CinemaNerdz

Weekend Box-Office: John Carter Sputters and Can’t Cut Down The Lorax

Seth Paul

Would it be a crime if I continued to rhyme? Not to worry, despite Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax finishing first for its second week in a row (with an estimated $39.1 million), there’s even bigger news afoot…namely, John Carter landing in second. While for most films an estimated $30.6 million opening would spell good news, it isn’t for the ill-fated Disney adventure film. While another good weekend for The Lorax has pushed the film not only into moneymaking territory but past the $100 million mark as well, John Carter, with its dodgy critical reception and $250 million price tag, seems to be more in the realm of last year’s Mars Needs Moms territory. However, John Carter can take heart in the fact that critics aren’t everything…not a single film in the top ten this week has done better than garner mixed reviews in terms of the critics, and it certainly had a better debut than several of the films on the list.

Project X, however, is not one of those films, turning a poor reception and a low budget ($12 million) into decent cash…it made an estimated $11.6 million for the weekend and $40.1 million domestically in two weeks, continuing the trend that while critics may not care much for the “found footage” genre, it is still a very profitable one (The Devil Inside, anyone?). Silent House, not to be confused with the Denzel Washington thriller, debuted to a fairly tepid $7 million estimate, though with unreleased budget its relative success is anyone’s guess. Act of Valor is currently behind it (an estimated $7 million as well, give or take a few thousand); though whether the box office success starring real U.S. Navy personnel overtakes it when the real numbers are counted is anyone’s guess. But even Silent House isn’t suffering nearly as much as Eddie Murphy’s latest, A Thousand Words. Made in 2008, but unreleased for over four years, the estimated $6.4 million on the $40 million budgeted film goes hand in hand with critics, who make the reviews of One for the Money seem joyful and optimistic.

Very little else is surprising…Safe House is declining gracefully with an estimated $5 million (having made $115.8 million), The Vow’s first week making it a great success as it, too, continues its slide (estimated $4 million, $117.6 million in domestic gross), McG’s This Means War needing foreign box office to make-up for disappointing domestic performance (estimated $3.8 million, $46.9 million on a $65 million budget), and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island a success no matter which way you turn (estimated $3.7 million, $90.7 million domestic on a $70 million budget).

Weekend Box-Office (March 9th – March 11th)

  1. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax…$39.1 million
  2. John Carter…$30.6 million
  3. Project X…$11.6 million
  4. Silent House…$7 million
  5. Act of Valor…$7 million
  6. A Thousand Words…$6.4 million
  7. Safe House…$5 million
  8. The Vow…$4 million
  9. This Means War…$3.8 million
  10. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island…$3.7 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."
Exit mobile version