WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Pineapples and Pants

I thought for sure this would be the week. It was pretty amazing last weekend when a franchise as big as THE MUMMY 3 couldn’t beat it but you’ve got to fall sometime. With two brand new, anticipated films debuting in wide release, I figured THE DARK KNIGHT was a goner but I was mistaken. Despite grossing ahead of the bat on Friday, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS was unable to keep its hold throughout the weekend, allowing THE DARK KNIGHT to pull in another $26 million and remain the king of the box office for a fourth weekend in a row.

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS debuted Wednesday to the biggest August Wednesday opening of all time. This might sound impressive but really, we’re talking about $12 million here. THE DARK KNIGHT made $18 million in its first Wednesday, five days after its initial release. Still, it isn’t fair to compare any film to THE DARK KNIGHT. In total, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS has earned just over $40 million in five days. Compared to past Apatow productions, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS has earned more in five days than all but SUPERBAD, including the $200+ million grossing KNOCKED UP and this year’s FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL. This proves it; audiences love schleppy guys who sit around talking smack. When will the Apatow tide turn?


This week’s other major release is the sequel, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2. Now I am not a teenage girl so this movie has zero appeal for me but though the girls didn’t come out in HANNAH MONTANA numbers, the film still built on its predecessor. The film is tracking about $4 million ahead of the last film’s 5-day take and will likely top out at about $50 million if all holds well. Given the first film’s modest take and the equally modest take of the sequel, I’m still not sure why these pants are seeing more of the world than I am.

There are two films outside the Top 10 that pulled in higher averages than any film in the Top 10. The first is the Ben Kingsley/Penelope Cruz spring/fall romance, ELEGY Debuting on six screens, the film pulled in a per screen average of $17K. The second is the Patti Smith documentary, DREAM OF LIFE. The film is playing on just one little screen and pulled in over $8K on average. I guess Patti would appreciate the smaller platform. Also making an impression on people’s taste buds is the winemaking ensemble piece, BOTTLE SHOCK. Bowing on 48 screens and featuring a cast as diverse as Alan Rickman and Bill Pullman, the film pulled in over $6K per screen and will be expanding its tasting next week.


Meanwhile, on the expansion front, a couple of promising possibilities seem to be stalling. While both BRIDESHEAD REVISITED and AMERICAN TEEN saw their grosses blow up over 200% last week, this week, they each saw declines as they continued to expand. Then there’s MAN ON WIRE. This documentary about tightrope walker, Philippe Petit, is treading very slowly across its own wire, expanding by 55 screens this week and subsequently posting an increase of over 450%. Distributor Magnolia best not get too aggressive; it’s a long way to fall.

NEXT WEEK: TROPIC THUNDER, the APOCALYPSE NOW style, comedic spoof starring and directed by Ben Stiller looks like it will finally take down the bat as it opens early on Wednesday. Keifer Sutherland is back in theatres in the horror, MIRRORS. George Lucas continues to squeeze every last drop of Star Wars gold with the animated CLONE WARS. More importantly though, Woody Allen is back with VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA. Let’s see if great buzz and a much talked about kiss between Penelope Cruz and Scarlet Johansson can help it beat the big guys despite opening on a fraction of the screens.

Source: Box Office Mojo

BLACK SHEEP'S WEEKLY NEWS WRANGLE

THE DARK KNIGHT TRIPS OVER A PINEAPPLE AND A PAIR OF PANTS
Opening early to avoid having to compete with the China Olympics, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS was smoking right out of the (hot) box. Earning the superfluous title of best August Wednesday opening of all time, the new stoner action comedy from the house of Apatow pulled in $12.1 million. THE DARK KNIGHT was forced not only down t second place but all the way down to third for the first time in its entire record breaking run. Yes, opening in second place on Wednesday is THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2 with $5.7 million, just ahead of Batman's $5.1 million. It remains to be seen what the weekend will hold but it looks like the stoners might be able to do what the Mummy could not.
Source: Box Office Mojo

ANG LEE GRABS THE BOYS AND GOES BACK TO WOODSTOCK
Teaming with producer James Schamus for the 12th time, director Ang Lee is adapting original Woodstock organizer, Eliot Tiber's memoir, "Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, Concert, and a Life" from a screenplay written by Schamus. The Focus feature is set to start filming later this month after a postponement to make way for an impending actors' strike. Though this still could happen, the threat has decreased and seeing as how the cast is ready, it's best not to waste any time. The cast in question is includes Emile Hirsch, Imelda Staunton, Liev Schreiber and from "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart", Demetri Martin as Tiber himself.
Source: JoBlo

STREEP GETS SAPPY
After two proven summer blockbusters - 2006's THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA and this year's MAMMA MIA! - leading lady, Meryl Streep is in serious negotiations to star in Nancy Meyers' next feature. The project is yet untitled but essentially Streep would be at the center of a romantic triangle with two other men. This would mark Streep's first romantic comedy since, geez, does DEATH BECOMES HER count? It seems like Streep is tired of serious and I'd say she deserves the break.
Source: Variety

QUENTIN TARANTINO THIS ...
Brad Pitt has officially signed on to Quentin Tarantino's remake, INGLORIOUS BASTARDS. The World War II epic drama is a drastic departure for the director on some levels but not on others, given the original film's B-Movie roots. This would be Pitt's first time working with the contemporary genius and Quentin secured his partcipation just shortly after Pitt welcomed his new twins into the world. Also in negotiations to join Pitt on the project are Nastassja Kinski and Simon Pegg. Fellow director, Eli Roth has already commited to acting in the project. Tarantino intends to shoot this October and have the project ready for next years's Cannes film festival.
Source: Variety

QUENTIN TARANTINO THAT
While the last Tarantino story is actually based on fact, there are also plenty of Tarantino rumours circulating. Apparently, the B-movie obsessed director intends to remake another film when he's finished with BASTARDS. He hopes to put his own personal spin on Russ Meyers' FASTER, PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL! Now, whether he wants it to be any good or not is a whole other issue. The bigger rumour here is that Tarantino is seriously consdiring Britney Spears for the role of Varla, a killer lesbian, stripper. I guess the B-movie tone would be perfect for Spears' particular acting talents. We shall see if this actually happens.
Source: Telegraph