Jason Bourne stormed theaters for a third time and out did himself yet again. Not only is The Bourne Ultimatum being hailed by action flick critics as the best of the three films, it's also making more money than the previous movies, gun-toting-hand over punch-throwing-fist.
Ultimatum took in $70 million over the weekend, absolutely eclipsing the previous two films Bourne Identity and Bourne Supremacy which had opening weekends of $27 million $52 million respectively. While this marks the completion of the film adaptation for the Bourne novel trilogy, don't be terribly surprised if the franchise continues. When studios see lots of green at the box office, it usually translates to more green lights down the road.
Other new releases didn't fare so well, not that I'm surprised or even disappointed. The live action version of Underdog pulled in a miserable $12 million, but even that's impressive compared to rest of the gang. Wannabe-comedy entry Hot Rod burned out its engines only making $5 million while the complete waste of time BRATZ was all but shut out with $4 million.
El Cantante, rehashed Ray served up Latino style and slathered in unbearable amounts of Jennifer Lopez, only opened in 542 theaters but did well enough in that small release to take the number 12 spot. No news yet if that success in smaller doses will earn it a wider release, but no news is good news. This is one movie that doesn't need to spread any further.
The summer of sequels still won't die. Rush Hour 3 charges the screens next weekend along with Daddy Day Camp, fantasy flick Stardust and Skinwalkers yet another absolutely unwanted release from the gore-pimps at After Dark. The bright side is that Skinwalkers will be in the small release category and may just disappear unnoticed in the summer cinema glut.
August 3 - 5, 2006
THTRS = Number of Screens
* Denotes new release.
Click on title to read CB Review
| 1. | The Bourne Ultimatum * | $70,181,000 - Total: $70,181,000 | LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 3660 |
| 2. | The Simpsons Movie | $25,600,000 - Total: $128,550,000 | LW: 1 WR: 2 THTRS: 3926 |
| 3. | Underdog * | $12,009,000 - Total: $12,009,000 | LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 3013 |
| 4. | I Now Pronounce YouChuck and Larry | $10,528,000 - Total: $91,697,000 | LW: 2 WR: 3 THTRS: 3289 |
| 5. | Hairspray (2007) | $9,325,000 - Total: $78,954,000 | LW: 4 WR: 3 THTRS: 3115 |
| 6. | Harry Potter and theOrder of the Phoenix | $9,285,000 - Total: $260,790,000 | LW: 3 WR: 4 THTRS: 3125 |
| 7. | No Reservations | $6,570,000 - Total: $24,157,000 | LW: 5 WR: 2 THTRS: 2425 |
| 8. | Transformers | $5,950,000 - Total: $296,308,000 | LW: 6 WR: 5 THTRS: 2419 |
| 9. | Hot Rod * | $5,015,000 - Total: $5,015,000 | LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 2607 |
| 10. | BRATZ * | $4,310,000 - Total: $4,310,000 | LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 1509 |
