The fall box office looks to be off to a slow start with the new Nicolas Cage action flick “Bangkok Dangerous” barely taking the top spot from the summer comedy “Tropic Thunder.”
The weekend following Labor Day is traditionally a slow one at the box office, but this weekend was a bigger disappointment than expected – possibly affected by the start of the NFL football season. The weekend saw total box office tickets sales take in an estimated $64 million-$66 million – which would make it the slowest in eight years.
Variety reports Danny and Oxide Pang’s “Dangerous” film (which is an English-language remake of their Thai original) took in an estimated $7.8 million from its opening weekend despite a heavy marketing campaign from Lionsgate. The duos last English language movie, “The Messengers,” opened to $14.7 million.
Lionsgate (which picked up the film for domestic distribution and financed the marketing campaign) was reportedly satisfied with the "Bangkok Dangerous" opening.
In Variety, Lionsgate distribution head Steve Rothenberg stated: "It will be a nicely profitable film for us."
"Tropic Thunder," which has seen strong legs thanks to Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, and a cameo from Tom Cruise, took in $7.5 million in its fourth week, The film dropped 35%, and has earned $96.8 million since its release.
Sony's Anna Faris comedy "The House Bunny" took the No. 3 spot with an estimated $5.9 million. The film dropped 29% in its third week and has earned $37 million since its release.
Warner Bros.' "The Dark Knight" showed it is continuing its box office run with a No. 4 spot. The film earned an estimated $5.7 million during the weekend, and has taken in an estimated $512.2 million since its release.
Overture Films’ political thriller "Traitor" took the No. 5 spot in its second weekend. The Don Cheadle/Guy Pearce film took in an estimated $4.7 million and has earned17.7 million since its release.
Twentieth Century Fox's sci-fi/action film "Babylon A.D." dropped 58% to a No. 6 placing in its second weekend and earned an estimated $4 million. The Vin Diesel flick has taken in $17.2 million in its first 10 days. .
Universal’s remake “Death Race” claimed the No. 7 spot with an estimated $3.6 million. The film has earned $29.8 million since release.
In its eighth week, Universal's "Mamma Mia!" took the No. 9 spot with an estimated $2.7 million. The film has earned $136.3 million since its release.
Sony's summer comedy "Pineapple Express" took the No. 10 spot with an estimated $2.4 million. It has earned $84.1 million since release.
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