CinemaNerdz

Box Office Weekend: Man of Steel Soars with Moviegoers

Seth Paul
Box Office

As the weekend draws to a close, it is pretty clear that, despite mixed critical reception, Superman still has some box-office power. Man of Steel, written by Christopher Nolan of The Dark Knight fame and directed by Zack Snyder (Watchmen), has suffered at the hands of critics looking for more from the character, but the movie-going public rewarded the long-popular comic hero with a handsome estimated $113.1 million. While far short of the $225 million it cost to make (and well short of Iron Man 3’s debut), it is still a record-breaking opening for a June release and, unless it’s poor critical reception causes it trouble, should have no problem making up its costs. However, the same cannot be said for second-place finisher This is the End. The screwball comedy about actors (playing themselves) trying to survive the apocalypse may not have attracted the biggest crowds this weekend, only earning an estimated $20.5 million, but with its mid-week opening and strong critical praise, the movie has already made $32.8 million domestically and become a financial success.

Now You See Me earned itself a third-place finish and, perhaps surprisingly considering its reception, box office profit. With an estimated $10.3 million, it has earned $80 million and surpassed its $75 million costs as of its third weekend, though mild overseas earnings have not hurt it in the least. However, Fast & Furious 6 is leaving most of its competitors in the dust with its turnout, an estimated $9.4 million adding to a $219.6 million domestic total and finally making the movie the highest earner in the franchise.

The Purge proved to be a one weekend wonder, dropping five places with an estimated $8.2 million, but the damage is already done as the critically panned horror film goes laughing to the bank with $51.8 million over its $3 million production costs. Ironically, not too many are laughing at The Internship, as the comedy falls well short of its $58 million costs (estimated $7 million this weekend, $31 million in ticket sales). Epic (estimated $6 million) finds itself just hoping to break even; while the film has made back its money in worldwide earnings, it needs about two more weeks of earnings here in the States to make its $100 million costs worthwhile.

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The final three spots belong to two long-lasting, big earners and one massive bomb. Star Trek Into Darkness is beginning to fade off the list, but its estimated $5.7 million is going a long way to ensuring the film’s $210.5 million in earnings paves the way for another film, while tenth-place finisher Iron Man 3, with an estimated $2.9 million, is still assured the top spot of 2013 for some time still to come. After Earth, sandwiched between the two with an estimated $3.8 million, has proven a massive failure for Will Smith and son Jaden, its $54.2 million domestic (and even poorer overseas market) falling far below its $130 million costs and one of the bigger box office busts of the year.

Weekend Box Office (June 12th – June 16th)

  1. Man of Steel…$113.1 million
  2. This is the End…$20.5 million
  3. Now You See Me…$10.3 million
  4. Fast & Furious 6…$9.4 million
  5. The Purge…$8.2 million
  6. The Internship…$7 million
  7. Epic…$6 million
  8. Star Trek Into Darkness…$5.7 million
  9. After Earth…$3.8
  10. Iron Man 3…$2.9 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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