October 7 - 9, 2005
THTRS = Number of Screens
* Denotes new release.
Click on title to read CB Review
| 1. | Wallace and Gromit:The Curse of the Were-Rabbit* |
| $16,100,000 - Total: $16,121,000 | |
| LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 3645 |
| 2. | Flightplan |
| $10,788,000 - Total: $60,940,000 | |
| LW: 1 WR: 3 THTRS: 3323 |
| 3. | In Her Shoes* |
| $10,025,000 - Total: $10,025,000 | |
| LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 2808 |
| 4. | Two for the Money* |
| $8,380,000 - Total: $8,380,000 | |
| LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 2391 |
| 5. | The Gospel* |
| $8,000,000 - Total: $8,000,000 | |
| LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 969 |
| 6. | Tim Burton's Corpse Bride |
| $6,540,000 - Total: $42,145,000 | |
| LW: 3 WR: 4 THTRS: 3004 |
| 7. | Waiting…* |
| $5,700,000 - Total: $5,700,000 | |
| LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 1652 |
| 8. | A History of Violence |
| $5,125,000 - Total: $16,697,000 | |
| LW: 4 WR: 3 THTRS: 1340 |
| 9. | Serenity |
| $4,925,000 - Total: $17,594,000 | |
| LW: 2 WR: 2 THTRS: 2189 |
| 10. | Into the Blue |
| $4,800,000 - Total: $13,873,000 | |
| LW: 5 WR: 2 THTRS: 2789 |
Wallace and Gromit stormed theaters this weekend, sending Flightplan into its final descent and leaving everyone else wondering what an unassuming claymation inventor and his clever canine best friend have that they don't.
This weekend saw a substantial outbreak of new movies with five films wiping the top ten clean for a fresh fall start. Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit was joined by In Her Shoes, Two for the Money, The Gospel and Waiting.... It's natural to make the argument that Wallace and Gromit only took top honors on account of their massive release, opening in more than 3,500 theaters. It's worth noting, however, that only The Gospel made more money per theater than the claymation duo.
The biggest loser of the weekend was Two for the Money. Despite its hot marketing and the biggest names appearing on the marquee this weekend, Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey's big ticket flick bombed, making a miserable $8 million. Chalk it up to yet another movie this year that is going to have to pray for massive DVD sales to turn a profit.
Last week's debut items are all sliding off the chart like an Uwe Boll film. Among them is Serenity whose box office activity is downright depressing. After making a sad showing in theaters its first time out, the much touted sci-fi flick drop from second to ninth place in one week.
Wallace and Gromit may have done fairly well compared to everything else this weekend, but overall it still only made a mediocre amount continuing the trend of waning interest in going to the movies. This time last year, movies like Two for the Money and In Her Shoes could have expected at least twice what they made this year. What's causing it? Don't ask me, I don't know. I'm neither an economist nor a mind reader. I just report the numbers. But if you want my opinion, take a look at the overall rate of increase in DVD sales in the last two years and the cost of your last fill up at the gas pump. I suspect the answer lies somewhere in there.
Next week Domino and Elizabethtown hit theaters. Will Keira Knightley doing tough chick or soft and sensitive Orlando Bloom do better than this week's Two for the Money? I wouldn't bet on it.
