Box Office Roundup: March 4-6, 'Rango' Rules and Damon Surprises

Monday, 07 March 2011 12:36 Written by Jordan DeSaulnier

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Box Office Roundup: March 4-6, 'Rango' Rules and Damon Surprises

The most competitive weekend at the movies so far this year saw the release of four new movies, and predictably, the one with Johnny Depp's name on the poster was the biggest earner. Rango, the first animated film from Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski, opened in 3,917 theaters, from which it pulled $38 million over the weekend, largely based on the strength of a very busy Saturday. The Adjustment Bureau, a Philip K. Dick adaptation starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, opened with $21.1 million, quite a bit more than it was expected to take in. 73% of the audience for that film was over 30 years old, while 46% of those who saw Rango were under 25. Beastly, the youthful retelling of Beauty and the Beast, opened in third place, with just under $10 million.

Last weekend's number one film, Hall Pass, brought in $8.8 million for fourth place, and managed to stay ahead of Gnomeo and Juliet. The Liam Neeson-starring Unknown fell to sixth place from third, where it spent last weekend. The $6.5 million added this weekend brought the modestly-budgeted action film up to a $53 million total. With an $88 million total so far, Adam Sandler's Just Go With It inched closer to the $100 million mark.

The King's Speech stayed pretty strong in eighth place, but did not benefit from its Best Picture win last weekend as much as one would expect. With $123 million, it has officially surpassed Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds to become the highest grossing film for the The Weinstein Company.

Between Beastly and I Am Number Four, actor Alex Pettyfer has two films in the top ten, though I Am Number Four has consistently underperformed, falling to ninth place this weekend. Actually, the entire roster this weekend underperformed, as overall domestic attendance was down 34% from the same weekend last year, when another Johnny Depp movie, Alice In Wonderland, opened to $116 million.

Take Me Home Tonight, the last new release of the weekend, didn't crack the top ten. The 1980's-set comedy starring Topher Grace debuted in eleventh place, behind the Justin Bieber concert documentary Never Say Never, which earned $4.3 million.

1. Rango $38.0 million New Release

2. The Adjustment Bureau $21.1 million New Release

3. Beastly $9.8 million New Release

4. Hall Pass $8.8 million $27.0 million

5. Gnomeo & Juliet $6.9 million $83.7 million

6. Unknown $6.6 million $53.1 million

7. Just Go With It $6.4 million $88.1 million

8. The King's Speech $6.2 million $123.5 million

9. I Am Number Four $5.9 million $46.5 million

10. Never Say Never $4.3 million $68.8 million

Next week will see a box office slugfest, as Battle: Los Angeles, Red Riding Hood, and Mars Needs Moms all make their way to screens.

Is it a foregone conclusion that Battle: Los Angeles will dominate next week, or could Red Riding Hood pull an upset?