Box Office: Hancock Arrives

Posted Jul 2nd 2008 4:02PM by Matt Bradshaw
Filed under: Action, Comedy, Box Office, Family Films, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Box Office Predictions

It was a good weekend at the box office for both of last week's newbies, marking the first time in history that two films opening on the same weekend pulled in over $50 million each. Here's the top five:

1. Wall-E: $63 million
2. Wanted: $50.9 million
3. Get Smart: $20.2 million
4. Kung Fu Panda: $11.7 million
5. The Incredible Hulk: $9.6 million

Only one major release this week, but we've also got one going into wider release.

Hancock
What's It All About: Will Smith plays Hancock, a hard drinking anti-social superhero, and a PR agent played by Jason Bateman sets out to repair Hancock's public image.
Why It Might Do Well: Will Smith may not always have the Midas touch (I Am Legend left me cold) but he's got quite a few successful blockbusters under his belt, and people are loving the superhero flicks these days. I've liked Bateman's work a lot since Arrested Development, and I'm always glad to see him. Also, Cinematical's own Kim Voynar has given the film her seal of approval.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Unlike most big-budget superhero movies, this one doesn't originate from another media like comic books, so it doesn't come with the core fanbase of an Iron Man or an Incredible Hulk. Also, the 36% fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com is not encouraging.
Number of Theaters: 3,900
Prediction: $45 million

And going into wider release this week...

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
What's It All About: Produced by Julia Roberts and starring Abigail Breslin, this film is based on the American Girl line of dolls and books. Set during the Depression, Kit Kittredge is a pre-teen girl who loves to write and hopes to one day be published in her local newspaper. Soon the plucky young lass must solve a mystery that will keep her family from losing their home.
Why It Might Do Well: 81% at Rottentomatoes.com is encouraging, and the film stars an Oscar nominee who is cute as a button.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Though I've heard good things about the film, getting boys into the theater may be tough.
Number of Theaters: 1,836
Prediction: $14 million

This week's prediction is a little tricky. Hancock seems like a surefire number one, but where will Kit Kittredge end up? Here's my best guest.
1. Hancock
2. Wall-E
3. Wanted
4. Get Smart
5. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

Once again I fell short of a perfect score, but congratulations to the four who did successfully name the top five. Here's how we all did.
1. Anna07: 16
1. Bradford Oman: 16
1. airtoast: 16
1. Kris: 16
2. Matt: 12
2. Awesomepants: 12
2. Lostinafog: 12
2. dxr: 12
2. I Eat Robots: 12
2. zach: 12
2. AJ Wiley: 12
2. Alex Focker: 12
2. cubitfox: 12
2. Ray: 12
2. Chris: 12
3. Simon David Michels: 11
4. darkagair: 10
4. peter: 10
5. Gary: 8
5. cough: 8
5. Jon H: 8

Join in on the fun. Post your predictions for the top five movies in the comments section below before 5:00PM Eastern Time on Friday. One point for every top five movie correctly named, two points for every correct placement, and one extra point for the top movie.

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Will Smith, Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman Go Unscripted (59 days ago - 0 Comments)
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Reader Comments

(Page 1)

1. 1) Hancock
2) Wall-E
3) Wanted
4) Get Smart
5) Kung Fu Panda

Posted at 4:34PM on Jul 2nd 2008 by CastleKnight

2. 1) Hancock
2) Wall-E
3) Wanted
4) Get Smart
5) Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

Posted at 5:07PM on Jul 2nd 2008 by Chris

3. 1. Hancock
2. Wall-E
3. Wanted
4. Get Smart
5. Kungfu Panda

Posted at 5:29PM on Jul 2nd 2008 by VP

4. 45 million for Hancock? No way it doesn't do at least twice that. They're already talking well over 100mm. And the Will Smith fanbase is exponentially larger than the Iron Man or Hulk fanbases. Will Smith owns July 4 moviegoing weekends; he's critic-proof on this one.

