Editorials > Big Money for Both "Wall-E" and "Wanted"

"Wall-E," Pixar's ninth film in an impressive streak, won the box office this weekend with an estimated $62.5 million from 3,992 screens. But their margin of victory was considerably slighter than most would have predicted, as Timur Bekmambetov's "Wanted," the action-thriller starring Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy, came in second with a very strong $51.1 million.

Reviews for both films were generally good with "Wall-E" earning some of the most rave reviews of the year, all but confirming it as an Oscar candidate next February.

"Get Smart" dropped down into third place with $20 million, placing some distance between it and "Kung Fu Panda" at $11.6 million, and "The Incredible Hulk" made fifth place with $9.23 million in its third week on the market. People must have heard about "The Love Guru's" bad reputation among Hindus, Catholics, and other people of "good taste" because it declined 61% to $5.44 million.

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is still hanging in there, earning $5.03 million this weekend, pushing its total domestic gross over the $300 million mark. "The Happening" came in eighth place with $3.85 million, "Sex and the City" made $3.77 million, and "You Don't Mess with the Zohan" placed in the top ten probably for the last time with $3.2 million.

How do our estimates match up? Well, I was closest about "Wall-E," cypher131 was closest to "Wanted," thisfuckinguy was almost right on the money with "Get Smart" (only off by $300,000), cypher131 was closest with "Hulk," and thisfuckinguy pulled off another near-bullseye with "Kung Fu Panda" (this time only off by $200,000). Though the score reads 1-2-2, I think TFG has to be the winner with estimates that close. And when the official numbers come in tomorrow he might be exactly right. Nice work again, TFG.

(The Hollywood Reporter) 

-DM