Matthew Chmiel

Friday's Estimates
1. Dawn of the Dead - $11.4 million
2. Passion of the Christ - $4.9 million
3. Taking Lives - $4.0 million
4. Starsky and Hutch - $3.3 million
5. Secret Window - $3.2 million
6. Eternal Sunshine - $2.6 million
7. Hidalgo - $2.4 million
8. Agent Cody Banks 2 - $1.7 million
9. 50 First Dates - $1.3 million
10. Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen - $460k

Looks like Dawn of the Dead finally took Passion of the Christ's spot of #1 this weekend. I have a huge feeling that Dawn might have a huge positive word of mouth and it could still be number one next weekend.

I predict that the weekend totals will be:
1. Dawn of the Dead - $33 million
2. Passion of the Christ - $16 million
3. Taking Lives - $12 million
4. Starsky and Hutch - $9 million
5. Secret Window - $9 million
6. Eternal Sunshine - $7 million
7. Hidalgo - $6 million
8. Agent Cody Banks 2 - $4 million
9. 50 First Dates - $3 million
10. Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen - $1.5 millionm

Groucho

The Passion of the Christ had an amazing run, and still has a lot more money-earning ahead of it. However, it will not be returning to #1.

Matthew Chmiel

Yeah, it should be in theaters for at least the next month or two. Some could debate that it'll return to #1 on Easter weekend, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. Nobody expected the film to make over $100 million within a few days, who knows, the film might come back to #1 on Easter weekend.

(I don't think so, but I was wrong with all my predicitions with the film.)

RichC2

Eternal Sunshine was expected to do $6 - $9m this weekend, so it definitly hit that at least.

Dawn of the Dead was expected to do around $20m and seems to have blown that # out of the water, good for it.

theneobez

That's it for for Eternal Sunshine? That's disappointing.

Groucho

Bear in mind that it was showing in a lot less theaters than the other films. In terms of per screen income, it was actually #2 (behind Dawn of the Dead).

KTIK

How did Bruce Almighty gross so much, then? I figured because it was staring Jim Carey. But Eternal didn't do much. Is it that different or that less commercial?

Matthew Chmiel

It's Jim Carrey in a non-mainstream film from the writer that brought you Adaptation, Being John Malkovich, and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind along with being directed by a man known for his fantastic, but weird music videos (who also directed the writer's god-awful Human Nature).

When Jim Carrey does something "out of his element" (basically being a non full-on comedic role), the film doesn't do all that well (Man on the Moon, The Majestic, and Simon Birch come to mind). On top of that, Eternal Sunshine is NO WHERE near the mainstream, where Dawn of the Dead is.

The Antipodean

Sunshine may be less commercial, but I am so much more looking forward to seeing that this weekend than I am where Carrey slums in cheesy junk like Bruce Almighty.

KTIK

I knew it was a Kaufman writen story, and most likely better than Bruce Almighty, but it's a real shame that people don't accept those more dramatic roles he takes. At least he's growing as an actor, and not sticking to one role his whole life.

RyoHazuki

I'm glad Dawn of the Dead is doing well. I saw both Dawn of the Dead and Eternal Sunshine on friday and I enjoyed Dawn more.

Groucho

Read my post again. Sunshine had a very limited screen count. Bruce Almighty opened to a lot more screens. On a per-screen basis, Sunshine is doing quite well.

jarofclay73

You guys were right. "Dawn of the Dead" will overtake "The Passion" this weekend. It was a good run. Really, I thought "Starsky & Hutch" was going to overtake "The Passion." How silly of me.

Supermallet

Apparently it took armies of the undead to unseat Jesus from the top spot. Kind of ironic.

"When there's no more room at the box office, the dead will roam the top spot."

majorjoe23

It's pretty unfair to count Simon Birch, it was an uncredited role.

movielib

rexinnih

I'm wondering how big of a bump the Easter weekend will give the Passion. Could get a lot of people out to see it again.

Matthew Chmiel

Before the film's release, the media gave the film a little bit of publicity due to his role in it.

RichC2

Sunshine > Dawn

but I liked em both (it's just Dawn was instantly forgettable, but fun). I love Kaufman movies and love Zombie movies, what a great weekend at the movies it was.

Daytripper

You can say that again. I just got back from a 4:45 show of "Sunshine" and the theatre was packed. If it wasn't sold out, it was close. It was also the biggest auditorium at the multiplex. I was suprised how crowded it was actually.

Neeb

>>Apparently it took armies of the undead to unseat Jesus from the top spot. Kind of ironic.

wm lopez

Jim Carey should stick to what he's great at and leave the drama stuff to the Penns, Hanks etc.
Carey had his drama movies and the majority of the public don't like to spend $8 to see him like that.

mookyman

Yeah, actors should make career and artistic choices based on box office appeal. Hopefully Carrey will ignore agents, writers, and his own instincts and take the advice of those of us here at an internet chat forum.

RichC2

moocher

Weekend Estimates are up.

Dawn (27 mil) tops Passion (19 mil) but Passion overtakes Matrix Reloaded as the top grossing R-rated film of all time.