From DHD:

FRIDAY PM/SATURDAY AM: As July ends, 3 opening major studio movies -- Dinner With Schmucks, Charlie St Cloud, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore -- is making for a crowded summer box office what with holdovers Salt, Inception, and Despicable Me still going strong. Here are Friday and estimated weekend and cume grosses for the U.S. and Canada. This weekend will be the first since June 4th without a $30 million grossing pic. But overall ticket sales still look to total $135M a point or two ahead of last year:

1. Dinner For Schmucks (Paramount) NEW [2,911 Dates]
Friday $8.3M, Estimated Weekend $24M

The behind-the-scenes maneuvering to turn this DreamWorks movie from a mediocre grosser to average makes for an interesting story. Back on June 9th, I reported that the buzz had been "it's not working" on this pic so Paramount, DreamWorks, and Spyglass delayed Dinner For Schmucks originally scheduled for release on July 23 to the younger-skewing weekend of July 30. Well, within minutes of my writing that, I was told no less than "129 people involved with the film lost their minds" as only Hollywood types can. I received panicky calls and emails admitting why the buzz was bad and explaining why it wasn't anymore. What happened is that the movie's first test screening last March in Thousand Oaks produced only average scores. Excellent was 35, the top two boxes were 70, and the definite recommend was 50. "Literally, right on the norm. But not where you expect for a high-profile movie directed by Jay Roach and starring Steve Carell," an insider told me. "Everyone felt a sense of disappointment."

So the studio, the producers, Carell, and Roach huddled. Roach worked to fix the tone "making sure the movie didn't play in mean-spirited fashion because the audience found that line had been crossed," the insider explained. The result was that, at the next screening a month later, the scores had improved: Excellent was 60, the top 2 boxes were 90, and the definite recommend was 75. "So you see how far the movie moved as Jay worked on it," said an insider, praising Roach for being so "malleable". (Is that a compliment for a film director?) Despite poor reviews, the film this weekend now is exactly meeting Hollywood's mid-$20sM expectations. It had been tracking very well among young males and balanced across all age and gender ranges, with overall tracking similar to Carell's last film Date Night which opened to $25M and went on to gross over $100M, but better than Paul Rudd's last two films which both opened in the high teens.

2. Inception (Warner Bros) Week 3 [3,545 Dates]
Friday $8.1M (-38%), Estimated Weekend $25M, Estimated Cume $190.3M

Chris Nolan's film just keeps going, and going, with great holds. It could, repeat could, even be No. 1 again if Schmucks loses steam.

3. Salt (Sony) Week 2 [3,612 dates]
Friday $5.9M (-53%), Estimated Weekend $17M, Estimated Cume $68.5M

Sony thinks this holdover starring Angelina Jolie has locked up $100M for sure, and probably at least $110M, And with great results overseas, this weekend puts the pic in the win column for sure.

4. Charlie St Cloud (Universal) NEW [2,720 Dates]
Friday $5.6M, Estimated Weekend $15M

Rival studios think Friday's result is just Zac Ephron's High School Musical fans. Meaning it's frontloaded. Weeks of tracking had indicated only a $13M weekend. Surely that's why Zac did everything publicity-wise including envelope openings to push it. I don't comprehend why the marketing stupidly gave away the whole plot in the ads.

5. Despicable Me (Universal) Week 4 [3,602 Dates]
Friday $4.6M, Estimated Weekend $15M, Estimated cume $189.8M

6. Cats & Dogs: Kitty Galore (Warner Bros) NEW [3,705 Dates]
Friday $4.2M, Estimated Weekend $13.3M

Big disappointment. For weeks now, the family tracking was not as strong as the studio hoped. And those cats looked scary even to me.

