Your weekly run-down and analysis of the US Box Office right here at the Hollywood News.
Coming in an unsurprising 1st place is HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1 which found a massive pot of gold to secure $61.2 million on just it’s opening day in the US. This figure includes $24 million that was taken in midnight showings across 3,700 theatres. The film, at the time of going to press, was on track to rack up sales of up to $150 million across the US and Canada this weekend.
Warners’ THE DARK KNIGHT still stands as the best opening ever after bowing with $158.4 million in July 2008 but Potter is close on the films tail and could yet top that figure. Internationally, figures are expected to also be high and many consider HALLOWS likely to fetch $400 million or more in domestic box office by the end of its theatrical run. Its big first-day tally included a record $5.1 million contribution by 239 high-grossing Imax venues.
Elsewhere among the daily rankings, Lionsgate’s Russell Crowe starrer THE NEXT THREE DAYS has collected $2.5 million to finish in 5th place overall. Helmed by CRASH director Paul Haggis, the action thriller could finish below $10 million come Sunday night.
MEGAMIND from DreamWorks and Paramount grossed $4.5 million in the first day of its third weekend for $97.8 in cumulative box office and a second place ranking on Friday and Fox’s UNSTOPPABLE fetched $4.1 million in third with an eight-day accumulation of $32.9 million, while DUE DATE remains in the top five with $2.9 million and a $66.4 million accumulation at the start of its third weekend.
Check back for International Box Office figures as they come in.
