Moviegoers “Friend” The Social Network

The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films and then check back on Monday for the final figures based on actual box office.

Columbia Pictures’ The Social Network, about the creation of Facebook, topped the box office with an estimated $23 million from 2,771 locations, an average of $8,300 per theater. Directed by David Fincer from a script by Aaron Sorkin, the $50 million-budgeted adapation of Ben Mezrich’s book “The Accidental Billionaires” stars Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield, Joe Mazzello, Rashida Jones, Rooney Mara, Armie Hammer, Max Minghella and Brenda Song. The studio said that females comprised 53% of the opening weekend audience and 55% of the audience was 25 and older. The film received a B+ Cinemascore from moviegoers.

Warner Bros.’ animated fantasy adventure Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole remained in second place its second weekend, adding $10.9 million, a drop of just 32.6% in ticket sales. The Zack Snyder-directed film cost about $80 million to make and has earned $30 million so far.

20th Century Fox sequel Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps dropped two spots to third with $10.1 million, a drop of 46.9% its second weekend. The Oliver Stone drama was made for $70 million and has earned $35.9 million.

Ben Affleck-directed The Town added $10 million its third weekend to push its three-week total to $64.3 million. The Warner Bros. release was produced for just $37 million.

Screen Gems’ Easy A, starring Emma Stone, rounded out the top five with $7 million its third weekend for a total of $42.4 million. Not bad for a comedy that was made for just $8 million.

Touchstone’s You Again brought in $5.6 million its second weekend. The comedy was made for $20 million and has collected $16.4 million.

People were not too interested in the other two wide releases, as Case 39 debuted with only $5.4 million from 2,211 theaters and Let Me In earned just $5.3 million from 2,020 locations.

In limited release, Chain Letter opened in 406 theaters but made just $143,000, while Hatchet II took in just $62,000 from 68 theaters. Freakonomics did better with $33,000 from 17 theaters and Leaving made $13,400 in 2 theaters.

Resident Evil: Afterlife, which has earned $56.6 million domestically, topped the international box office a fourth straight weekend with $15 million from 3,900 theaters in 47 markets. The Screen Gems release has earned a total of $181.2 million overseas and $237.8 million worldwide.

Click here for the full box office results of the top 12 films.

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