There was a lot of new movies demanding attention this weekend, and the love from audiences was spread pretty thin.
Number one went to Elysium, banking just $30 million. That's a let down for director Neill Blomkamp whose last rated R sci-fi film (and his first every feature film as well), District 9 managed a $37 million opening in 2009, and that was without big names like Damon and Foster on the billing.
Raunch-com We're The Millers took second place with $26 million, bringing its total since opening earlier this week to $38 million, putting it solidly in the black compared with its $37 million production budget.
Disney Animation Studio's first attempt at making a Pixar spin-off fell flat. Planes, a limp and poorly received effort by Disney to capitolize on its sister studio's Cars franchise, opened in 3rd place with just $22 million. The weak debut not only falls short by Pixar opening standards, it's a low ball for Disney as well, whose recent animated features like Wreck-It Ralph and Tangled opened nearer to $50 million.
The final new comer this weekend, sequel Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. had a debut that might well be the final nail in the franchise's coffin. After the first entry Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief had a dubious run with just $226 million world-wide, doubts of a second were tossed around. Sea of Monsters had an opening of just $14 million, with only $33 million in world-wide sales to date against its $90 million budget. Not exactly a vote of olypmic proportions.
For the full weekend top ten, check out the chart below:
| 1. | Elysium * | $30,400,000 | Total: $30,400,000 | LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 3,284 |
| 2. | We're the Millers * | $26,555,000 | Total: $38,044,000 | LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 3,260 |
| 3. | Planes * | $22,525,000 | Total: $22,525,000 | LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 3,702 |
| 4. | Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters * | $14,600,000 | Total: $23,457,000 | LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 3,031 |
| 5. | 2 Guns | $11,128,000 | Total: $48,517,000 | LW: 1 WR: 2 THTRS: 3,028 |
| 6. | The Smurfs 2 | $9,500,000 | Total: $46,600,000 | LW: 3 WR: 2 THTRS: 3,867 |
| 7. | The Wolverine | $8,000,000 | Total: $111,986,000 | LW: 2 WR: 3 THTRS: 2,867 |
| 8. | The Conjuring | $6,700,000 | Total: $120,745,000 | LW: 4 WR: 4 THTRS: 2,650 |
| 9. | Despicable Me 2 | $5,748,000 | Total: $338,314,000 | LW: 5 WR: 6 THTRS: 2,395 |
| 10. | Grown Ups 2 | $3,700,000 | Total: $123,800,000 | LW: 6 WR: 5 THTRS: 2,102 |
