Oscar season kicked off a little early this year, as audiences flocked to see Jackass 3-D, a probing anthropological study of primitive man. With an incredible $50 million opening weekend, the film doubled the most optimistic forecasts for the trilogy’s poop-stained conclusion—a figure that either indicates the collapse of civilization or an unpretentious good time at the movies, depending on your perspective. The numbers stand to drop precipitously in Week Two—those anxious to see Jackass 3-D have likely seen it by now—but the total is already well above its $20 million budget and good enough to suggest $100 million-plus before it exits theaters. News was also surprisingly good for the assassin thriller Red, which took $22.5 million off a cast of veteran stars (Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker, John Malkovich) that doesn’t fit into the desired demographic.
In limited release, the latest Clint Eastwood/Matt Damon pair-up Hereafter overcame tepid reviews to register a strong $38,500 on six screens, though its prospects in wider release are a little more uncertain. Ditto the Hilary Swank Oscar-bait Conviction, which took $10,000 per screen on 11 screens, but also doesn’t seem to have the critical support necessary for prestige-season success. The superb Olivier Assayas biopic Carlos made $9,100 per screen on two screens, which isn’t a bad number considering its prohibitive length (5 ½ hours in the unabridged version) and its availability on Sundance Channel and On Demand. The best news of the week, though, is the colossal failure of I Want Your Money, a Tea Party-fueled Obama hit job that made a mere $520 per screen. Looks like they’ll just have to settle for taking over Congress.
For more detailed numbers, visit Box Office Mojo.