video with Not Fade Away. At 565 theaters, the film managed a paltry $280,000, or just a $496 per-theater average. With an estimated budget of $20 million, it's going to hurt.
Next weekend the ensemble cast of The Gangster Squad finally gets a chance to shine (after being pushed back just a bit) and we have to deal with yet another horror movie parody featuring a Wayons Brother with A Haunted House.
