Sitting through two last minute, drama filled, World Cup games today, I turn my head away from sports towards the pop-culture drama of the silver screen.
It seems that Andy Burns, Editor-in-Chief of Biff Bam Pop!, couldn’t bear the extra-time summer heat of the box office receipts today, so I’m a last-minute substitution, eager to share info on who scored the all-important golazo.
Follow me after the jump, and I’ll tell you which films look good to make it to the next weekend – and which stumble out of the theatre.
Much like the Dutch against Mexico earlier today, Transformers: Age of Extinction, the fourth film in the toy-franchise, was the big winner. Earning a staggering $100 million, it’s the biggest opening of the year so far! Massive! What’s even more shocking for the Mark Wahlberg starring, Michael “Boom” Bay directed flick, is that its got huge popularity overseas. Transformers: Age of Extinction has, in its first weekend of release, already made over $300 million worldwide! Who would have thought that Dinobots could rake in so much cash?
I know it’s easy to say, but look for a fifth film in the franchise to be in the works by 7 A.M. Monday morning.
22 Jump Street finished a distant second place, garnering $15.4 million – but don’t feel bad for the sequel of the TV-to-Screen comedy franchise. It’s made $139.8 million in total since it’s release. Great numbers for a comedy/cop flick.
In other sequel news, How to Train Your Dragon 2 made $13.1 million – a big drop of 47 per cent, while Think Like A Man Too dropped a huge 64 per cent from last week and made only $10.4 million. Maleficent rounded out the top-5, raking in $8.2 million and putting it over the $200 million mark since its release.
Of note, Jersey Boys, directed by Clint Eastwood garnered only $7.6 million. With total proceeds currently standing at $27.3 million, the film has to be seen as a major disappointment. I suppose theatregoers weren’t in the mood for music this summer.
So, to recap, here were the predictions:
1) Transformers: Age of Extinction – $120 million
2) 22 Jump Street – $14 million
3) Think Like A Man Too – $12 million
4) Maleficent – $10.5 million
5) How To Train Your Dragon 2 – $10 million
And here’s how the weekend actually turned out:
1) Transformers: Age of Extinction – $100 million
2) 22 Jump Street – $15.4 million
3) How To Train Your Dragon 2 – $13.1 million
4) Think Like A Man Too – $10.4 million
5) Maleficent – $8.2 million
Next weekend is a holiday weekend that sees the release of a plethora of films including the tense horror-thriller flick Deliver Us From Evil, the sci-fi kids film Earth to Echo, the Melissa McCarthy comedy Tammy, and the wide-release of the documentary, America.
What genre will be victorious in this tournament of summer films? Come back on Friday and will give you the inside scoop!
