'Chihuahua' Fetches $17.5M To Win Another Weekend - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

comedyfreak · 10-13-2008, 02:38 AM

An adorable talking dog remained just the sort of escapist movie hero audiences wanted after a week of awful economic news.

Disney's family comedy "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," with Drew Barrymore providing the voice of the pooch, was the No. 1 flick for the second-straight weekend with $17.5 million, raising its 10-day total to $52.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

"Beverly Hills Chihuahua" is the only light comedy in a market heavy on drama. Chuck Viane, Disney's head of distribution, said movie-goers may be turning to the perky pooch to help forget the market free-fall on Wall Street.

"This is only word-of-mouth coming back to us from theaters. I don't have any statistical proof. But they're telling us we're getting more unaccompanied-by-children adults coming on their own. They're looking for a little entertainment," Viane said. "The axiom we've always lived by is funny is money. People come out for comedy. They love to sit back and let someone give them a couple of hours of escapism."

The weekend's No. 2 flick the fright film "Quarantine," which debuted with $14.2 million filled the escapism needs for the horror crowd. The Sony Screen Gems release centers on a contagion that turns an apartment building's tenants into flesh-hungry monsters.

"It's probably the perfect kind of movie for today's climate," said Rory Bruer, Sony head of distribution. "Let's just get away from the news, from all that's going on, and go someplace else, and this is something that'll take you someplace else."

The marquee trio of Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe and director Ridley Scott had to settle for third-place with their terrorism thriller "Body of Lies," which had a $13.1 million debut. The Warner Bros. film centers on a CIA operative hunting the terrorist responsible for bombings around the world.

"Body of Lies" may have dealt with too sober a topic after all the disastrous financial news, said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros.

"I think we ran into really difficult timing. The nation suffered such an economic loss this week that the mood of our audience was such that they were probably looking for a little more escapism than to see a movie on terrorism," Fellman said.

The weekend's other new wide releases, Universal's football drama "The Express" and 20th Century Fox's family fantasy "City of Ember," opened weakly.

"The Express" starring Rob Brown and Dennis Quaid in the story of Ernie Davis, the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy came in at No. 6 with $4.7 million.

"City of Ember," with Tim Robbins and Bill Murray in a post-apocalyptic adventure set in an underground realm, took in $3.2 million to finish at No. 10.

Keira Knightley's historical saga "The Duchess" climbed into the top 10 as it expanded nationwide after three weekends in limited release. The Paramount Vantage drama, which stars Knightley as an 18th century aristocrat stuck in a loveless marriage, pulled in $3.32 million to place No. 9.

Two British movies started well in limited release. Guy Ritchie's London crime romp "RocknRolla" opened with $141,000 in seven theaters. The Warner Bros. release features Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton and Tom Wilkinson heading an ensemble cast.

Weekend Box Office Actuals (U.S.)
This Wk Last Wk Title Dist. Weekend Gross Cumulative
Gross Rlse
Wks # of
Theaters
1 1 Beverly Hills Chihuahua Buena Vista Pictures Distribution $17,502,077 $52,532,310 2 3218
2 - Quarantine Sony Pictures Releasing $14,211,321 $14,211,321 1 2461
3 - Body of Lies Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $12,884,416 $12,884,416 1 2710
4 2 Eagle Eye Paramount Pictures $10,913,762 $70,409,979 3 3614
5 3 Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist Sony Pictures Releasing $6,420,474 $20,730,708 2 2421
6 - The Express Universal Pictures $4,562,675 $4,562,675 1 2808
7 4 Nights in Rodanthe Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $4,541,201 $32,297,101 3 2575
8 5 Appaloosa Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $3,321,389 $10,867,693 4 1290
9 20 The Duchess Paramount Vantage $3,304,841 $5,603,061 4 1207
10 8 Fireproof Samuel Goldwyn Films, Affirm Films $3,140,997 $16,875,765 3 875
11 - City of Ember Fox Walden $3,129,473 $3,129,473 1 2022
12 6 Lakeview Terrace Sony Pictures Releasing $2,654,644 $36,201,729 4 2218
13 10 Religulous Lionsgate $2,230,898 $6,732,631 2 568
14 7 Burn After Reading Focus Features $2,095,647 $55,177,399 5 1406

