Family film Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted was the most successful film at the box office over the weekend – besting Ridley Scott’s long awaited Prometheus. The animated sequel should gross $60 million by Monday morning, a number which is behind the launch of 2008’s Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa’s $63 million debut, but ahead of the original Madagascar, which opened to $47 million in 2005. Those films went on to gross $180 million and $193 million respectively, but this third installment should do a little less, domestically at least.
Prometheus should score around $50 million over the weekend, a number which is in line with predictions. The pricey R-rated science fiction film has received positive to mixed reviews (read ours) but this opening is an Alien franchise best (if that is where you want to place it) – topping the $38 million that Alien Vs. Predator banked on its debut in 2004 (it peaked at $80 million). It’s also the second best opening ever for a Ridley Scott film, with the top honor going to 2001’s Hannibal which opened to $58 million.
The original Alien debuted to $3 million in 1979 and went on to gross $80 million at the US box office (un-adjusted) and Aliens had a $10 million start in 1986 and it topped out at just over $85 million, a fantastic number for its day. Alien 3 launched with $19 million in 1992, but it only managed to reach a gross of $55 million by the end of its run. Alien Resurrection opened to just $16 million five years later, topping out with a disappointing $47 million. The lowest grossing installment in the Alien saga is Aliens Vs. Predator – Requiem from 2007. That film banked $10 million on its debut and reached a final total of just $41 million.
Prometheus is on-track to become the highest grossing film in the Weyland (Yutani) world (unadjusted of course) at the domestic box office. Elsewhere in the globe the film has grossed more than $91 million, it is now on course to beat Alien: Resurrection’s franchise best $113 million international cume.
It is interesting to point out that while the Alien franchise is a long-running and successful film series, none of its movies have grossed more than $100 million at the domestic box office, or hit $200 million globally. Having said that, the series was launched in a time when ticket prices were much lower, and they would have earned impressive totals if price inflation was taken into account.
Snow White And The Huntsman dipped almost 60% from last weekend’s launch. The fairy tale film grossed $23 million over the weekend for a $98.2 million total.
Men In Black 3 should bank over $13.5million, raising its total to $135 million. It’s a decent enough number, but the real green has been earned abroad where it has grossed more than $352 million elsewhere in the globe, surpassing Men In Black 2’s $441 million worldwide take. However, it won’t better that film at the domestic box office where it will be the lowest grossing film in the series.
The Avengers is quietly closing in on $600 million after scoring an additional $10.8 million. The Marvel adventure has now grossed almost $572 million domestically. It sits firmly as the third highest grossing film of all time at the domestic and the international box office.
Brit hit The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel grossed a further $3.2 million over the weekend and rasied its total to an impressive $31 million. It has taken over $100 million worldwide.
What To Expect When You’re Expecting is expected to gross $2.7 million over the weekend for a total haul of $35.7 million. It’s a so-so number for a film that stars Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Rock and poor Dennis Quaid.
Battleship continues to sink down the box office top ten. It should sail away with $2.2 million, bringing its total to $59.8 million.
The Dictator laughed up another $2 million for a $55 million total gross, a number which helps to bring its worldwide cume to over $115 million.
Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom cracked the top ten and brought in $1.5 million, raising its cume to $3.7 million from only 96 theaters.
Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows dropped out of the top ten. The Gothic black comedy grossed $1.3 million, a number which raises its gross to just under $74 million. Globally the film has grossed around $200 million.
That’s it for now. See you at the movies.
Source: Box Office Mojo
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Meh, The R rating for Prometheus certainly affected the number of views as kids and parents would all watch Madagascar.
Prometheus will clearly be 1of the best scifi movies ive seen.screw the box office
All these numbers mean nothing when a ticket cost $2.00 in 1980 versus $12.00 (or more) today
It always makes me laugh now days when they try to compare a prequel or new spin on a long running franchise by comparing the box office of a 2000′s – $10+ dollar a ticket, $50 mil opening versus say a $10 mil opeing in the early 80′s when tickets cost a couple bucks. Do the math between the underestimated bloated budgets of modern films with the relatively modest ones of their predesecors and the ticket costs it’s not that impressive
Too true Lord Garth,too true.
