Box Office Opening | featured news

Sony Pictures is saying this morning its 2012 opened as a runaway No. 1 with $23.7 million Friday, including $1M in Thursday midnights, for what's looking like a $61+M weekend.

"Michael Jackson's This Is It" pulled in $101 million worldwide in its first five days, and distributor Sony is extending the farewell performance film beyond its planned two-week run....

The forecast was bright at the box-office for "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," which earned $30.1 million to lead this weekend's films.

Sony toon earns $8.1 million, 'The Informant' lands second -- With a smorgasbord of choices at the multiplex, including headliners by Jennifer Aniston, Matt Damon and Megan Fox; Friday moviegoers’ savored Sony’s 3-D toon "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," shelling out $8.1 million.

The horror tale "The Final Destination" debuted as the No. 1 movie with $28.3 million, taking over the top spot from Quentin Tarantino and Brad Pitt's World War II saga "Inglourious Basterds," which slipped to second place with $20 million.

FRIDAY PM/SATURDAY AM: Sources are giving me the following numbers for Friday:
1) Final Destination 3-D (New Line/WB) $11M, Estimated Wkd $26M
2) Halloween II (Weinstein Co) $7M, Est Wkd $17.5M
3) Inglourious Basterds (Weinstein Co/Universal) $6M (-60%), Est Wkd $17.5M

If the Weinstein Co. is chilling any champagne for the opening of Quentin Tarantino's latest film, it's okay to pop it now. "Inglourious Basterds" made a killing Friday, reaping an estimated $14.3 million from 3,165 theaters to easily score Tarantino's best opening day ever at the domestic box office.

FRIDAY PM UPDATE: With a big pricetag of $175 million, and bad buzz preceding it, G.I. Joe seemed certain to tank. For months, Paramount's claims that the movie worked fell on deaf ears. Not until the Stephen Sommers' directed pic came on tracking with incredibly high awareness among males (with scores in the 90s).

Apatow comedy at top spot with $23.4 million -- Adam Sandler's "Funny People" has topped a moderate weekend box office with $23.4 million at 3,008 playdates.

FRIDAY PM/Saturday AM: It's looking like this summer's first soft weekend at the domestic box office. Playing in 3,008 North American theaters, it comfortably debuted #1 with $8 million Friday but will probably end Sunday with $22M.