It was a great news, slightly-less-than-great news situation for Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides last weekend: With $90.1 million in receipts over the weekend, the third sequel to the theme-ride-adapted swashbuckler had a bigger opening than anything this year, besting the $86.2 million posted by Fast Five a few weeks ago. On the other hand, that gaudy figure nonetheless represents a significant dropoff from the previous two Pirates sequels: According to Box Office Mojo, Sequel #2 (Dead Man’s Chest) and Sequel #3 (At World’s End) drew $163 million and $131 million, respectively, when adjusted for ticket inflation. So at this rate, it’ll be just a few more sequels before the franchise has been officially run into the ground.
The most interesting box office news of the weekend was the strong performance of Bridesmaids in its second week. Where summer blockbusters typically dip over 50 or 60% after opening, Bridesmaids lost slightly under 20%, suggesting that it has the word of mouth to be a sustainable hit through the summer. Last week, it seemed clear enough that the film’s success meant more opportunities for women in movies. Should it pass the $100 million threshold, perhaps women will also be allowed to vote.
In limited release, Woody Allen’s Midnight In Paris did exceptional business, buoyed by the Woodman’s best reviews since Vicky Christina Barcelona and Match Point. Its per screen average of $96,500 was by far the strongest of 2011, and its cumulative total of $579,000 nearly put it in the Top 10, despite opening on only six screens.
For more detailed numbers, visit Box Office Mojo.