Weekend Estimates: Oz, Call and Breakers Have Magic, Burt Blunders

March 17, 2013

There are definite signs of life at the box office this weekend, thanks to continued good numbers for Oz the Great and Powerful, an above-expected debut for The Call and a gigantic performance in limited release for Spring Breakers. Those three bright spots do something to compensate for a horrible $10 million opening for The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, which might have fared better with a Summer release, but still casts some doubt on the star power of Steve Carell and Jim Carrey.

Oz remains comfortably on top this weekend with a projected $42.2 million, down a creditable 47% from last weekend. The Call opens with about $17.1 million from 2,507 theaters for an impressive average of $6,800, and in retrospect it's a surprise Halle Berry hasn't starred in more thrillers. Her agent will have a lot of voicemails on Monday morning, no doubt.

Meanwhile, in limited release, Spring Breakers is 2013's best debutant so far with a stellar average of $90,000 in three theaters for a $270,000 weekend. The film widens next weekend, sensibly coinciding with Spring Break, and while huge box office numbers in wide release remains a wildcard, cult status is already assured.

A24 is having a particularly good weekend, with Ginger & Rosa joining Spring Breakers in the $10,000 club with a projected $45,000 in three venues. The weekend's other confirmed $10,000 films so far are Oz the Great and Powerful, which will just top the $10,000 average, and Somebody Up There Likes Me, which is set for $12,240 in a single LA theater. It moves to San Francisco next weekend.

- Weekend Estimates

Bruce Nash

Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Oz the Great and Powerful, Spring Breakers, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Ginger & Rosa, The Call, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Halle Berry, Jim Carrey, Steve Carell