‘Ride Along’ runs over ‘I, Frankenstein’

January 28, 2014 News Room

For the second weekend in a row, Universal claimed no. 1 and no. 2 at the box office, with the Afghanistan war film Lone Survivor earning $12.6 million in its fifth week. With a cumulative total of $93.6 million, the relatively inexpensive Lone Survivor, starring Mark Wahlberg, will soon cross the $100 million mark.

But I, Frankenstein had a sizeable budget estimated at $65 million, yet opened with just $8.3 million. Starring a beefed-up Arron Eckhart as Mary Shelley’s famous monster in a modern-day setting, the 3-D film wasn’t screened for critics and came into the weekend with little buzz. Lakeshore Entertainment financed the film, which was distributed by Lionsgate.

Two family films trailed Ride Along and Lone Survivor. The animated squirrel comedy The Nut Job made $12.3 million in its second week for Open Road Films. Disney’s juggernaut Frozen added $9 million for a 10-week domestic total of $347.8 million.

Several Oscar candidates sought to capitalise on their recent best-picture nominations. Expanding by a few hundred theatres were Dallas Buyers Club ($2 million, $20.4 million total); 12 Years a Slave; ($2 million, $45.5 million total); Gravity ($2 million, $261.2 million total) Philomena ($1 million, $25.8 million total); and Nebraska($1.4 million, $11.6 million total). Also adding theatres was August: Osage County, which earned $5 million, bringing its cumulative haul to $26.5 million.

Hollywood will largely cede next weekend to the Super Bowl, except for new releases Labor Day, starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, and That Awkward Moment, with Zac Efron and Michael B. Jordan.

Here are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theatres, according toHollywood.com:

1. Ride Along, $21.2 million;

2. Lone Survivor, $12.6 million;

3. The Nut Job, $12.3 million;

4. Frozen, $9 million;

5. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, $8.8 million;

6. I, Frankenstein, $8.3 million;

7. American Hustle, $7.1 million;

8. August: Osage County, $5 million;

9. The Wolf of Wall Street, $5 million;

10. Devil’s Due, $2.8 million.

[VIA – Jamaica Star]