ROTTEN TOMATOES: Weekend Box Office Numbers Keep Getting "Stranger"

Weekend Box Office Numbers Keep Getting "Stranger"

by Scott Weinberg | February 06, 2006

That it would debut in the #1 spot was a foregone conclusion, but Sony/Screen Gems' "When a Stranger Calls" did a whole heckuva lot better than that by grossing an unexpectedly high (albeit estimated) $22m from just about 3,000 screens. Sony chose to shield the flick from the press, as if teenagers interested in PG-13 horror movies give a wet slap what film critics think.

Dropping 51% into second place was the comedy in which Martin Lawrence dresses up like a fat old lady. "Big Momma's House 2" made about $13.3 million over the weekend, lifting its total tally to $45.4 million.

In third place was Universal's family comedy "Nanny McPhee," which added another $9.9 million to its $26.6 million total.

Gaining an addition 400+ screens over the weekend was Oscar favorite "Brokeback Mountain," which broached the top five with a $5.6m haul. Its grand total presently stands at $59.7 million.

Rounding out the top five was the animated comedy "Hoodwinked," which tucked another $5.3 million into its $44m piggy bank.

Focus' "Something New" semi-sputtered out of the gate, tallying about $5 million from 1,200 theaters, placing it seventh behind Sony's "Underworld: Evolution," which added another $5.1 million to its $52.7 million kitty.

Next week sees the wide release of four big titles: The feature-length debut of "Curious George," the Harrison Ford thriller "Firewall," the long-delayed farce remake "The Pink Panther," and the horror sequel "Final Destination 3."

As always, you can visit the Rotten Tomatoes Box Office Page for a closer look at the weekend numbers.

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Movie:	When a Stranger Calls
	Underworld: Evolution
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	Brokeback Mountain
	Pink Panther
	Nanny McPhee
	Firewall
	Big Momma's House 2
	Curious George

(1-20 of 24 posts) | Reply

Aoiboy writes:
on Feb 06 2006 05:08 AM

And I'm predicting that whatever of the movies opening next week that gets the worst critical response will be again # 1 at the Box Office. The Pink Panther, IMHO... :-(

(Reply to this)

South_park300 writes:
on Feb 06 2006 05:19 AM

Final Destination 3 has a decent chance of getting the #1 spot, I believe the other 2 got #1 when they came out. It won't have the critics' praise, but I am sure it won't be too bad

(Reply to this)

pota1967 writes:
on Feb 06 2006 06:10 AM

[b]Final Destination 3[/b]
gets my vote and will be my last theatre going movie experience--

(Reply to this)

killthemall4444 writes:
on Feb 06 2006 07:33 AM

Another terrible terrible movie takes the top spot at the box office.

(Reply to this)

puablo writes:
on Feb 06 2006 08:07 AM

[b]Ready for the sequel[/b]
Deja vu! Craptastic un-screened rotten horror movie + ridiculously undeserving box office numbers can only equal a greenlight for a sequel by the end of this week. And people wonder why the movie industry has been on the decline in recent years.

My vote for the worst reviewed movie / number 1 opening: Final Destination 3. See above.

(Reply to this)

burningXvalentines writes:
on Feb 06 2006 08:31 AM

[b]Well Well Well[/b]
it doesnt matter if you can act. IT matter if u cn make the teenies wet their briches. I mean come on, i dont think ive met more than 5 people in the last week that even Knew When A Stranger Calls has been around for o....8o yearas or so. God, i heard the radio versions of it forever ago. Tho i guess its hollywood's job to make veerything fresh, tho it wouldnt matter either way. As i see it, Pink Panther may take number one, Beyonce and steve martin equals worst film of the year thus far...with the worst casting choice ever going to steve martin!

(Reply to this)

nogard64 writes:
on Feb 06 2006 11:22 AM

[b]haha[/b]
well umm heres a thought people go to movies to escape from their everyday lives, their everyday reality, pretty crazy idea huh??? We want to get away from that awkward gay guy in the office (brokeback) we want to get away from the war on terror (Munich) we want to get away from the Left and right wing bickering (goodnight and goodluck). Its so odd that hollywood thinks movies must have an agenda, and we need to be enlightened, and we don't know the error of our ways until the super wise Hollywood community educates us through 2 hour movies. Sorry bub WRONG! The fact is everyday citizens live more real lives than hollywood, we know the real life struggles and we fight through it everyday. The majority of Hollywood has created a vast disconnect.
So bring on the Underworld Evolutions and bring on the Stranger Calls. Because I'm paying $10 for entertainment not a condesending pompus lecture.

