Gone Girl remains at the top of the box office, scoring $26.8 million in its second weekend, dropping only 29% as the domestic total for the R-rated adult drama grows to $78.2 million.
Coming in second is the first of the weekend’s several new releases, Universal’s Dracula Untold, which actually did quite well scoring $23.4 million in its first three days and an “A-” CinemaScore from opening day audiences. I don’t know who showed up and who was asked, but they clearly didn’t see the same movie I saw. Universal, however, is now calling it a $70 million budgeted film instead of the $100 million that was originally reported… that will help the bottom line.
New releases continue in third with Disney’s Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day bringing in $19.1 million to go along with its “A-” CinemaScore and I expect this one will stick around for some time, not to mention take advantage of Columbus Day tomorrow as kids are home from school.
Warner Bros’ Annabelle dropped 56% from last weekend’s strong opening and when you consider how front-loaded horror films with big openings tend to be nowadays that’s a pretty solid sophomore effort. The second weekend total was $16.4 million as Annabelle‘s cume climbs to $62.1 million in just ten days, not bad for a film made on a $6.5 million budget.
Two more new releases in fifth and sixth beginning with The Judge. The Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall family, courtroom drama also scored an “A-” CinemaScore, but only managed $13.3 million in its first three days. There’s just too much competition in the R-rated sector right now for this one to gain much traction and the reviews didn’t exactly encourage people to run out and see it.
In sixth is Addicted, opening in only 846 theaters, the adaptation of Zane’s novel brought in $7.6 million for a $8,983 per theater average. However, that’s not the highest average in the top ten, that belongs to a documentary called Meet the Mormons, which swoops into tenth place with $3.5 million from 317 theaters for a $11,041 per theater average.
Joining the Mormons in a semi-limited release was Michael Cuesta‘s Kill the Messenger in 374 theaters where it brought in $939,000. No one seems to be really talking about this movie, which is too bad since it’s actually pretty good. But hey, when a shitty Dracula origin story is in theaters you better catch that first.
When it comes to truly limited releases, opening in only six theaters was the excellent Whiplash, bringing in $143,503 while St. Vincent, led by Bill Murray, scored $121,056 from only four theaters.
Next weekend will see the likes of Fury, The Best of Me and The Book of Life releasing wide while limited releases such as Birdman and Dear White People start hitting theaters.
