Opening wide this past weekend, after being in limited release for the last four weeks, Clint Eastwood's 'Gran Torino' raced its way to the top of the box office with $29 million. Playing in 2808 theaters, the film, which garnered lots of positive reviews and an award for Best Actor for Eastwood from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, has taken in a total of $40 million at the gate so far. It's also the biggest opening that Eastwood has had in his career.
Despite its across-the-board negative feedback from critics, 'Bride Wars' came in second place with $21.5 million, with Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson in the lead roles as two childhood friends looking to destroy each other's wedding plans. Coming right behind 'Wars' for third place was the supernatural thriller, 'The Unborn' with $21 million. Directed by David Goyer, and featuring Meagan Good and Idris Elba among the cast, the film benefited from being the only horror film in the marketplace, thus having a fanbase that wanted to see some sort of gore and blood.
After two weeks at #1, 'Marley and Me' dropped down to fourth place this weekend with $11.3 million. Benefiting greatly during the Christmas and New Year's holiday weekends, the film, which stars Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson, has made out with $123 million in just weeks. Rounding out the top five was the Brad Pitt film, 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' with $9.4 million. Nominated for numerous awards including the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guide, the nearly three hour film has grossed $94 million. With Oscar nominations coming in two weeks, expect the film to pass the century mark in no time.
Coming in ninth place was 'Not Easily Broken' with $5.6 million. Based on the novel by T.D Jakes and starring Morris Chestnut and Taraji P. Henson as a couple whose marriage is tested, the film, which was shown in just 724 theaters, did more than Samuel L. Jackson's 'Soul Men' had in its opening weekend. That film, which was Bernie Mac's last film before he died, grossed only $5.4 million from 2,048 theaters.
Unless he gets an Oscar nomination, which is unlikely, Will Smith's streak of eight consecutive $100M+ blockbusters will certainly come to an end with 'Seven Pounds'. The film, coming in tenth place with $3.9 million, has brought in a cum of $66.8 million.