7. Toy Story (Disney) Week 7 [2,107 Dates]
Friday $1.4M, Estimated Weekend $5.2M, Estimated Cume $390M

8. Grown Ups (Sony) Week 6 [2,269 Dates]
Friday $1.3M, Estimated Weekend $4.0M, Estimated Cume $150.2

9. Sorcerer's Apprentice (Disney) Week 3 [2,524 dates]
Friday $1.3M, Estimated Weekend $4.0M, Estimated Cume $51.5M

10. Ramona and Beezus (Fox) Week 2 [2,719 Dates]
Friday $1.2M (-57%), Estimated Weekend $3.5M, Estimated Cume $16.1M

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I'm willing to bet Inception pulls off a 3-peat and tops by the weekend's end, but that's a good # for Schmucks. I like seeing Rudd's comedies do well.

TS3 should hit $400m by next weekend. Too bad it won't top Shrek 2's $441m total, though.

Awesome to see TS3 rape and pillage the summer box office.

Agree! 400M, here they come!

Looks like it's been a good summer for Steve Carrell. Despicable Me is still pulling in good numbers and Dinner for Schmucks is looking at a solid opening.

Although I think I'll wait and Netflix both movies.

Me and the wife seen Dinner last night, really funny movie better that I Love You, Man. We are taking the kids to see Despicable Me in 3D today probally

Would be great to Inception stay on top for another weekend. I just don't think DfS looks that funny, despite the cast.

It says weekend estimate for "DfS" to be 24M above. And "Inception" with an estimate of 25M. It'll be close, but I have a feeling "Inception" will be #1 again.

Agreed, here's hoping Nolan gets the hattrick. I have no interest in DfS, maybe a rental at best. I'll actually pay IMAX prices to see Inception a second time.

I'd be happy with DfS toppling Inception; I thought it was hilarious.

I think DfS looks pretty funny and intend on seeing it, and it doesn't really matter who wins - even if Inception is #2 for the weekend, it will still have had a very strong weekend. Still holding out hope that this allows for more original, big budget movies from some big name directors.

The real victory is Cats and Dogs / 3D tanking.

Yeah, I don't think it really matters whether Inception is #1 or #2 this weekend. I don't think #1 for 3 weeks in a row is that big of a deal. Just happy to see it continue to do well.

Not sure I agree. Thus far this summer, there's only been one movie that's done it - Shrek 3 (sad, I know). Yearly, it's not that uncommon, but in the summer...yeah. No movie it did it between May 1 and Aug 31 last year, Dark Knight and Tropic Thunder both did it in 2008, and PotC:AWD did it in 2007. So yeah, I'd like Inception to do it and hold well against the new movies of any genre.

http://www.deadline.com/2010/07/firs...4-cats-dogs-6/

I don't really think it means much though, since it depends entirely on the other movies that opened around it.

It's a "nice" stat, but ultimately pointless. % drops and actual take is a bigger deal then just being #1 in itself.

Looks like Nolan gets to be #1 again for his 40th Bday.

Updated estimates as per Deadline Hollywood:

