Young trick-or-treaters preferred to eat candy and watch a
syrupy film rather than take part in Zack and Miri’s much talked about porno. The
Walt Disney Company’s “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” managed to linger
atop the North American box office for the second weekend in a row, grossing
$15 million, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. The movie
starring Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel and Corbin
Bleu raised its 10-day total to $61.8 million after taking in an impressive $42
million during its opening weekend.
Although Halloween brought the big-screen sequel only $1.7
million, “HSM” bounced back with $8.2 million on Saturday.
“The target audience was out collecting candy or
trick-or-treating Friday, but Saturday came back like a monster,” explained
Mark Zoradi, president of Disney’s motion-picture group, as reported by The
Associated Press.
Kevin Smith’s “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” saw a No. 2
debut, as the Weinstein Co. comedy portraying two roommates (Seth Rogen and
Elizabeth Banks) who decide to make an adult film and end up falling in love
earned $10.7 million. Horror flick “Saw V,” depicting Jigsaw’s psychotic
legacy, fell from second place to third, grossing $10.1 million and reaching a
10-day total of $45.8 million.
Following a limited release in only 15 theaters, Clint
Eastwood’s “Changeling” was released nationwide this weekend and came in
fourth, with $9.4 million. The Universal Pictures production starring Angelina
Jolie in the shoes of a single mom whose son has disappeared was followed by
Freestyle Releasing’s “The Haunting of Molly Hartley,” which opened at No. 5
with an anemic $6 million.
Guy Ritchie’s “RocknRolla” also expanded from limited to nationwide
release, but managed to take in only $1.8 million, a total which made the movie
stay away from the top 10.
In spite of the fact that Hollywood
revenues saw a major boost last weekend after a relatively long period of
lethargic results at the box office, this weekend failed to follow the success
of the previous one. The top 12 films grossed $75.2 million, down 38 percent
from the same weekend last year, when “American Gangster” debuted at $43.6
million and “Bee Movie” saw a $38 million opening.
The new James Bond flick is off to an incredible start, as
Sony’s “Quantum of Solace” took in $38.6 million in Great
Britain, France
and Sweden.
The movie opened overseas in advance of its United States debut, scheduled for
November 14.
“Beverly Hills
Chihuahua” came in sixth, with
$4.7 million, followed by “The Secret Life of Bess” with $4 million. “Max
Payne” settled for No. 8 by grossing $3.7 million, while “Eagle Eye” took in
$3.4 million, barely surpassing “Pride and Glory,” which occupied the 10th
spot with $3.3 million.