Posted at 5:52PM on Jul 2nd 2008 by Brian Jacks

5. 1. Hancock
2. Wall-E
3. Wanted
4. Get Smart
5. Kit Kittredge

Posted at 6:01PM on Jul 2nd 2008 by Tim

6. Went to a preview of Hancock this evening in Edinburgh. The cinema was almost full which can be attributed to Will Smith's ability to open a movie. Everybody knows who he is and he has zero baggage - like squeeky clean Tom Hanks, so you assume you're bound to be entertained. I had read on a website that the movie had received fairly dicey test screening results an that they'd sliced 30 minutes off it. You could tell, the plot was paper thin, very contrived and required little concentration to follow. At one stage my eyes drifted up to count the ceiling tiles and then over to the teenagers who were noisely munching popcorn like rats scrambling in a dustbin. As has been typical of this summers crop of "event" movies the film was CGI heavy and character lite. The general consensus on the way out was it was disappointing. It is surprising though how little people expect nowadays from a good night out at the cinema, and it will do well simply because of Will Smith and his everyman charm. It was though fairly terrible and I could have done without it.

Posted at 6:10PM on Jul 2nd 2008 by pete thomson

7. 1. Hancock
2. WALL-E
3. Wanted
4. Get Smart
5. Kung Fu Panda

Posted at 6:40PM on Jul 2nd 2008 by Bradford Oman

8. 1. Hancock
2. Wall-E
3. Wanted
4. Get Smart
5. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

Posted at 7:52PM on Jul 2nd 2008 by DarkAgair

9. 1. hancock
2. wall-e
3. wanted
4. get smart
5. kitt kittredge

Posted at 10:57PM on Jul 2nd 2008 by lostinfog

10. 1. Hancock
2. Wall-E
3. Wanted
4. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
5. Get Smart

Posted at 11:39PM on Jul 2nd 2008 by Awesomepants

11. I think you're all underestimating Pixar's staying power, and overestimating Hancock's quality. It's only 90 minutes, and fraught with bad reviews.

1. Wall-E
2. Hancock
3. Wanted
4. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
5. Get Smart

Posted at 8:24AM on Jul 3rd 2008 by filmsuki

12. Yeah, your Hancock prediction is way low. It'll do much more than that.

1. Hancock
2. WALL-E
3. Wanted
4. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
5. Get Smart

Posted at 10:56AM on Jul 3rd 2008 by AJ Wiley

13.
1. Hancock
2. Wall-E
3. Wanted
4. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
5. Get Smart

Posted at 12:50PM on Jul 3rd 2008 by Mario

14. First timer:

1. Hancock
2. Wall-E
3. Wanted
4. Kitt Kittredge
5. Get Smart

Posted at 9:24PM on Jul 3rd 2008 by Romel

15. 1. Hancock
2. Wall-E
3. Wanted
4. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
5. Get Smart

Same list as a lot of people. For we are many, i guess.

Posted at 9:55PM on Jul 3rd 2008 by cough

16. 1. Hancock
2. WALL-E
3. Wanted
4. Kit Kittridge
5. Get Smart

Posted at 11:23PM on Jul 3rd 2008 by Ray

17. Ok, that didn't work. Let's try it again.

1. Hancock
2. WALL-E
3. Wanted
4. Kit Kittredge
5. Get Smart

Posted at 11:25PM on Jul 3rd 2008 by Ray

18. My predictions are:
1. Hancock (64 m)
2. Wall-e (35 m)
3. Wanted (22 m)
4. Get smart (12 m)
5. Kitt kittredge: an american girl doll (11 m)

Posted at 1:26PM on Jul 4th 2008 by jessejames

19.
1. Hancock
2. Wall-E
3. Wanted
4. Kitt Kittredge: An American Girl
5. Get Smart

Posted at 10:25PM on Jul 4th 2008 by Gregory Rubinstein

20. 1. Hancock
2. Wall-E
3. Wanted
4. Kitt Kittredge
5. Get Smart

Posted at 10:14AM on Jul 5th 2008 by airtoast

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