10-13-2008, 02:38 AM	#1
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,060	'Chihuahua' Fetches $17.5M To Win Another Weekend An adorable talking dog remained just the sort of escapist movie hero audiences wanted after a week of awful economic news. Disney's family comedy "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," with Drew Barrymore providing the voice of the pooch, was the No. 1 flick for the second-straight weekend with $17.5 million, raising its 10-day total to $52.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" is the only light comedy in a market heavy on drama. Chuck Viane, Disney's head of distribution, said movie-goers may be turning to the perky pooch to help forget the market free-fall on Wall Street. "This is only word-of-mouth coming back to us from theaters. I don't have any statistical proof. But they're telling us we're getting more unaccompanied-by-children adults coming on their own. They're looking for a little entertainment," Viane said. "The axiom we've always lived by is funny is money. People come out for comedy. They love to sit back and let someone give them a couple of hours of escapism." The weekend's No. 2 flick the fright film "Quarantine," which debuted with $14.2 million filled the escapism needs for the horror crowd. The Sony Screen Gems release centers on a contagion that turns an apartment building's tenants into flesh-hungry monsters. "It's probably the perfect kind of movie for today's climate," said Rory Bruer, Sony head of distribution. "Let's just get away from the news, from all that's going on, and go someplace else, and this is something that'll take you someplace else." The marquee trio of Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe and director Ridley Scott had to settle for third-place with their terrorism thriller "Body of Lies," which had a $13.1 million debut. The Warner Bros. film centers on a CIA operative hunting the terrorist responsible for bombings around the world. "Body of Lies" may have dealt with too sober a topic after all the disastrous financial news, said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros. "I think we ran into really difficult timing. The nation suffered such an economic loss this week that the mood of our audience was such that they were probably looking for a little more escapism than to see a movie on terrorism," Fellman said. The weekend's other new wide releases, Universal's football drama "The Express" and 20th Century Fox's family fantasy "City of Ember," opened weakly. "The Express" starring Rob Brown and Dennis Quaid in the story of Ernie Davis, the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy came in at No. 6 with $4.7 million. "City of Ember," with Tim Robbins and Bill Murray in a post-apocalyptic adventure set in an underground realm, took in $3.2 million to finish at No. 10. Keira Knightley's historical saga "The Duchess" climbed into the top 10 as it expanded nationwide after three weekends in limited release. The Paramount Vantage drama, which stars Knightley as an 18th century aristocrat stuck in a loveless marriage, pulled in $3.32 million to place No. 9. Two British movies started well in limited release. Guy Ritchie's London crime romp "RocknRolla" opened with $141,000 in seven theaters. The Warner Bros. release features Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton and Tom Wilkinson heading an ensemble cast. Weekend Box Office Actuals (U.S.) This Wk Last Wk Title Dist. Weekend Gross Cumulative Gross Rlse Wks # of Theaters 1 1 Beverly Hills Chihuahua Buena Vista Pictures Distribution $17,502,077 $52,532,310 2 3218 2 - Quarantine Sony Pictures Releasing $14,211,321 $14,211,321 1 2461 3 - Body of Lies Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $12,884,416 $12,884,416 1 2710 4 2 Eagle Eye Paramount Pictures $10,913,762 $70,409,979 3 3614 5 3 Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist Sony Pictures Releasing $6,420,474 $20,730,708 2 2421 6 - The Express Universal Pictures $4,562,675 $4,562,675 1 2808 7 4 Nights in Rodanthe Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $4,541,201 $32,297,101 3 2575 8 5 Appaloosa Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $3,321,389 $10,867,693 4 1290 9 20 The Duchess Paramount Vantage $3,304,841 $5,603,061 4 1207 10 8 Fireproof Samuel Goldwyn Films, Affirm Films $3,140,997 $16,875,765 3 875 11 - City of Ember Fox Walden $3,129,473 $3,129,473 1 2022 12 6 Lakeview Terrace Sony Pictures Releasing $2,654,644 $36,201,729 4 2218 13 10 Religulous Lionsgate $2,230,898 $6,732,631 2 568 14 7 Burn After Reading Focus Features $2,095,647 $55,177,399 5 1406
	__________________ www.facebook.com/comedyfreak Last edited by comedyfreak; 10-13-2008 at 10:37 PM.