The first Underworld opened in September of 2003 and brought in a domestic total of $51.9 million, followed by the $62.3 million haul of sequel Underworld: Evolution. 2009's Underworld: Rise of the Lycans gave the impression that the franchise might just be running out of gas, earning a domestic total of $45.8 million. That film, a prequel rolling the story back several hundred years, lacked the crucial ingredient of Beckinsale, though, and with her back in the starring role, Underworld Awakening pulled in an estimated weekend gross of $25.4 million.
A big part of Awakening's robust opening comes from the 3D format,* as this is the first in the series to benefit from the extra-expensive 3D ticket prices. 59% of the tickets sold were for 3D exhibitions. Even with the 3D surcharge boosting the figure, Underworld Awakening still lagged behind the opening of Underworld: Evolution, which debuted to the tune of 26.9 million.
Still, it was enough to take the number one spot, followed by Red Tails, the Anthony Hemingway-directed, George Lucas-produced Tuskegee Airmen tale that Lucas has been trying to get made for a solid two decades. Going into the weekend, certain projections had the film possibly opening at number one, while others pegged it for a $15 million performance. According the estimates, Red Tails ended up between those two expectations, earning $19.1 million.
In third place, Mark Wahlberg's Contraband, which also stars Beckinsale, declining from its surprising opening last weekend by 49.9% for an estimated weekend gross of $12.2 million, bringing its ten day total to a clean $46.1 million.
After spending several weeks in limited release trying to build Oscar expectations, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close finally expanded nationwide and did so in fourth place, earning an estimated $10.5 million. The film, an adaptation of the novel by Jonathan Safron Foer, has proven critically divisive due its its maudlin tone and arguably exploitative subject matter. It's looking increasingly unlikely that it will be the awards season favorite it is meant to be.
Steven Soderbergh's latest, Haywire, meanwhile, opened in fifth place with an estimate of $9.0 million. Of the new releases, Haywire was undoubtedly the most critically praised, and features a supporting cast of actors who are more often leading men. The feature debut of MMA star Gina Carano has cultivated solid online word of mouth, so it'll be interesting to see how it holds next week.
After opening quite well last weekend, Disney's 3D resissue of Beauty and the Beast dropped by over 50% in this weekend's crowded marketplace, but it still led over last week's Joyful Noise and December holdovers Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
1. Underworld Awakening $25.4 million New Release
2. Red Tails $19.1 million New Release
3. Contraband $12.2 million $46.1 million
4. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close $10.5 million $11.2 million
5. Haywire $9.0 million New Release
6. Beauty and the Beast 3D $8.5 million $33.3 million
7. Joyful Noise $6.0 million $21.9 million
8. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol $5.5 million $197.3 million
9. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows $4.8 million $178.6 million
10. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo $3.7 million $94.7 million
The coming Friday sees new releases The Grey and One for the Money, starring Liam Neeson and Katherine Heigl, respectively.
*A bigger part of Underworld Awakening's strong performance was doubtless this image, included in so many trailers and TV spots:
