The summer movie season came to a typically quiet close over the weekend. The American led the way with a standard-issue George Clooney debut, Machete had an average late summer action movie launch, while Going the Distance stalled. Overall business, though, was up five percent from the same timeframe last year.
The American earned an estimated $13 million at 2,823 locations for a $16.1 million tally since opening Wednesday. That was much more than recent Labor Day adult thrillers The Constant Gardener and Traitor, though the movie's attendance was mid-pack among assasssin-themed pictures. Most of Geroge Clooney's recent vehicles have opened in the same range as The American, including The Men Who Stare at Goats, Leatherheads, Michael Clayton and Syriana. As quiet as The American may seem, it's on track to having one of the biggest Labor Day openings ever. Distributor Focus Features reported that The American's audience was primarily aged 35 years and older and that there was a near even male/female split.
Last weekend's top draw, Takers, came in second with an estimated $11.5 million. It was down a normal 44 percent, and its cumulative take grew to $37.9 million in ten days.
Though it was first on Friday, Machete lost steam faster than the other titles and wound up in third with an estimated $11.3 million at 2,670 locations. It had a stronger start than Gamer from the same weekend last year, and it wasn't far behind its source, the box office bust Grindhouse. However, it did less than half the business of director Robert Rodriguez last straight-forward action picture, Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Distributor 20th Century Fox's research showed that 55 percent of Machete's audience was male, 55 percent was 25 years and older, and 60 percent was Latino.
The Last Exorcism was cast aside in its second weekend, falling harder than average for a supernatural horror movie. It was off 62 percent to an estimated $7.6 million, and its total rose to $32.5 million in ten days. The percentage drop was close to The Fourth Kind and Exorcist: The Beginning.
With an estimated $6.9 million start at 3,030 locations, Going the Distance isn't in it for the long haul. The romantic comedy had one of the weakest debuts on record for its genre, especially considering the size of its release. Even smaller releases like The Switch and Love Happens made more. Going the Distance's audience was 66 percent female and 77 percent over 25 years and older (and 52 percent over 35 years old), according to distributor Warner Bros.
Full four-day Labor Day weekend estimates will be reported here Monday morning.
Related Story
• Weekend Briefing: 'Machete,' 'American' Hack Into Labor Day
Last Weekend
• 'Takers,' 'Exorcism' Possess Top Two Spots
This Timeframe in Past Years:
• 2009 - 'Final Destination' Clings to Labor Day Lead
• 2008 - 'Bangkok Dangerous' Tops Weekend with Small Opening
• 2007 - '3:10 to Yuma' Arrives at Top Spot
• 2006 - 'Covenant' Hovers Over Weak Weekend
• 2005 - 'Exorcism' Torments Top Spot, Sticks It to 'The Man'
Related Charts
• Weekend Box Office Results
• 2010 Grosses
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