Weekend Box Office (July 30 - August 1, 2010)

by Gitesh Pandya

THIS WEEKEND For the first time in nearly two months, Hollywood rolls out more than two wide releases in a single frame as three films with specific audiences debut on Friday trying to take down the Inception juggernaut. Steve Carell and Paul Rudd headline the adult comedy Dinner for Schmucks, Zac Efron stars in the teen melodrama Charlie St. Cloud, and some pets with exciting lives hit the screen in the 3D family film Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore.

Paramount releases the most promising box office contender with Dinner for Schmucks which reunites comedy pals Carell and Rudd. The PG-13 film hopes to play to a broad audience of laughseekers and could have the best opening of the trio of new contenders. The two actors, along with Zach Galifianakis, provide ample starpower and the premise of an elite corporate group that invites idiots together for dinner each month to make fun of them is an intriguing one. The studio has put a strong and aggressive marketing push behind Schmucks and audiences will certainly be in the mood for this kind of comedy. Aside from Adam Sandler's Grown-Ups, the summer has been lacking broad star-driven comedies. Debuting in over 2,500 theaters, Dinner for Schmucks may debut with about $20M this weekend.

Zac Efron goes solo with the new drama Charlie St. Cloud playing a young man who still connects with his dead younger brother after a fatal accident. The PG-13 pic represents a more mature and non-singing vehicle for the former Disney star who gets to test the waters to see what kind of box office anchor he can be when there is no brand or big co-stars around to assist. Young women will make up the primary audience and with not too much out there right now during summer vacation to appeal to them, a decent opening is likely. Poor reviews may not hurt that much with teens, but they won't help either. Entering 2,719 locations, Charlie St. Cloud may take in about $16M this weekend.

Felines and canines join forces to fight a common enemy in the Warner Bros. kidpic Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore which gets the 3D treatment. Nine years after the first Cats and Dogs became a surprise hit with $93.4M, this new PG-rated installment arrives with the hope that the brand name will work with parents and the extra 3D surcharges will fatten the grosses. Galore should not see huge numbers since the brand is not too popular and audiences weren't really asking for another one of these. Direct-to-DVD sequels are common for kids movies with even moderate success theatrically, so this is a gamble. The marketplace has shown that most kids 3D movies work, but after so many this summer, parents will think twice about how much of their money they will hand over to multiplexes especially with other 3D kidpics doing so well right now. Opening in 3,705 theaters, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore might open with about $15M.

Inception aims to join 3D franchise flicks Alice in Wonderland and Shrek Forever After as the only new films of 2010 to threepeat at the box office, and come within striking distance of the double-century mark in the process too. None of the new films should compete too directly with the Leonardo DiCaprio hit with Schmucks having the best chance of stealing away some dreamers. Last weekend's 32% drop was remarkably low and this week's midweek business has remained solid even though the decline from last week has been somewhat higher at 39%. The third frame for Inception could witness a 30% fall for a $30M gross and a towering 17-day total of $196M.

Angelina Jolie's Salt held its own against the Christopher Nolan sensation in its opening frame last weekend with a per theater average of just under $10,000. With no new action titles for adults, and audiences fairly satisfied with the product, the decline may be 45%. That would give Sony around $20M and a cume of $71M in ten days with an invitation to the century club coming soon. Despicable Me will have the most competition to deal with as Cats and Dogs will take away some of the 3D family audience while Schmucks will swipe away adults looking for Steve Carell's humor. A 35% drop would lead to a $15M weekend and a promising cume of $188M for Universal.

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For a NEW review of Dinner for Schmucks, visit The Chief Report.


LAST YEAR Adam Sandler found himself in his usual number one spot with his latest film Funny People but registered weaker-than-usual numbers with a $22.7M opening. Universal's Judd Apatow pic was a black eye for both the director and star finishing with a disappointing $51.9M. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince held onto second with $17.9M, G-Force dropped two spots to third with $17.5M, and The Ugly Truth followed with $13.2M. Opening poorly in fifth was the animated film Aliens in the Attic which took in just $8M for Fox on its way to a $25.2M final.

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Last Updated: July 29, 2010 at 10:45AM ET

Watch Gitesh Pandya's weekly box office preview on CNN International airing live each Thursday at 7:40pm ET.