Oblivion Takes Off With Solid $38.1 Million Box Office Debut

Oblivion Takes Off With Solid $38.1 Million Box Office DebutThe Tom Cruise Sci-Fi epic Oblivion took off this weekend at the North American box office with solid numbers to easily take the number one spot. The film pushed last weekend’s number one flick 42 down one spot where it displayed terrific legs. Overall the box office cooled six percent from last weekend and 17% from last year at this time as the recent terrorist events in Boston kept people glued to their TV sets Friday night. The dip in business was also a sign of Hollywood beginning to bide its time until the launch of the summer movie season on May 3 with Iron Man 3.

The reviews were mixed (58% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes) and the CinemaScore rating wasn’t much better (B-), but a quiet time at the box office appeared to be the perfect time for Universal to launch Oblivion on 3,783 screens and earn an estimated $38.1 million in its first three days of domestic release. The film opened overseas ten days ago and has earned $112 million to date. It stars Cruise, Morgan Freeman and Olga Kuriyienko and was directed by Joseph Kosinski (Tron Legacy).


Read our Oblivion review.

After earning a big (for a sports film) $27.4 million last weekend, 42 enjoyed the benefit of positive word-of-mouth this weekend as the Jackie Robinson drama dipped only 34% to earn an estimated $18 million on 3,250 screens. To date, the baseball drama has earned a solid $54 million and could hit the $100 million milestone by the end of its run if not more.

Another film showing great legs this weekend is the animated comedy The Croods. The 3D family flick dropped a mere 27% in its fifth weekend to earn $9.5 million on 3,435 screens to bring its total to a great $155 million.

Scary Movie 5 was the recipient of bad word-of-mouth as the spoof dropped 55% in its sophomore weekend. Still on 3,402 screens, Scary Movie 5 earned an estimated $6.2 million. After ten days, the comedy has earned a dismal $23 million and should wind down its run around the $35 million mark.

Rounding out the top five was the action sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation, which earned $5.7 million from 3,175 screens to bring its four week total to $111.2 million. Overseas, Joe and his pals have earned a great $211 million thus far.

The remainder of the top ten is as follows:

6. The Place Beyond the Pines (Focus) $4.7 million (+22%); $11.4 million to date.

7. Olympus Has Fallen (FilmDistrict) $4.5 million (-38%); $88.8 million

8. Evil Dead (2013) (Sony) $4.1 million (-58%); $48.4 million

9. Jurassic Park 3D (Universal) $4 million (-55%); $38.5 million

10. Oz the Great and Powerful (Disney) $3 million (-37%); $223.7 million

Next weekend, the Rock and Mark Wahlberg team up in Michael Bay’s new action comedy Pain and Gain. The film joins Lionsgate’s romantic comedy The Big Wedding in attempting to knock Oblivion from the top spot. Overseas, Iron Man 3 begins its foreign campaign one week ahead of its domestic debut.

– Shawn Fitzgerald

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