Robots Tops Box Office

March 13, 2005 by Liam
Filed under: Movie News

Robots Tops Box Office I’m not really surprised that Robots was the #1 movie this weekend. I am, however, just a little surprised that the movie didn’t earn more.

The animated feature from creator/director Chris Wedge earned an estimated $36.5 million. That total is well behind the $46 million earned by 2002’s Ice Age, also created by Wedge’s Blue Sky Studio for 20th Century Fox. I guess kids are more into furry little animals than they are into robots – something George Lucas could’ve told you more than 20 years ago when he gave the world Ewoks.

Elsewhere in new releases, the Bruce Willis action-thriller Hostage underwhelmed with $9.8 million in ticket sales, good only for 4th place. Again, this isn’t much of a surprise considering the movie was barely advertised. Did anyone even know this movie existed? The movie’s R-rating didn’t help much either. Or is it that Bruce Willis just isn’t a box office powerhouse anymore?

Speaking of being a box office powerhouse, who’d have imagined that Vin Diesel would still be going strong in The Pacifier? The movie only dropped 40% over last week to earn an estimated $18 million in second place.

Last week’s other major release, Be Cool, didn’t fare as well – although it still did well enough for 3rd place. The John Travolta pic, which has been slammed by audiences and critics, dropped 56% earning only $10.3 million.

In limited release this weekend, New Line’s The Upside of Anger earned $225,000 in 9 theaters, for a per screen average of $25,000. The movie, starring Kevin Costner and Joan Allen, will open wide over the next two weeks. Also faring well in limited release was director Danny Boyle’s Millions. The Fox Searchlight picture earned $73,000 in 5 theaters, for a per screen average of $14,600.

One movie that was crucified at the box office was the Mel Gibson re-release, The Passion Recut. Released on 954 screens, the movie earned a lousy $251 per screen. Ouch.

For more on this weekend in theaters, check out our Box Office Results.