“Titans” and Tyler Perry’s Newest Dominate Box Office

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“Titans” and Tyler Perry’s Newest Dominate Box Office

By our guest blogger, Tim Strain

Louis Leterrier’s swords and sandals epic, “Clash of the Titans,” opened to decent business, topping the box office with $61 million in 3,777 theaters. This is slightly less than “300’s” $70 million opening three years ago, and significant less than fellow 3D-ers “Avatar” and “Alice in Wonderland.” The $125 million Warner Bros. production will undoubtedly make its budget back, but with awful reviews across the board, this won’t break any records (thank God).

Tyler Perry’s “Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too?” (wow, does that not roll off the tongue easily) came in second, grabbing $30 million in just 2,155 theaters. It is another success already for the unfortunate voice of black America, who has now seen seven movies in four years turn out to be moderate to big successes. He already has another project lined up for a 2011 release, and it may have the clunkiest title for any of his works yet. Are you ready? “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf.” No joke.

Dreamworks’ highly acclaimed “How to Train Your Dragon” had the smallest drop of any holdovers, falling just 33 percent in its second weekend for a 3rd place finish of just under $30 million. It is sharing 3D screens with “Titans” and “Alice” (which dropped from 53 percent from 2nd to 5th place; its $8 million weekend brought its total to $310 million), and since 3D is the flavor of the week, expect the film to have staying power as parents will wait to take their kids to the biggest animated movie of the year in 3D. It currently stands at a respectable $92 million.

Miley Cyrus tries to legitimize her acting career in “The Last Song,” which made $16 million over the weekend and a total of $25 million since its Wednesday release. It has already surpassed its $20 million budget, so the suits will consider it a success, but it made about half as much as February’s “Dear John” did over its opening frame, so the Nicholas Sparks brand may not be as marketable as the studios hope.

Last weekend’s other opener, “Hot Tub Time Machine,” dropped a respectable 43 percent to 6th place, garnering $8 million in 2,771 theaters. It has made $28 million so far, and will make back its $36 million budget by next weekend.

“Breaking Upwards,” the only other new release this weekend, made $15,300 in one theater. It is a success for distributor IFC, because its budget is a mere $15,000.