Other award hopefuls saw box office bumps too, with Lincoln, Les Miserables, Silver Linings Playbookand Django Unchained all seeing marginal week over week increases or strong holds as the award season kicks into full swing.
There was a lot of chatter regarding the marketability of Zero Dark Thirty, especially as conversations about the depiction of torture made its way through the twenty four hour news cycle. Much like the discussions surrounding the graphic violence in Django Unchained, the topic didn't keep people from buying tickets. Controversy isn't always a bad thing. Though I don't think it's going to do much for Zero Dark Thirty's Best Picture prospects.
I may be eating crow on that prediction in a month.
Speaking of atrocities, the major surprise this week was the number two debut of the horror spoof A Haunted House starring Marlon Wayans. The low budget satire brought in $18 million against a $2.5 million budget. It's a big win for all involved a frankly something of a surprise. No one saw this coming.
Gangster Squad landed in third place with $16 million in spite of a cold critical reception. With a lot of competition in the marketplace, I expect a quick demise for the gangland drama.
Next week brings a trio of new films vying for your hard earned dollars. Arnold Schwarzenegger returns to cinemas in the high octane action film The Last Stand, Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe play cat and mouse in the crime thriller Broken City and Guillermo del Toro presents another weird little horror film, Mama. Expect Arnold to mow down the competition.
Here's your top films for North America...
1. Zero Dark Thirty
Weekend Estimate: $24 million; $31 million total
2. A Haunted House
Weekend Estimate: $18 million
3. Gangster Squad
Weekend Estimate: $16 million
4. Django Unchained
Weekend Estimate: $12 million; $125 million total
5. Les Miserables
Weekend Estimate: $9.5 million; $118 million total
Anghus Houvouras