Quake1028

Credit BoxOfficeMojo.Com

Eminem proved to be a powerhouse at the box office with his urban drama 8 Mile which generated the best opening day ever for an R rated film with a Friday haul of $20.9M beating out Hannibal's $19M from February 2001. The phenomenal debut also ranks as the second biggest opening day ever in the month of November trailing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone which bowed to a towering $32.3M last year on its way to a record-breaking $90.3M weekend. However, by playing in just 2,471 theaters, 8 Mile's per-theater average of $8,450 nearly matched the $8,805 of Harry Potter on its opening day.

The critically acclaimed Eminem pic also carried a more restrictive rating compared to the boy wizard's PG. Since 8 Mile appeals to a core following of fans of the best-selling rapper, and that its target audience consists of a large number of teens and young adults, the Curtis Hanson film is expected to see a large share of its weekend business on Friday. For the three-day session, 8 Mile may find itself with a staggering $54-59M.

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gcribbs

WOW!

I doubt I will see it in the theater. However with the good reviews I might just buy this on dvd.

wm lopez

Any word of gangbang fights at the theaters?

cliffzig

I don't know why everyone thinks there will be a rough crowd seeing this movie. Any of you corporate stiffs out there, how many of you or your co-workers love Eminem? I do, and yes I am white-collar corporate america.

I think Eminem's following spreads deeper and wider than the typical hip-hop audience.

I think that the box office take will be dramatically reduced by under 18 year olds buying tickets to "The Santa Clause" and sneaking into 8 Mile.

Darren Garrison

I think that he's a highly talented, clever, disgusting sack of scum.

mdc3000

glad to see this movie did well... the latest estimate is 52million for the weekend...which is quite impressive. Eminem showed that not only does he have drawing power when it comes to cd sales, but that as an actor, he can pack them in as well.

It couldn't hurt that this is a really good film and is about something. It was not made to cash in or capitalize on a trend (well, ok, i'm sure the suits saw it this way...) but it was made to tell a great story and reach people. I thought it was well made and acted and am glad that it did well at the box office, and i'm happy for Curtis Hanson who really deserved to have this movie be a hit.

MATT

LBPound

If there's anyone who deserves this kind of box office success after years and years of great peformances in excellent films that were overlooked by audiences, it's got to be Eminem. I heard he's really transformed himself into this character he's playing -- talk about actors stretching for a role!

Goat3001

I laugh at the people that said this movie would bomb. And there were a bunch of you out there.

silentbob007

I wonder how much of a drop there will be next weekend, though ....

Groucho

Not a surprise. Eminem could have gone the "crappy action movie" route (a la Cool as Ice) but instead he went for a semi-autobiographical drama and surrounded himself with great talent. You just have to laugh when the "Eminem movie" outgrosses the "Britney Spears movie."

Rod Thorn

You must really love Eminem. A lot.

Goat3001

Actually I don't like eminem at all. Not much of a rap fan. I don't see why everyone assumes that the only people like this movie are eminem fans. I saw the movie because the story was appealing to me and the director is one of my favorites. The only reason I didn't want to see it was because Eminem was in it and I didn't think he'd be able carry a movie. I know that the theatre was full of Eminem fans but it doesn't mean that they're the only ones that saw the movie.

I knew this movie would do good because of Eminems star power but I think it'll hold up because it's actually good.

Quake1028

Probably not as big as you would think, for the simple fact that 8 Mile will still be the top R-rated choice next weekend.

Dr. DVD

True, but the a lot of more family friendly start their Holiday run next weekend. Harry Potter opens, then 007 is right around the corner. I realize Bond might not be considered family, but many do like to go see the movies as part of the tradition.

That said, nice to see Eminem open a movie. I just hope this doesn't lead to studios doing music stars as movie leads the way they are doing comic book flicks. I doubt I wll see an R rated Britney Spears pic, even if she said she would bare it all. (I said doubt, mind you, not wouldn't )

Geofferson

Not surprised at all by this. I knew it would make big $$$.

Dr. DVD

Geofferson: I knew it would as well. Simply because there are NO films appealing to young adults/college students that they would go and see en mass. They love going to films in groups, and this being advertised so heavily on MTV helped get their attention. While it has been a while, I remember all college dorms as having a TV in the lobby, and if you ever went into it, chances are it was either on MTV or Fox, the two stations where I saw most of the advertising.

Rogue588

And really, how many adults do you think make up the majority of the gross for this R rated movie? [Not that ratings mean much these days...lookit Jackass] If that's one thing we can count on is Hollywood being full of fresh ideas and not copying themselves. I'm sure a movie starring Nelly is in the works. Oh wait...he's already been in one.

Rod Thorn

Sorry. I must be seeing things cuz I could have sworn I saw you in a 2Pac thread. I apologize.

Random

this makes me sad

DVD Smurf

I will see this today! I have heard good things about it.

Groucho

Why? Have you seen the film?

Goat3001

I never said I hated rap and that I didn't listen to it, I said I wasn't much of a fan. There is a differance.

I'm not much of a hockey fan, does that mean I don't know a few things about Wayne Gretzky?

Goldberg74

I'm just wondering... is your real first name Stan?

Rypro 525

54 mil $24,000 per theater.

Sunday Morning

Yeah, but, far from heaven did $34,000 per screen. Of course it was only released on 6 screens