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Squeaky!

Early WEEKEND BOX OFFICE - Friday Update: MONEYBALL, LION KING, DOLPHIN TALE - Who's #1?? COURAGEOUS, DREAM HOUSE, NUMBER and 50/50 all low

It's going to be yet another close weekend as holdovers MONEYBALL, DOLPHIN TALE and LION KING 3D battle for #1.  The big story is that the four new films of the weekend are going to take a back seat to these older films according to Deadline Hollywood

On Friday MONEYBALL was the highest grossing film taking in $4mil which could give it a $12mil weekend.  DOLPHIN TALE took in less with a $3.5mil Friday but kids movies make more money on the weekend matinees.  That could give it a $14mil weekend which would be good enough for #1.

And then there's THE LION KING 3D (aka as the movie that will never die) which made $3.2mil but just like DOLPHIN will see an uptick in business from rugrats on Saturday and Sunday shows.  Will it take #1?

A big surprise this weekend is the weak opening for the four new movies.

The cancer comedy-drama 50/50 was expected to open huge but its subject matter may have been off-putting to some.  It'll have a $10mil weekend.  Hopefully its 90% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes (a critics rating site) will help it in the weeks to come.

The Christian theme film COURAGEOUS opened stronger as its appeal isn't as wide as other films.  It's looking at a $9mil weekend.

Daniel Craig leaves the tux behind and tries his hand at horror with the new film DREAM HOUSE.  Bad word-of-mouth and poor reviews will give this a weak $7.5mil opening weekend.

The Anna Faris comedy WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER? opened the weakest of all four and is looking at a $5.5mil weekend.

Other holdovers ABDUCTION and KILLER ELITE fell down about 55% each on their second weekend out.


More info as it comes in!!

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Saturday Update - MONEYBALL #1 w/ $20+mil. Old LION KING #2 over new DOLPHIN? ELITE, ABDUCTION start low

"I wonder if a fat guy like me could ever be as thin as Brad?  Nah, never happen."

     The #1 film will most likely be the new Brad Pitt sports film  MONEYBALL.  Based on the true story of the unorthodox rebuilding of the 2002 Oakland A's the film is attracting both sports fans and smarter moviegoers who flocked to the similarly paced SOCIAL NETWORK last year.  It is targeting the $20+mil range. 


     But it could be the days of the dolphin this weekend as DOLPHIN TALE will give that film and LION KING a good fight according to early estimates at The Hollywood Reporter.

In the spoof of this the dolphin with be breastfed by the little boy...

     The new family film about a dolphin rescued off the coast of Florida whose tail was amputated looks to score in the $17mil range for the three-day period.  But keep in mind children attendance rises during matinees so that figure could go up.  Nonetheless buoyed by strong reviews and a lack of new family product out there, DOLPHIN TALE should do quite, ummm, swimmingly.

Yeah, this really isn't in the movie but if you believed it was I'm laughing at you...

     Last week's BIG surprise at #1 was THE LION KING.  It grossed a phenomenal $30mil. which is quite a feat for a re-issued film.  There was a rush to see it last week ("In theatres for a limited time!" trumpeted the ads) and the new dolphin movie will be competing against it.  LION KING is expected to fall about 35% which will land it at about $20mil for Friday to Sunday.  If that were the case KING would take #2.

"Damn TWI-hards found me again!!"

     The new Taylor Lautner Bourne Identity homage/rip-off has a built-in audience with teens and younger adults.  It looks to make about $11-13mil this weekend.

By aiming in three different directions they would eventually hit someone...

     The last of the new openers is KILLER ELITE starring Robert DeNiro, Jason Statham and Clive Owen.  The poorly reviewed film will open to about $11mil.


More info as it comes in!