As ticket sales for 'Watchmen' continue to decline from its opening weekend, 'Race to Witch Mountain' uses the chance to steal the North American box office's top slot.
- Mar 16, 2009
AceShowbiz - Opened in 3,187 theaters across the U.S. last Friday, March 13, Disney's "Race to Witch Mountain" has taken the top slot at the North American box office from last week champion "Watchmen". Exceeding analysts' expectation, the adventure comedy movie has raced to the #1 slot by garnering $24.4 million over the weekend.
While its opening bow wasn't as big as "Horton Hears a Who!", this Walt Disney Pictures' family-oriented adventure has soared above The Rock's previous starring movie by the mouse house, "The Game Plan". "Race to Witch Mountain" bow was also bigger than what "Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D", "The Last Mimzy" and "Sky High" had collected previously.
"I think audiences this weekend were really drawn to the action adventure of 'Race to Witch Mountain,'" said president of Disney's motion-picture group, Mark Zoradi, about the strong sales of the movie. "There was also this element of parents over 30 who remembered the original and were drawn to this one, so I think that combination is what helped us exceed what folks in the industry thought this movie was going to do."
"Race to Witch Mountain" success in nailing the top position at the box office couldn't be separated from the fact that "Watchmen" showed a weak competition during its second weekend in theaters. The R-rated comic book adaptation took a 67.7|percent| drop in ticket sales, leading it to collect merely $17.8 million. With the additional earning, the Zack Snyder-directed movie has grabbed the total cume of about $86 million after ten days of screening.
The third place went to another newcomer "The Last House on the Left". The horror thriller remake starring Sara Paxton, Garret Dillahunt and Monica Potter has extracted $14.1 million from around 2,800 screens at 2,401 locations. Landed between "The Strangers" and "Vacancy" in the horror thriller movies category, its opening bow was below par among horror remakes and less than another Wes Craven reboot, "The Hills Have Eyes".
20th Century Fox's "Taken", in the meantime, has slipped out of its last week's third place. Placed fourth this weekend, the action thriller brought in $6.6 million to the total of nearly $126.8 million. Following closely behind "Taken" was Tyler Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail". The movie about the tough-talking, pistol-packing granny secured the last place in the top five box office with the earning of $5.1 million.
Top Ten Movies at Weekend Box Office for March 13 - 15:
- "Race to Witch Mountain" - $24.4 million
- "Watchmen" - $17.8 million
- "The Last House on the Left" - $14.1 million
- "Taken" - $6.6 million
- "Madea Goes to Jail" - $5.1 million
- "Slumdog Millionaire" - $5 million
- "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" - $3.1 million
- "He's Just Not That Into You" - $2.9 million
- "Coraline" - $2.7 million
- "Miss March" - $2.4 million
