February 8, 2012

Zombieland Wins Box Office Crown

by Rebecca Pahle | Published October 5, 2009

Apparently food-weather can only stay on top for so long before being defeated by zombies. Who knew? Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs had been in the number one spot since its release two weeks ago, but this week it fell to number two, replaced by Ruben Fleischer’s Zombieland, the R-rated zombie movie (is there any other kind?), which earned $25 million over the weekend. In the number three spot was the 3-D double feature re-release of Toy Story and Toy Story 2, which earned $12.5 million over the weekend. Matthew Robinson and Ricky Gervais’ The Invention of Lying, also a new release, came in at number four, earning $7.3 million. Surrogates, which was at the number two spot last week, fell to number five.

Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story expanded to wide release over the weekend and earned $4.85 million, placing it in the number six spot right next to new release Whip It (directed by Drew Barrymore), which was unable to crack the top five, landing at number seven with a weekend gross of $4.85 million. Movies out in limited release this weekend were Kristopher Belman’s LeBron James and company doc More than a Game (taking in $197,000 in 14 theaters) and the newest Coen brothers movie, A Serious Man (grossing $252,000 in only six theaters, giving it the highest per theater average by far with $42,000).

The only major release for next week is the comedy Couples Retreat, starring Vince Vaughn, though An Education, The Damned United, Bronson, From Mexico With Love and Good Hair all come out in limited release.