Taken 3 powered its way to #1 with $40.4 million this weekend. The film was expected to take the top spot but with a lower gross; around $30 million was expected by analysts. Neeson’s drawing power in the franchise obviously pushed the film over the top, as did Fox’s marketing campaign. While reviews were largely negative (12% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences responded quite positively with a B+ CinemaScore. That should mean solid things for the film’s legs, and it could finish off with as high as $125 million by the end of its domestic run. The film added $9.5 million overseas (mostly South Korea) for a total of $49.9 million thus far. The budget was $48 million, making this another assured hit for Fox.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies fell three spots to #4 after a three week run at the top, bringing in $9.4 million. It sits at $236.5 million domestically so far, and $753.9 million worldwide. The film has slowed just a bit domestically and should now finish with about $280 million by the end of its run. Its budget was $250 million.
Note: Numbers include Sunday estimates and are three-day estimates. A studio recoups 55% of a film’s grosses on average, meaning it needs to approximately double its budget to be profitable during its theatrical run.
BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Numbers)
1. Taken 3 – $40.4 million ($40.4 million total)
2. Selma – $11.2 million ($13.5 million total)
3. Into the Woods – $9.8 million ($105.3 million total)
4. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – $9.4 million ($236.5 million total)
5. Unbroken – $8.4 million ($101.6 million total)
6. The Imitation Game – $7.6 million ($40.8 million total)
7. Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb – $6.7 million ($99.5 million total)
8. Annie – $4.9 million ($79.4 million total)
9. The Woman in Black: Angel of Death – $4.8 million ($22.3 million total)
10. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 – $3.8 million ($329.5 million total)