Inception-Fondlebomb

UPDATE: The final numbers are in, showing Inception at $62.8 million, up slightly from the estimate of $60.4

Inception opened over the weekend, and while that was the movie event of the summer for dorks like you and me who can use the internet and visit Wal Mart without aid of a Rascal scooter, there was some question as to whether such an expensive “art” movie would play to the real America.  It was kind of an important issue, because regardless of whether you liked it or not, Inception failing to earn out could jeopardize the chances of a studio ever giving a director the creative freedom to make an expensive, non-comic book, non-sequel, non-franchise, non-board game, non-remake, non-Will Smith’s-son film like this ever again — even to a big swinging wiener like Chris Nolan.

Luckily, like free-PBR night at the local dive, The Heartland and The Fartland seem to be in agreement on this one.  Predictions for Inception‘s first weekend had been anywhere from $40 million to $60 million, and in a rare, restoring-our-faith-in-humanity move, early estimates put it at $60.4 million.  These are just estimated numbers, and based on anecdotal evidence of all the people I know who saw it on Sunday, I imagine the actual numbers will be up slightly from this when they come in.

Oh hey, more good news: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice tanked at number three, earning $17 million for number three, behind Despicable Me.  This is the second flop in a row for Jerry Bruckheimer, whose Prince of Persia topped out at $89 million domestically (though it did well overseas).  Apparently people weren’t charmed by “I am the sorcerer… and you are my apprentice hurrr durrr hurrrr hadouken party” premise.  I hear that to ease the pain, Jay Baruchel went to  Schmuckheimer’s house and played him a sad, sad song on his nose-kazoo.

Film Weekend Per Total
1 Inception $60,400,000 $15,928 $60,400,000
2 Despicable Me $32,734,000 (-42.0%) $9,350 $118,365,000
3 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice $17,373,000 $4,958 $24,461,000
4 The Twilight Saga: Eclipse $13,500,000 (-57.4%) $3,374 $264,900,000
5 Toy Story 3 $11,742,000 (-44.1%) $3,696 $362,709,000
6 Grown Ups $10,000,000 (-36.7%) $3,253 $129,254,000
7 The Last Airbender $7,450,000 (-55.2%) $2,656 $114,833,000
8 Predators $6,800,000 (-72.5%) $2,548 $40,084,000
9 Knight & Day $3,700,000 (-52.1%) $1,922 $69,209,000
10 The Karate Kid $2,200,000 (-59.0%) $1,436 $169,202,000

[via CHUD]

It’s a little sad to see Predators fall so far.  I liked it in a good-but-who-cares kind of way.  But the reported budget was only $40 million, so it’s still a moderate success, like graduating from Community College.