1. Inception (Warner Bros) Week 3 [3,545 Dates]
Friday $8.1M, Saturday $10M, Weekend $26M (-39%), Cume $191.8M

2. Dinner For Schmucks (Paramount) NEW [2,911 Dates]
Friday $8.3M, Saturday $8.4M, Weekend $23M

3. Salt (Sony) Week 2 [3,612 dates]
Friday $5.9M, Saturday $7.6M, Weekend $19M (-47%), Cume $70.5M

4. Despicable Me 3D (Universal) Week 4 [3,602 Dates]
Friday $4.6M, Saturday $6M, Weekend $15M, Cume $190M

5. Cats & Dogs 3D: Kitty Galore (Warner Bros) NEW [3,705 Dates]
Friday $4.2M, Saturday $4.6M, Weekend $12.5M

6. Charlie St Cloud (Universal) NEW [2,720 Dates]
Friday $5.6M, Saturday $3.8M, Weekend $12M

7. Toy Story 3D (Disney) Week 7 [2,107 Dates]
Friday $1.4M, Saturday $2.3M, Weekend $5.5M, Cume $390.1M

8. Grown Ups (Sony) Week 6 [2,269 Dates]
Friday $1.3M, Saturday $1.8M, Weekend $4.5M, Est Cume $150.7

9. Sorcerer's Apprentice (Disney) Week 3 [2,524 dates]
Friday $1.3M, Saturday $1.7M, Weekend $4.2M, Cume $51.8M

10. Ramona and Beezus (Fox) Week 2 [2,719 Dates]
Friday $1.2M, Saturday $1.3M, Weekend $3.5M, Cume $16.1M


Charlie St. Cloud looked so ridiculously boring that I'm amazed it even did that well.

I'm not sure. A lot of films seem to get some mileage out of "#1 Movie in America!" commercials.

At least Cats & Dogs can be the:

"#1 animal themed Movie in America!"

True, "#1 in America for the 3rd week" sounds good.

Estimates from BOM, they're usually closer to actuals than Deadline, and apparently Inception did better than initially estimated.

1 1 Inception WB $27,520,000 -35.6% 3,545 -247 $7,763 $193,348,000 $160 3
2 N Dinner for Schmucks P/DW $23,300,000 - 2,911 - $8,004 $23,300,000 $69 1
3 2 Salt Sony $19,250,000 -46.5% 3,612 - $5,329 $70,800,000 $110 2
4 3 Despicable Me Uni. $15,543,000 -34.4% 3,602 +2 $4,315 $190,349,000 $69 4
5 N Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore WB $12,525,000 - 3,705 - $3,381 $12,525,000 $85 1
6 N Charlie St. Cloud Uni. $12,136,000 - 2,718 - $4,465 $12,136,000 $44 1
7 5 Toy Story 3 BV $5,035,000 -43.5% 2,105 -661 $2,392 $389,674,000 $200 7
8 7 Grown Ups Sony $4,500,000 -39.4% 2,269 -590 $1,983 $150,713,000 $80 6
9 4 The Sorcerer's Apprentice BV $4,320,000 -55.2% 2,524 -980 $1,712 $51,881,000 $150 3
10 8 The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Sum. $3,965,000 -44.8% 2,334 -787 $1,699 $288,200,000 $68 5
11 6 Ramona and Beezus Fox $3,650,000 -53.3% 2,719 - $1,342 $16,314,000 $15 2
12 11 The Kids Are All Right Focus $3,463,000 +33.5% 847 +646 $4,089 $9,565,000 $4 4
13 9 The Last Airbender Par. $1,759,000 -58.3% 1,238 -889 $1,421 $127,237,000 $150 5
14 10 Predators Fox $1,100,000 -64.8% 873 -973 $1,260 $49,498,000 $40 4

Charlie St. Cloud had a $44m budget?

Very good holds for Inception and Despicable Me ( < 40% ), good hold for Salt ( < 50% ). While it's unlikely that Inception will hit $300m (at least imo), this is the first non-Batman Nolan flick to break $100m, and soon $200m, domestically. (Memento made $25.5m, Insomnia made $67m, Prestige made $53m)

Who the fuck at Warner allowed Cats & Dogs to go into production at $85 million?

go inception go!

Cool to see Inception at #1 again. In a perfect world, it would top Avatar.

Dream on...

In today's world of constant remakes/reboots/brand name movie making laziness, an actual original film being #1 for 3 weeks is a big deal, imo.

The same people who set the budget for SATC 2 at $100 million.

Even with Schmucks, Grown Ups had another solid hold at 39% even with losing alot of theaters. That is going to end up with over $160 million. Very impressive.

Yeah, I think Inception may top out at $275 mil. This past week's daily grosses didn't hold as well as last week. There's not much competition left for the rest of the Summer, so maybe it'll have enough legs to cross $300 mil. Either way, WB will be very happy they took the risk on this project. Nolan can do no wrong at WB.

Inception's foreign gross is now at $170 mil, so worldwide it's at $363 mil after 17 days.