May 26, 2012

The Hangover Can't Catch Up

by Goldy Moldavsky | Published June 8, 2009

Up held on to the top spot at the box office for the second week in a row with an estimated $44.2 million, bringing its 10-day total to $137 million. And though it came in in second place, The Hangover exceeded expectations with a $42.3 million gross, making it the first comedy hit of the summer. The movie, about three groomsmen who try to recall what happened to them during a drunken Las Vegas night, opened higher than previous films of its genre.

Meanwhile, Land of the Lost faltered. The Will Ferrell adventure comedy opened in a distant third place with $19.5 million, putting it up against 2005’s Bewitched and last year’s Semi-Pro as one of the Ferrell’s worst nationwide openings.

In fourth place was Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, with $14.6 million, and Star Trek maintained its fifth place spot with $8.4 million, for a $223 million total gross.

In other new releases, Nia Vardalos couldn’t garner her Big, Fat Greek fans for My Life In Ruins, which debuted in ninth place with $3.2 million. Opening in limited release, Sam Mendes’ Away We Go, the buzzed-about indie comedy starring John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, opened strong with a $35,750 average in four theaters, bringing its total to $143,000.

Next week Denzel Washington and John Travolta will attempt to hijack the box office with the remake of The Taking of Pelham 123; Eddie Murphy continues his family-themed streak with the supernatural comedy Imagine That; and in limited release, David Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones, makes his feature film directorial debut with Moon, a space-themed head-scratcher starring Sam Rockwell and Kaya Scodelario.