Related News
'Salt' can't shake 'Inception' at box office
Source: Agencies |
July 26, 2010, Monday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
ANGELINA Jolie's new spy thriller "Salt" failed to take the North American box office crown from Leonardo DiCaprio's "Inception," which enjoyed a stronger-than-expected hold in its second weekend.
According to studio estimates issued yesterday, "Inception" earned US$43.5 million during the three days beginning on Friday, with "Salt" at No. 2 with US$36.5 million.
Internationally, "Inception" was No. 2 with US$56.7 million from 38 markets, behind "Toy Story 3" with US$62 million from 43 countries.
Pundits had predicted "Salt" might hit the US$40 million mark in the United States and Canada, although distributor Columbia Pictures said the opening was in line with its expectations.
The three-day estimate represents a significant drop from the US$50 million openings for each of Jolie's last big films, "Wanted" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."
Jolie earned US$20 million for "Salt," a timely thriller about Russian sleeper spies preparing to bring the United States to its knees. The high-energy action role was originally envisaged for Tom Cruise, who went on to make the box office dud "Knight and Day" instead.
With a relatively modest US$100 million price tag, "Salt" was directed by Australian filmmaker Phillip Noyce and co-stars Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ojiofor. Columbia, a unit of Sony Corp, said women accounted for 53 percent of the audience.
"Salt" is expected to make most of its money overseas. It opened promisingly in India and Taiwan, according to Columbia, and will expand to Japan, Russia, South Korea and Brazil next weekend.
"INCEPTION" RACES TO US$144 MILLION
"Inception," starring DiCaprio as a thief who steals secrets from deep within people's subconscious, raced to US$143.7 million after 10 days, thanks to a drop of just 31 percent from last weekend. Movies generally lose about half of their opening-weekend audience.
"It's driven by word of mouth, it's driven by repeat business already," said Dan Fellman, domestic distribution president at Warner Bros. "When you get that momentum going, it's hard to stop."
The US$160 million project was written and directed by Christopher Nolan, the English filmmaker responsible for the last two "Batman" movies. Warner Bros. is a unit of Time Warner Inc.
Its international total rose to US$84 million, bolstered by No. 1 openings in France, Russia, Australia and Japan.
New at No. 6 with a modest US$8 million was the children's book adaptation "Ramona and Beezus" starring Joey King and Disney starlet Selena Gomez.
Distributor 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp, said it had expected a US$6 million opening and noted the picture cost just US$15 million to make. As expected, the film's primary audience was mothers and daughters.
The Universal Pictures cartoon "Despicable Me" slipped one spot to No. 3 with US$24.1 million, taking its total to US$161.7 million after just three weekends. Universal is a unit of General Electric Co.
Two Walt Disney Co releases rounded out the top five. The Nicolas Cage dud "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" fell one spot to No. 4 with US$9.7 million, taking its total to US$42.6 million after 12 days.
"Toy Story 3" held at No. 5 with US$9 million. The total for the year's biggest movie rose to US$379.5 million. Its foreign haul rose to US$351 million.
According to studio estimates issued yesterday, "Inception" earned US$43.5 million during the three days beginning on Friday, with "Salt" at No. 2 with US$36.5 million.
Internationally, "Inception" was No. 2 with US$56.7 million from 38 markets, behind "Toy Story 3" with US$62 million from 43 countries.
Pundits had predicted "Salt" might hit the US$40 million mark in the United States and Canada, although distributor Columbia Pictures said the opening was in line with its expectations.
The three-day estimate represents a significant drop from the US$50 million openings for each of Jolie's last big films, "Wanted" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."
Jolie earned US$20 million for "Salt," a timely thriller about Russian sleeper spies preparing to bring the United States to its knees. The high-energy action role was originally envisaged for Tom Cruise, who went on to make the box office dud "Knight and Day" instead.
With a relatively modest US$100 million price tag, "Salt" was directed by Australian filmmaker Phillip Noyce and co-stars Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ojiofor. Columbia, a unit of Sony Corp, said women accounted for 53 percent of the audience.
"Salt" is expected to make most of its money overseas. It opened promisingly in India and Taiwan, according to Columbia, and will expand to Japan, Russia, South Korea and Brazil next weekend.
"INCEPTION" RACES TO US$144 MILLION
"Inception," starring DiCaprio as a thief who steals secrets from deep within people's subconscious, raced to US$143.7 million after 10 days, thanks to a drop of just 31 percent from last weekend. Movies generally lose about half of their opening-weekend audience.
"It's driven by word of mouth, it's driven by repeat business already," said Dan Fellman, domestic distribution president at Warner Bros. "When you get that momentum going, it's hard to stop."
The US$160 million project was written and directed by Christopher Nolan, the English filmmaker responsible for the last two "Batman" movies. Warner Bros. is a unit of Time Warner Inc.
Its international total rose to US$84 million, bolstered by No. 1 openings in France, Russia, Australia and Japan.
New at No. 6 with a modest US$8 million was the children's book adaptation "Ramona and Beezus" starring Joey King and Disney starlet Selena Gomez.
Distributor 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp, said it had expected a US$6 million opening and noted the picture cost just US$15 million to make. As expected, the film's primary audience was mothers and daughters.
The Universal Pictures cartoon "Despicable Me" slipped one spot to No. 3 with US$24.1 million, taking its total to US$161.7 million after just three weekends. Universal is a unit of General Electric Co.
Two Walt Disney Co releases rounded out the top five. The Nicolas Cage dud "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" fell one spot to No. 4 with US$9.7 million, taking its total to US$42.6 million after 12 days.
"Toy Story 3" held at No. 5 with US$9 million. The total for the year's biggest movie rose to US$379.5 million. Its foreign haul rose to US$351 million.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
