Because animated family comedies will always beat a hokey rom-com with no stars, a film about race car drivers, and a male-oriented flick about porn, Sony's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 dominated with a $35M debut, more than triple its closest competition. That's good for the fourth biggest September opening ever, and $5M more than what the first film did back in 2009, and that finished up its run with $243M worldwide. Expect this one to surpass that total, mostly due to expanded international grosses, and the fact that it's the only major animated film until November.
2. Prisoners- $11.2M/$38.95M
Slipping 45% in week two is the dark crime thriller Prisoners, which perhaps was a little too disturbing to keep audiences coming back for more. The film will still surpass its $46M budget, and a possible Oscar push will only help the bottom line.
3. Rush- $10.3M/$10.5M
Expanding into national release after a quiet open last week, Ron Howard's F-1 racer Rush brought in a modest $10.3M. A 1970s-set racing flick is a tough sell, even with Chris "Thor" Hemsworth's face on all of the movie posters. If anything it proves he's still got a long way to go before he's a true A-lister. F-1 racing has always been more of an international sport, and the $13M foreign haul suggests it should run laps over the competition overseas.
4. Baggage Claim- $9.3M
Despite a dreadful marketing campaign that made Baggage Claim look like one of those unrealistic "hot chick can't get a guy" movies (which it is!), the Paula Patton-starrer did well enough in its opening weekend to turn a profit. It's a clear win for Patton who has been stuck in a number of thankless roles ever since Jumping the Broom earned her some accolades. She won't win any awards here, but it shows there is an audience to check her out, regardless of how unbelievable the story may be.
5. Don Jon- $9M
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is someone who is making moves to become a bankable box office star, and Don Jon may be the first step in doing just that. He makes a successful directorial debut with the romantic comedy about a womanizer who also happens to be a porn addict. That aspect is pretty well-known at this point, although the TV spots have done a pretty good job of hiding it. At a budget of only about $6M the film is already in the black, but the 'C+' Cinemascore suggests audiences won't be coming back for more.
6. Insidious Chapter 2- $6.7M/$69.5M
7. The Family- $3.7M/$31.6M
8. Instructions Not Included- $3.3M/$38.5M
9. We're the Millers- $2.8M/$142.4M
10. Lee Daniels' The Butler- $2.4M/$110.2M
