Friday Box Office: Unhappily Ever After

What a difference three years -- and one really bad sequel -- makes. When Shrek the Third opened over this weekend in 2007, it grossed $38 million on Friday; Shrek Forever After, however, could only score $20 million yesterday, this despite the added benefit of higher ticket prices and 3D. Yikes. No reason to start a collection for Dreamworks Animation, but Shrek Forever After will likely wind up around $50 million short of its predecesor come Sunday. Elsewhere, weep for Will Forte. MacGruber grossed an embarrassing $1.5 million on Friday and will be lucky to close out the weekend with more than $5 million. Insert bomb related pun here. The top-five after the jump.

1. SHREK FOREVER AFTER: $20,000,000 (new)

2. IRON MAN 2: $7,800,000 ($232,400,000)

3. ROBIN HOOD: $5,500,000 ($53,300,000)

4. LETTERS TO JULIET: $3,000,000 ($21,300,000)

5. MacGRUBER: $1,500,000 (new)

[Deadline]