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Box Office Weekend: Gravity Stays Up Once More

Seth Paul
Box Office Weekend

Even with a number of new films coming out this weekend, nothing could topple Gravity from its perch. With an estimated $31 million, it did not lose much steam, making a push to pass the $200 million mark domestically – a feat it could achieve by next weekend if its numbers hold steady. Captain Phillips, the second-place finisher for the second week in a row, is unlikely to make those kinds of numbers, but it will not end up a bomb, its estimated $17.3 million bringing it close enough to its $55 million cost that it will make back its money by week three at the very least. So too does the debut of the Carrie remake seem on path to modest success, making an estimated $17 million in its first weekend. Barring a precipitous second week drop (which is possible considering its poor reviews), its $30 million costs should be covered well before it ends its major theatrical run.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 has proven itself a success with a weekend estimated take of $10.1 million and $93.1 million in domestic totals, but compared to the first film has underperformed, even though the sequel cost $30 million less to make and is the only family film in wide release. However, its fourth week of release stood up better than the first week of Escape Plan. The Arnold Schwarzenegger/Sylvester Stallone team-up suffers from mediocre reviews and a slow start with an estimated $9.8 million. Considering the star power (and their salaries) and unreported budget numbers, the sci-fi action flick seems set to lose big on its investment.

Prisoners remained in its sixth-place spot, though it did drop in income a bit with an estimated $2.1 million. It remains a decent if not spectacular box office success, which may or may not be the case for Enough Said. Seesawing in and out of the top ten, the comedy starring the late James Gandolfini scored an estimated $1.8 million for a $10.8 million domestic box office take, which could be a decent or poor performance, but the film has yet to release solid financial cost numbers. However, it is likely to do better in total than The Fifth Estate. The highly-hyped thriller starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has failed to make sparks with critics or audiences, releasing not only to mixed reviews but a paltry $1.7 million box office estimate, well below its $28 million costs. Not even foreign box office is providing much aid in that regard.

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The final two slots are taken by another domestic loser and a rousing success. Though Runner Runner found some decent success in overseas business, it floundered domestically, its estimated $1.6 million weekend leaves its totals slightly over half its production costs (though a site better than its previous competition in Machete Kills, which vanished out of the top ten box office almost as fast as it appeared). Insidious: Chapter 2 needs no help, having earned an estimated $1.5 million to add to its nearly $81 million totals, far exceeding its costs and making it the horror movie to beat for October.

Weekend Box Office (October 18th – October 20th)

  1. Gravity…$31 million
  2. Captain Phillips…$17.3 million
  3. Carrie…$17 million
  4. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2…$10.1 million
  5. Escape Plan…$9.8 million
  6. Prisoners…$2.1 million
  7. Enough Said…$1.8 million
  8. The Fifth Estate…$1.7 million
  9. Runner Runner…$1.6 million
  10. Insidious: Chapter 2…$1.5 million

Seth Paul

When not failing to write novels and screenplays, box-office guru Seth writes humorous comedy tracks for films under the name "The One Man Band" that can be found at Rifftrax.com. Although, he has recently succeeded in writing the novella "Jack Alan and the Case of the Not-Exactly Rocket Scientists," available as an eBook on Amazon. He is also the English voice of Zak in "Zak McKracken: Between Time and Space."
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