Men in Black 3 Promotional Material
Ten years later Will Smith and the Men in Black franchise still have a winning formula. After 4 weeks of dominance by The Avengers, Men in Black III has taken over first place in the domestic box office race. While the film performed on par with Men in Black 2, it is Will Smith's return after a three year hiatus that has proved to be most impressive. In an era where superstars no longer seem to tempt audiences into the seats, Will managed to solidify 54% of the over 25 demo. This does indicate that families were not as interested in the franchise. Of course, Men in Black III finds itself up against stiff family competition in the coming weeks, specifically from Snow White and the Huntsman and Madagascar 3.
Speaking of The Avengers, an impressive fourth week with $46.9 million places it in second place for biggest fourth weekend numbers behind James Cameron's Avatar. The records don't stop there. The film passed the $500 million mark in just twenty-three days, making it the fastest film to reach that amount. By Friday, it is estimated to pass The Dark Knight for third on the all time box office list, having recently passed two Star Wars films.
Unfortunately, this weekend was not kind to Battleship. Its 45% drop from the first weekend now puts it behind John Carter. The Hasbro adaptation ranks amongst the box office worst and doesn't seem to be recovering any time soon. Similarly, Tim Burton's Dark Shadows has seen a rather hard hit, leveling off in its third week. While the $65 million gross surpasses Sweeney Todd, it still doesn't bode well for Johnny Depp who has seen his star power dwindle over recent releases, including Rum Diary.
Finally, on a positive note, Wes Anderson's newest film Moonrise Kingdom has set records for a limited release. Only showing in four theaters, the film has generated over half a million. The incredible $130 thousand take from each theater is the best ever, surpassing the limited release of Dreamgirls in 2006. Coupled with excellent reviews and festival buzz, Moonrise Kingdom should have as solid nationwide release, potentially trumping the directors best pic, Royal Tenenbaums.
(*All box office numbers from Box Office Mojo)
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