Robert Zemeckis' performance captured BEOWULF opened at number one with $27.5M for Paramount Pictures during the weekend ended Nov. 18, 2007. However, bolstered by animation and vfx from Sony Pictures Imageworks, it wasn't surprising that the 3-D gross accounted for nearly half the business. The Real D digital 3-D engagement brought in $8M in 638 locations, while IMAX 3-D delivered $3.58M on 84 domestic IMAX screens for a company percentage record. BEOWULF also performed well internationally, grossing an estimated $660,000 from 13 IMAX screens. Another 21 international IMAX engagements will open next week, followed by seven more in the coming weeks.
Slipping back to second place was the animated BEE MOVIE from DreamWorks Animation and Paramount, collecting $14M for a cume of $93.5M. Following in third was Universal's AMERICAN GANGSTER (with vfx by Gray Matter FX and Invisible Effects), which pulled in $12.8M for a total of $100.6M. Settling for fourth was Warner Bros.' FRED CLAUS (with vfx from MPC, Cinesite, Peerless Camera, Rainmaker UK, among others), which hauled in $11.9M for a tally of $35.7M. Fifth place belonged to newcomer MR.MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM, which graced Fox with $9.6M (featuring vfx from FX Cartel, Frantic Films, Intelligent Creatures, MOKKO, Dr. Picture, among others). Falling to sixth was Buena Vista's DAN IN REAL LIFE, which offered up $4.3M for a cume of $36.9M. Miramax's NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (with vfx from Luma Pictures) shot up to seventh with $3M for a total of $4.9M. UA's LIONS FOR LAMBS settled for eighth with $2.8M for a cume of $11.5M. Coming in ninth was SAW IV, which carved up $2.2M and a total of $61.7M for Lionsgate (with vfx from Switch VFX). The 10th place finisher was New Line's LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA, which debuted with $1.9M.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros.' BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT (from Sony Pictures Imageworks, Illusion Arts, Lola Visual Effects and The Orphanage) added another $55, 864 to its total of $721,534. And Buena Vista's reissue of TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN DISNEY DIGITAL 3-D (with technical assistance from ILM) added another $55,506 for a total of $14.4M. And Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
