CinemaNerdz

Weekend Box-Office: In the Battle of the Franchises, Who Will Win? Alien or Madagascar?

Seth Paul

With two big, very hyped contenders coming out this weekend, it is no surprise that they would score big, but which of them would come out the winner? As it turns out, family fun did…Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted took the top spot with a projected $60.4 million, while Prometheus, the sort-of prequel to Ridley Scott’s Alien, settled for second with an estimated $50 million. While both films have a long way to go to show success on a domestic scale (both films are reported to cost roughly $150 million each), they have performed quite well overseas, and with reviews tilting more towards praise than scorn, signs are good that they will both be moneymakers…and with both a fourth Ice Age film due out soon to compete against Madagascar 3 and Ridley Scott’s hints that Prometheus will only get a sequel if it does well financially, the chances of another entry from both franchises seems possible.

Snow White and the Huntsman slipped to third with a still respectable estimated $23 million, its negative reviews not enough to counter nearly $100 million in domestic gross. Men in Black III has begun to trail off, though not without leaving a mark…an estimated $13.5 million this weekend and $135 million domestic gross is bolstered by an astounding $352.1 million in foreign box office. But both are overshadowed in terms of profit by Marvel’s The Avengers, which in six weeks hasn’t strayed further than the fifth place slot. It picked up an estimated $10.8 million and remains the highest grossing film of the year (among other financially-based accolades), though several more comic book adaptations are lining up to give it a run for its money, including rival comic company DC’s The Dark Knight Rises and Marvel’s own upcoming reboot The Amazing Spider-Man.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel remains stubbornly in sixth place, though it lost revenue, dropping to an estimated $3.2 million. Also stuck, though in seventh, is What to Expect When You’re Expecting, earning an estimated $2.7 million. Both romantic comedies are comparable in domestic earnings (with What to Expect When You’re Expecting slightly higher), but worldwide The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is far and away the winner ($82 million vs. $9.9 million). And worldwide earnings is what Battleship is relying on, as its popularity wanes terribly. The action blockbuster earned an estimated $2.3 million in its fourth week, and while not a bomb in total gross ($295.4 million worldwide), it is a domestic disappointment with $59.8 million. So, too, is The Dictator, though not by as wide a margin. A money maker with its worldwide assets, the Sacha Baron Cohen comedy did not make much waves as it enters week four with an estimated $2.2 million in weekend sales and $55 million in overall domestic.

Finally, while not a debut, another independent feature pulls itself onto the list from out of nowhere…Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom lifted itself to 10th with an estimated $1.8 million. While not busting up the list in earnings (only $3.8 million in domestic gross so far), Anderson continues his streak of well-regarded quirky films, with Moonrise Kingdom earning top marks from critics.

Weekend Box-Office (June 8th – June 10th)

  1. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted…$60.4 million
  2. Prometheus…$50 million
  3. Snow White and the Huntsman…$23 million
  4. Men in Black III…$13.5 million
  5. The Avengers…$10.8 million
  6. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel…$3.2 million
  7. What to Expect When You’re Expecting…$2.7 million
  8. Battleship…$2.3 million
  9. The Dictator…$2.2 million
  10. Moonrise Kingdom…$1.8 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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