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Weekend Box-Office: Chronicle Tops Out Against Post-Potter Radcliffe

Seth Paul

Found footage films have grown in popularity lately, though after The Devil Inside, the genre seemed to be on a downhill slump. But Chronicle seems ready to breathe some fresh life into the genre, making an estimated $22 million at the box office and claiming first place this week. Even the higher price tag compared to the likes of Paranormal Activity and Apollo 18 wasn’t an issue, the $12 million budget easily topped, and the film is finding itself doing well with critics and audiences alike. Not to be outdone, mixed to positive reviews showed a good start to a post-Harry Potter career for Daniel Radcliffe; the ghostly The Woman in Black making an estimated $21 million. Both films beat out last week’s top draw The Grey by almost double (The Grey picking up an estimated $9.5 million), but like Chronicle, The Grey started out a success and continues to pick up profit, having made $34.8 million over its $25 million budget.

Fourth place went to newcomer Big Miracle, the story of Cold War powers working together to rescue several trapped whales starring The Office star Jon Krasinski and Drew Barrymore. Like with Haywire, critics and audiences once again have a disconnect, with positive reviews outweighing a more subdued audience reaction, with a meager earnings estimate of $8.5 million for the $40 million budgeted film. It beat out Underworld: Awakening, which made an estimated $5.6 million and moved up to the second best earner of the Underworld franchise; however, one franchise that doesn’t look to be heading towards solvency is One for the Money, which has only made $19.7 million overall, with an estimated $5.3 million this weekend.

Red Tails unfortunately seems destined for, if not a crash, at least an out of control tailspin; despite (or because of) George Lucas’ production of the film, the $58 million production is still in the red, having earned an estimated $5 million and $41.3 million overall. While not a bomb on the scale of Mars Needs Moms, it’s still a disappointment, though it has yet to open in overseas markets. The Descendants seems to be enjoying its revival, sticking in eighth place despite a minor revenue drop to an estimated $4.6 million. The Alexander Payne dramatic comedy has not only garnered itself a few Oscar nominations, but monetary success, with $65.5 million in domestic sales and $110.3 million worldwide. Not getting any Oscar nominations is Man on a Ledge, the over-the-top crime caper sinks to ninth place and a mere $4.5 million in its second week, though strangely enough its only slightly underperforming against One for the Money. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is quietly sliding its way down the list, clinging to the tenth spot and $3.9 million. While its unreleased budget gives no indication as to its success, it certainly wishes it was doing better, with its mixed reviews and $26.7 million gross not exactly screaming success.

Weekend Box-Office (February 3rd – February 5th)

  1. Chronicle…$22 million
  2. The Woman in Black…$21 million
  3. The Grey…$9.5 million
  4. Big Miracle…$8.5 million
  5. Underworld: Awakening…$5.6 million
  6. One for the Money…$5.3 million
  7. Red Tails…$5 million
  8. The Descendants…$4.6 million
  9. Man on a Ledge…$4.5 million
  10. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close…$3.9 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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