Tyler Perry demonstrating the subtlety of his plots
The new wide releases this weekend were Alex Cross and Paranormal Activity 4. Predicably, Paranormal Activity made $30 million, sextupling its $5 million budget, while BoxOfficeMojo says “though its comparatively underwhelming gross suggests audiences are growing tired of the perennial horror franchise.” Yep, it’s underwhelming audiences all the way to the bank, just like it was designed to.
Meanwhile, Tyler Perry hoped he could expand his output from hokey melodrama to hokey thriller, playing Alex Cross in a film called Alex Cross with a tagline “don’t ever cross Alex Cross.” It’s not quite a lawyer named deeds learning the value of good deeds in a film called Good Deeds, but it’s close. Sadly, it didn’t work. Alex Cross ever had the worst-ever opening ($11.75 million) for a Tyler Perry starrer and the worst opening for a movie featuring the Alex Cross character (previously: Kiss the Girls, Along Came a Spider). I guess the world just wasn’t ready for a film about a homicidal serial killer who targets the wife of the detective sent to catch him. Sometimes you’re just ahead of your time, you know? Maybe the world will catch up in time for the sequel.
OTHER NOTES: Argo fell only 15 percent from its opening weekend, “the best hold ever for a live-action movie in over 3,000 theaters that’s released outside of November and December (when holiday weekends skew results).” Maybe it can win an award for the most conditional record.
[via BoxOfficeMojo]
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More people should see Looper.
Paranormal Activity 4 looks crap-e, but there’s not a lot of other Terror movies out there. How else am I supposed to get an erection?
Alex Cross does qualify as horror.
The universe will settle back in it’s naturally shitty position when Perry pens a tell-all about the movie’s failure called “My ‘Cross’ to Bear”, which will sell more copies than The Great Gatsby.
Argo is leading the league in ninth inning doubles in the month of August.
Only in matinee games where the temperature is above 85.
Nice to see Looper doing relatively well compared to it’s budget. Hopefully this will allow for more above average sci-fi films without $250M special effects and no story…..
Michael Bay will never let this come to pass.
Alex Cross exists outside of this one movie? Huh.
Thank god “Hotel Transylvania” made $119M so far so it could recoup its budget of $85M+ for an animated movie. Friggin Sandler and his legal money laundering.
Was dragged to Paranormal 4…..It wasn’t good but it was easier to watch then the other 3.
However, I loathe seeing anything in a crowded theater, this one was fucking terrible because why do some girls scream 5 seconds AFTER the jump scene? Seriously, after everyone screams, then a few random ones start screaming. WTF?
What town do you live in? I need to know where there’s teenage girls that scream 5 seconds after they encounter me.
I want to know what the budget to Here comes the boom is. At least it took a 28% dip in sales
Good to see Paranormal movies slowing down at the box office. I sure it will be direct to video by 10 and they might stop making them at 15 or 16.
I love how the budget for Paranormal Activity says $5. I know it must mean $5 mil but i like to think it’s just $5.
Keep in mind the source material as well. James Patterson is the laziest of airport bookstore authors. I swear he’s got a sweatshop in Guatemala turning out the Alex Cross “thrillers”.
Yeah, I think it’s hilarious when people scream about it not being faithful to the source material. Dude, the source material is a Mcnovel they sell in the check out line at Walmart.
Is he one of those authors that show up on late night TV with commercials for their “latest” thriller with a plot twist you won’t believe?
Yes, Torgo, he is… he’s currently on TV with his HORRIBLY shitty commercial for NYPD: RED where he talks about the secret of the NYPD… the *sexy* secret. He should be smacked in the face with George Pelecanos novels until he’s too concussed to spell his own name.