2008 Woodie Awards
This week's box office report
Stephen Becker / The Dallas Morning News (MCT)
Issue date: 2/19/07 Section: Entertainment
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TRIPLE THREAT: Eddie Murphy plays a trio of characters in Norbit and rode them all the way to an easy number one at the box office. Its 34 million dollars total was nearly 10 million dollars more than distributor Paramount had projected. Not that they're disappointed in being wrong.
THE UP SIDE: Norbit marks the 14th number one opening for Murphy, but it's his first non-Shrek number one since 2000's Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps. That's another of his multi-character movies, so it seems he has to work overtime in order to land those big openings.
BOMB SQUAD: How about the overall box office? Though Norbit is the year's biggest opening so far, overall box office receipts have lagged behind last year's totals for six straight weeks. And last weekend was another double-digit dip, down 10.5 percent from the same weekend in 2006.
SWAMI SEZ: Never underestimate the appeal of a fat suit.
Prediction: An easy number one for Norbit at 24 million million dollars. Result: Even easier than expected at 34 million dollars.
Prediction: Hannibal Rising opens at less than half of Red Dragon's opening weekend. Result: At last check, 13 million dolalrs was less than half of 36.5 million dollars.
RIDE ALONG: We have got to be running out of comic books to adapt into movies soon, don't we? This week finds Nic Cage doing his best Elvis impersonation while riding on the back of a motorcycle. Will audiences buy it?
Prediction: Ghost Rider is a relatively minor comic book, but it will benefit from some major advertising, number one at $34 million.
THE POWER OF PERRY: Tyler Perry's riding quite a winning streak: two films, two number ones. It is unlikely that Daddy's Little Girls will continue that streak (see above) but how will it compare dollar-wise to Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Madea's Family Reunion?
Prediction: Girls will probably make back its budget the first week, but it won't come close to Madea's 30 million dollars opening-weekend haul from last year, even with the Wednesday opening.
THE UP SIDE: Norbit marks the 14th number one opening for Murphy, but it's his first non-Shrek number one since 2000's Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps. That's another of his multi-character movies, so it seems he has to work overtime in order to land those big openings.
BOMB SQUAD: How about the overall box office? Though Norbit is the year's biggest opening so far, overall box office receipts have lagged behind last year's totals for six straight weeks. And last weekend was another double-digit dip, down 10.5 percent from the same weekend in 2006.
SWAMI SEZ: Never underestimate the appeal of a fat suit.
Prediction: An easy number one for Norbit at 24 million million dollars. Result: Even easier than expected at 34 million dollars.
Prediction: Hannibal Rising opens at less than half of Red Dragon's opening weekend. Result: At last check, 13 million dolalrs was less than half of 36.5 million dollars.
RIDE ALONG: We have got to be running out of comic books to adapt into movies soon, don't we? This week finds Nic Cage doing his best Elvis impersonation while riding on the back of a motorcycle. Will audiences buy it?
Prediction: Ghost Rider is a relatively minor comic book, but it will benefit from some major advertising, number one at $34 million.
THE POWER OF PERRY: Tyler Perry's riding quite a winning streak: two films, two number ones. It is unlikely that Daddy's Little Girls will continue that streak (see above) but how will it compare dollar-wise to Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Madea's Family Reunion?
Prediction: Girls will probably make back its budget the first week, but it won't come close to Madea's 30 million dollars opening-weekend haul from last year, even with the Wednesday opening.
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