Weekend box office: Gravity soars while Runner Runner struggles
Brad Sturdivant
October 6th, 2013
I have to admit that I was nervous for GRAVITY at the weekend box office. I won’t say that I thought the movie was too sophisticated for domestic audiences because that would make me sound incredibly snotty, but…well…anyway, look; the movie is number one at the weekend box office. Not only is at the top, but it’s coming close to $50 million, which would be an October record. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake starring RUNNER RUNNER, which won’t even crack $10 million this weekend. Neither film’s numbers should be a surprise. GRAVITY (click the link to read our review) is one of the most incredible movies in the last decade while RUNNER RUNNER looked like a mistake from the get go. Perhaps the only surprise is that GRAVITY is on pace to be the biggest opening for both George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. That’s shocking to me when you consider all of their great movies.
Next week sees the release of MACHETE KILLS, which is clearly a sequel no one was asking for. I’m pretty sure director Robert Rodriguez is the only one still laughing at the joke. We also have the debut of CAPTAIN PHILLIPS starring Tom Hanks. He’s already getting high praise for his portrayal and I, for one, am ecstatic to see Tom Hanks in another meaty, Oscar-caliber role. Oscar-worthy movies are going to start trickling out over the next few weeks, but I think GRAVITY is going to have great word of mouth and should continue to be #1 for a while. Note: the numbers below will be updates as they become final.
1. Gravity $55.5m
2. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 $21.5m
3. Runner Runner $7.9m
4. Prisoners $5.7m
5. Rush $4.5m
6. Baggage Claim $4.5m
7. Don Jon $4.2m
8. Insidious Chapter 2 $3.7m
9. Pulling Strings $2.7m
10. Enough Said $2.1m
(Deadline)
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