Cop comedy Ride Along broke several box office records over the Martin Luther King holiday weekend with its January-high $41.6 million opening. In Ride Along, a security guard (Kevin Hart) joins his potential brother-in-law (Ice Cube) on a 24-hour patrol in order to marry Cube’s sister.
Afghan war drama, Lone Survivor relinquished the top spot for a second place position. The Mark Wahlberg film pulled in an estimated $22.1 million over the Friday-Sunday frame. Now up to nearly $73 million, Lone Survivor is set to score Wahlberg yet another $100 million run in the coming weeks.
Newcomers The Nut Job and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit debuted in the third and fourth spots. The animated heist film starring Liam Neeson and Will Arnett opened to little over $19 million. The latest Jack Ryan installment opened to a franchise-low $15.6 million. Golden Globe winner Frozen rounded out the Top 5 with another $11.9 million.
Note: These #’s are based on Sunday’s projections and can change with Monday’s actual #’s.
#1 – Ride Along (NR)
$41.6 million / $41.6 million total
Negative reviews across the board didn’t stop Ride Along from claiming to the top spot this weekend. The Ice Cube, Kevin Hart cop comedy set several records over the weekend including largest January opener. Ride Along is the second January opener to take a stab at $40 million – the other being Cloverfield ($40.1 million). Both Ice Cube and Kevin Hart could be looking at career-highs. Minimal competition over the next two weeks will strengthen the film’s legs.
#2 – Lone Survivor (1)
$22.1 million / $72.9 million total
Mark Wahlberg has found his latest hit in Lone Survivor. If last weekend was any proof, audiences love a solid war film to kick off the year. Lone Survivor ended up debuting higher than Black Hawk Down and Zero Dark Thirty with $37.8 million. The film hasn’t slowed down at all – a respectable 42% drop totaling up to a $73 million cume. Lone Survivor will become one of the final films (or final film) of 2013 to cross $100 million.
#3 – The Nut Job (NR)
$19.4 million / $19.4 million total
The Nut Job finds itself in a tough spot. $19.4 million is a solid debut for Open Road Films – the studio’s second highest opening behind The Grey ($19.7 million). However, this squirrel heist failed to steal a good portion of Frozen’s audience. But The Nut Job will have to work quick to make its money with The Lego Movie due out next month. Two decent holdovers could push The Nut Job to a $60 million finish.
#4 – Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (NR)
$15.6 million / $15.6 million total
After a decade-long hiatus, Jack Ryan is not back. Shadow Recruit pulled in the lowest opener for a Jack Ryan film with $15.6 million. Tom Clancy adaptation The Hunt for Red October starring Sean Connery opened to $17.2 million in 1990. Adjusted for 2014 inflation, the film would debut to twice that opening. This franchise low doesn’t bode well for Chris Pine, who has achieved box office success with Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness. Will it be another decade before we see Jack Ryan on the big screen again?
#5 – Frozen (2)
$11.9 million / $332.5 million total
What will it take to knock Frozen out of the Top 5? Well, certainly not four new releases this weekend. The Golden Globe winner for Best Animated Feature pulled in the best 8th weekend (wide release) since 2009’s Avatar ($22.9 million). That’s also marks Frozen as the fourth highest 8th weekend haul behind Titanic, Avatar and Home Alone. Frozen faces no competition over the next two weeks until The Lego Movie on Feb. 7. Expect the $350 million milestone to be broken in little over a week’s time.
Opening Next Week: I, Frankenstein
Source: Box Office Mojo
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Matt Marshall is a YouTube movie reviewer who hosts MNMreviews. He has a B.A. in Communications/Journalism from St. John Fisher College and resides in Rochester, NY.
