Final Box Office: 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' Wins Its Second Weekend
Underwhelming performances from this weekend's newcomers has led to the inevitable: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the No. 1 movie in America for a second straight week.
The sequel took in $36 million to bring its domestic total to $139 million, easily trampling competition from The Purge: Anarchy, which came in at No. 2 with $28.4 million. That said, it was good news all-around for both movies: The international total for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is now up to $103 million internationally after grossing an extra $61 million this weekend, bringing its worldwide total to $242 million. Meanwhile, even though it's well behind the $34.1 million opening of The Purge last June, The Purge: Anarchy is the biggest opening of the year for a horror movie. This is a pretty big win for Universal, considering that the movie cost just $9 million to make.
The story was somewhat similar with Disney's Planes: Fire & Rescue, which debuted at No. 3 with $18 million, but did less than last year's movie (Planes did $22 million last August). However, the news wasn't as strong in the profit department, as Planes: Fire & Rescue cost $50 million to make. Thus, this has to be considered a disappointment, although Disney is counting on strong word of mouth to carry the film forward.
"It's a little less than I thought we would do, but the movie was made at a great price. We thought we'd be at $20 million. The first movie did four times its opening, and we have no family competition between now and Labor Day, so we'll end up with a great number," said Disney distribution chief Dave Hollis.
Unfortunately, there is no such optimism on the horizon for the weekend's big new comedy, the R-rated Cameron Diaz/Jason Segel romp, Sex Tape. The film pretty much bombed by opening at No. 4 with a lukewarm $15 million, just half of the $31.6 million opening of 2011's Bad Teacher, the previous collaboration between Diaz, Segel and director Jake Kasdan.
"We made a sweet, funny romantic comedy with stars that we love, but the title is a little confusing to some folks," Sony distribution chief Rory Bruer explained. "There's definitely a sweetness to it, and we hope we end up being around for a long while. We also have a strong opportunity overseas."
The top five was rounded out by Transformers: Age of Extinction, which earned $10 million in week four to bring its domestic total to $227.2 million. Overseas, the film earned an extra $81.2 million to bring its foreign total to $659.1 million, and its worldwide gross to $886.3 million. In short, if Transformers: Age of Extinction continues at this pace, it could become the first 2014 release to cross the $1 billion mark.
Check out the full Top 10 at the weekend box office below:
1. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes ($36 million)
2. The Purge: Anarchy ($28.4 million)
3. Planes: Fire & Rescue ($18 million)
4. Sex Tape ($15 million)
5. Transformers: Age of Extinction ($10 million)
6. Tammy ($7.6 million)
7. 22 Jump Street ($4.7 million)
8. How to Train Your Dragon 2 ($3.8 million)
9. Maleficent ($3.3 million)
10. Earth to Echo ($3.26 million)
Credit: 20th Century Fox