WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: SUNDAY Update - Hurricane Irene the big story! THE HELP a low #1 with $14.3mil. COLUMBIANA #2 w/ $10.3mil. DARK #3 w/ $8.6mil.

I guess the business for CONAN wasn't the only thing that blows...

     A hurricane out east played havoc with a good portion of the movie going public making this the lowest 3-day weekend for 2011 according to Deadline Hollywood.

     For the second week in a row, THE HELP will top the box office with an estimated $14.3mil over the three-day period bringing its total to a great $96mil.

     Out of all the newcomers, COLUMBIANA will take the #2 spot with a so-so $10.3mil after opening Friday with $4mil.  Not too bad but I'm sure the lower PG-13 aided in boosting that number.

     The new scare film (and remake of the 1970s telefilm) DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK will follow closely with about an $8.6mil weekend.  It started off with about $3.5mil and horror films are generally front-loaded so that figure should stand after the weekend.

     RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES is still holding up well.  It made $2.5mil Friday and should make $8.6mil for the weekend.  It stands at close to $150mil for its North American gross so far.

     OUR IDIOT BROTHER opened up to poor reviews and that reflected in the box office stats which show it not opening to much more than $6mil for its opening weekend.

     As for second Friday drops SPY KIDS 4 fell 51%, FRIGHT NIGHT was down 70% and poor expensive CONAN fell a disastrous 69%

-bri

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