Surprise! (?) After all that speculation and hand-wringing over Super 8's prospects, the underexposed tribute to summer glories past emerged as something of a summer glory itself. Meanwhile the cluster of blockbuster veterans around it held on in the top five, and at least one wipeout was had by a young lady named Judy Moody. Your Weekend Receipts are here.
1. Super 8
Gross: $37,000,000 ($38,000,000)
Screens: 3,379 (PSA: $10,950)
Weeks: 1
See? Maybe there is something to be said for the application of mystery in marketing. Hats off to Paramount! Still, let's not get ahead of ourselves: While some never doubted the J.J. Abrams/Steven Spielberg throwback for a moment, the real test is still to come in week two opposite The Green Lantern and Mr. Popper's Penguins. Does it have the word-of-mouth juice to hold its slide under 50 percent? Here's hoping, if only for the long-term implications among show-it-all Hollywood marketers. Modesty, people! Modesty.
2. X-Men: First Class
Gross: $25,000,000 ($98,894,000)
Screens: 3,692 (PSA: $6,771)
Weeks: 2 (change: -54.6%)
You've got to love the folks who thought this might give Super 8 a run for its money at first place, though let's be fair: 54 percent isn't a terrible week-two dip. And it's doing nicely overseas as well, though not nearly as well as...
3. The Hangover Part II
Gross: $18,500,000 ($216,560,000)
Screens: 3,675 (PSA: $5,034)
Weeks: 3 (change: -41%)
Don't look now, but the sequel is within a week to 10 days of crossing the half-billion dollar mark worldwide. That kind of skrilla will settle a lot of tattoo copyright cases out of court.
4. Kung Fu Panda 2
Gross: $16,635,000 ($126,905,000)
Screens: 3,929 (PSA: $4,234)
Weeks: 3 (change: -30.4%)
Another solid week-to-week hold for old Po. Does he have what it takes, however, to fend off next week's penguin attack? (By the way, I would totally pay to see Kung Fu Panda 3: Po in the Snow if it meant panda-vs.-penguin combat. Actually, never mind.)
5. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Gross: $10,846,000 ($208,774,000)
Screens: 3,433 (PSA: $3,159)
Weeks: 4 (change: -39.6%)
Speaking again of international supremacy, watch and learn from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Remember last week, when this installment had just crossed the half-billion dollar mark? Right. Well, a week later it's past $820 million. Where will it end? Seriously, I'm asking.
7. Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer
Gross: $6,267,000 (new)
Screens: 2,524 (PSA: $2,483)
Weeks: 1
[Numbers via Box Office Mojo]