The article did take that in account. I do enjoy glancing at boxofficemojo’s adjusted totals, though. Gone with the Wind is still no. 1 on that list and nothing will probably ever beat it.
The most ive ever seen is 10.50 for a ticket
I just got my ticket for $5.50 yesterday! I didn’t know they still had tickets that cheap!
There is a little home town theater and the tickets are always 4.50 or at most 5.50 and that is with taxes.
I love living in a small town.
A standard ticket in my area (Western Australia) is $18 for the standard version of the movie, and $21 for 3D.
Sweet Jesus Pedro, thanks for telling me that! I was gonna move there, but if movies cost 2x dinner, thats not gonna happen.
the other day when i saw Prometheus 3D at Hoyts it cost me $23 for a student ticket including the $1 booking fee. its cheaper for me to go to imax than it is any other cinema
inflation this, inflation that.
internet piracy is at its absolute worst today. do you have any idea how badly that hurts ticket sales?
also the ridiculous competition movies face now with each other, jsut look at the lineup this summer. 1-2 attempts at blockbusters coming out almost every week. ridiculously more fierce than it was just 10 or 20 years ago.
there are other factors too but these two should suffice to make my point. the jacked up prices help somewhat compensate for all the other disadvantages film have today in terms of making money.
there is more to movie math than simplistic conversions.
amateur.
just*
I never even considered that piracy and over-saturation would factor in box office numbers…
You make an EXCELLENT point sir.
I was going to see prometheus this weekend with a friend. i am 19 and he is 16 and so they wouldnt let him go in so we had to go see Men in black 3 instead. which was really good, but i really wanted to see prometheus!
then go see it. stop complaining about it.
huh… that doesnt make since. at the theatre i work at if your 18 or older your old enough to bring anyone of any age into a rated r movie with you.
I’m 17 and here in South-Africa, the age restriction for ‘Prometheus’ is 16… I went to see the movie and I can safely say that they should’ve upped the restriction to R18 here.
It wasn’t really that it was too “scary” (you could always predict when something scary was about to happen), but some of the images were just very disturbing IMO. And add the incredible and life-like special effects on top of that: it ain’t the type of movie for the lighthearted IMO
I’m somewhat surprised that Prometheus lost out, but considering that the first Alien and even the second Aliens movies kind of started out quietly, who knows.
prometheus lost out because of the r rating.
oh and also because its an overhyped pile of drivel.
Whats your deal dude? Seriously?
hey guys why no Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted review???
coz nobody here watched it.
or even wants to watch it
Really Timmy? i assume everyone out there childless in that case. I have two sons, a five year old and a three year old. I’ve seen the first film with my boys and the humor in it was better than most adult comedies out there.
And the word is “Because” for goodness sakes. If you’re going to be a smart-ass, at least use proper English.
One would think a grammar Nazi, like our friend Tommy here, wouldn’t make such an error.
Oops, I said Tommy instead of Timmy, I’m in for it now. :*(
ryan gosling
I wouldn’t mind watching it…
Does that make ME a “nobody”?
I think the reason Prometheus was in 2nd was because of the theater disparity. Madagascar 3 opened in 4258 theaters and Prometheus only opened on 3396. If the numbers were a little more even, Prometheus might have come out on top.
dude, just give it up. prometheus just wasn’t that good.
also rated r vs rated g, makes a difference.
Honestly, I still don’t understand why the film was given an R rating. I confess though it was much better than I was expecting….and yes I would recommend it.
Didn’t you just say that on Collider?
The eagle of word of mouth is going to nibble away the liver of Prometheus’ box office success.
Wow, didn’t even know they made a new Madagascar film.
second paragraph, second sentence: article says “t0″ instead of “to”
A lot of grammar nazi’s visit this site…
the mistake’s in the article not in the comments. the article shouldn’t have errors like that so i’m helping SR find them.
Exactly how does that make you less of a grammar Nazi and which part of my comment makes me a dumbass? Also, what part of any comment you’ve made thus far makes you come across as anything other than a total d!ck? Oh wait… nothing, you are one.
Timmy, ever thought about helping yourself use proper capitalization.
I think someone kicked sand in TImmy’s face on the playground today.
LOL