It was a three-way opening battle for the box office this weekend, but in the end it was the Bradley Cooper's clever d-bag that overpowered the sincere attorney and the sassy alien as Limitless took the top spot. Said attorney and alien took fourth and fifth place respectively, as hold-overs Rango and Battle: Los Angeles took second and third place. Your weekend receipts are here.
1. Limitless
Gross: $19,000,000 (new)
Screens: 2,756 (PSA: $6,894)
Weeks: 1
He does them so well, but between this, The A-Team and The Hangover, Bradley Cooper may want to expand beyond playing dickish a-holes. He played smart, witty and vulnerable on Alias; go back to that, B.C. before you get typecast as a better-looking Craig Kilborn.
2. Rango
Gross: $15,315,000 ($92,577,000)
Screens: 3,843 (PSA: $3,985)
Weeks: 3 (change: -32.2%)
Looks like Johnny Depp and Gore Verbinski will have scored themselves another $100 million hit come sometime next week. I wonder if, deep in some black and purple velvet drawing room, Tim Burton feels a pang of jealousy?
3. Battle: Los Angeles
Gross: $14,600,000 ($60,602,000)
Screens: 3,417 (PSA: $4,273)
Weeks: 1 (change: -59.0%)
A step drop from last weekend former champion. Perhaps it was Michelle Rodriguez alienating the non-sausage lovers out there.
4. The Lincoln Lawyer
Gross: $13,400,000 (new)
Screens: 2,707 (PSA: $4,950)
Weeks: 1
So, I don't know if this total gets an asterisk not since Groupon pitched in to help boost ticket sales, but since it only managed to get to number four, perhaps it doesn't matter. Then again, I'm sure the makers of Paul are probably upset they didn't do a LivingSocial deal or something.
5. Paul
Gross: $13,155,000 (new)
Screens: 2802 (PSA: $4,695)
Weeks: 1
So, just to be clear: Paul is a diminutive gray alien who has afoul mouth, loves slangy language and is rude and crude. Should the makers of American Dad ready their lawyers?
[Numbers via Box Office Mojo]