(Reply to this)

starvin writes:
on Feb 06 2006 11:28 AM

[b]...[/b]
right on nogard

(Reply to this)

nogard64 writes:
on Feb 06 2006 12:00 PM

[b]yeah[/b]
I agree the acting was very sub par, but man Camilla bella is easy on the eyes! haha, if you have to stare at someone for 2 hours, you can't go wrong with Camilla!

(Reply to this)

lovelykeira writes:
on Feb 06 2006 12:19 PM

I definitely agree with nogard that most people go to the movies to escape from their everyday lives and that's cool, there's nothing wrong with that, it doesn't mean that we need Big Momma's House 3, but bring on the dumb fun films. I'm looking forward to stuff like Date Movie, Ultraviolet, and Running Scared. This weekend I want to see Firewall and I hope it opens at number 1, as for the worst reviewed film it will probably be Final Destination 3 just barely lower than The Pink Panther.

(Reply to this)

South_park300 writes:
on Feb 06 2006 12:22 PM

"PG-13 Horror Movie" is an oxymoron

(Reply to this)

nogard64 writes:
on Feb 06 2006 12:58 PM

[b]cool[/b]
for me its Silent Hill, Ultraviolet, curious on what V for Vendetta is going to be like.

(Reply to this)

cowsfan writes:
on Feb 06 2006 01:14 PM

In reply to this comment (#830847)
It's pretty bad. And this is coming from someone who liked the first two.

Cheers,
Kevin

(Reply to this)

Simple Minded writes:
on Feb 06 2006 06:45 PM

I want a good movie! Reeeaaly reeally badly.

(Reply to this)

South_park300 writes:
on Feb 06 2006 07:31 PM

Well, i have already read mixed things about Final Destination 3. I have read that it is great, coming from people that loved the first 2. Also bad things, from people that saw the first 2. From some that havent seen the first 2, they seemed to like it. Who knows. I am still gonna see it. It can't be all that bad.

(Reply to this)

bigcfk writes:
on Feb 06 2006 08:16 PM

i think "When A Stranger Calls" deserved the money it made.

it was a surprisingly original idea, and was executed very well.

(Reply to this)

Scott Weinberg writes:
on Feb 06 2006 11:07 PM

In reply to this comment (#830861)
Aw, c'mon. The "idea" wasn't even "surprisingly original" back in 1979 ... when the ORIGINAL "When a Stranger Calls" was produced.

And in response to Nogard's comments:

I completely agree with you that, after a long and stressful work week, the average Joe/Jane just wants to visit the multiplex and be told a nice (creepy/funny/dramatic/etc.) bedtime story.

But the movie studios ALSO know that Joe/Jane are going to go to the movies, regardless of what's showing. As such, they feel no real urgency to demand any sort of quality control. I find it impossible to believe that a board room full of professional movie-makers would sit down, watch this flick, and all come back with "Yep, that's the best movie we could have possibly made in this case."

More likely they knew it was a piece of junk, and they just didn't care. Why?

Just look at the past weekend's box office numbers.

Quality takes more money and more effort, but why bother with all that when a piece of cinematic poop will net you the exact same payday?

(Reply to this)

jarhead writes:
on Feb 07 2006 12:37 AM

at least brokeback mountain has stayed steady since its wide release

(Reply to this)

bsideleau writes:
on Feb 07 2006 03:44 AM

Another reason why most of my fellow AmeriKans make me wanna just put them all out of their misery lol. I mean, in the 80's "teen" horror movies were terrible enough.....but atleast they were R-rated. Now we got a watered down version of what was a piece of crap to begin with. Honestly.....who would ACTUALLY pay to watch this stuff.....my little brother is 16 and he's equally amazed........are people REALLY this stupid? Well.......just take one look at what sleeps in the White House and you'll know.

(Reply to this)

Prosper761 writes:
on Feb 07 2006 09:13 AM

[b]Come on, it's February[/b]
What do you expect? Feb. is the studios' traditional dumping ground. Something has to be number one at the box office. It only stands to reason that a number 1 box office movie in Feb. is going to be bad. Teenaged boys are not about to see any of the Oscar nominated movies, and horror is always a quick cash cow.

(Reply to this)

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