Wreck-It Ralph' Running Up $48M Box-Office Score
Disney’s “Wreck-it Ralph," an animated homage to classic video games, set off bells and whistles at the box office Friday and is on its way to a $48 million weekend.
The PG-rated family film from Disney Animation took in $13.4 million from 3,752 screens in its first day of release. That's a roughly $3,570 per-screen average and puts “Wreck-it Ralph” on pace to match the opening weekend of Disney Animation's last film, “Tangled." That film debuted at $48 million in November 2010 and went on to make $200 million domestically and $590 million worldwide.
Audiences gave "Wreck-It Ralph" an "A" CinemaScore, so word of mouth could push it even higher on Saturday and Sunday. John C. Reilly provides the voice for Ralph, and Sarah Silverman is Vanellope von Schweetz.
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Overall box office was running about 15 percent ahead of the comparable weekend last year. That’s a strong number, given that more than 100 theaters -- mostly lower Manhattan, New Jersey and Long Island, where the power is spotty -- remain closed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. More than 300 Atlantic Coast theaters were shut down at one point last week, but they're re-opening more quickly than expected, and the region's moviegoers are returning to the theaters.
“Flight,” the airline thriller from Paramount starring Denzel Washington, is off to a great start. It's looking at $23 million for the three days, after taking in $8.1 million from 1,884 screens on its first day. Its per-screen average of $4,299 was the best of all the wide releases. Audiences gave the film, which is generating awards buzz for Washington and director Robert Zemeckis, an “A-” CinemasScore.
The weekend’s other wide opener, Universal’s martial arts film “The Man With the Iron Fists,” took in about $3 million from 1,868 locations. That projects to a $7.6 million weekend. Rapper-turned-filmmaker RZA makes his directorial debut on the R-rated film, which is presented by Quentin Tarantino, who served as its creative godfather. It stars Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu. Audiences gave the film a “C+” CinemaScore.
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Last week's No. 1 film "Argo" brought in $2.9 million from 2,724 theaters. Ben Affleck's political thriller could hit $10 million for the weekend and will pass the $70 million mark in overall domestic gross for Warner Bros.
Fox's Liam Neeson thriller "Taken 2" is looking at a $6 million weekend after bringing in $1.8 million Friday. In its fifth week of release, it has made $120 million domestically and its overall worldwide gross is more than $317 million.
Lana and Andy Wachowski's sci-fi saga "Cloud Atlas" opened its second weekend with a soft $1.5 million from 1,963 locations and is headed for a three-day total in the $5 million range.
Earlier ...
Disney's animated movie "Wreck-it Ralph" is projected to open to more than $50 million this weekend at a box office that may feel the effects of Hurricane Sandy with between 150 and 200 East Coast theaters still shuttered.
