Update: Article updated with final box office data.
Andrew Stanton’s John Carter debuted in a disappointing second place this weekend with $30.180M from 3,749 theaters. For any other original project, that figure would actually be pretty respectable. The problem, however, is that this particular film cost Disney $250M. The weak opening left enough room for Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax to stay on top for its second weekend, dipping just 45% to $38.846M ($121.725M total) from 3,746 theaters.
Although domestically John Carter under-performed that was not the case in foreign markets where the film grossed a strong $70.6M bringing its worldwide opening weekend figure over $100M at an estimated $100.8M.
There were two other new wide-releasing films opening this weekend: Silent House (#5 – $6.661M / 2,124 theaters) and A Thousand Words (#6 – $6.176M / 1,890 theaters). Roadside Attractions’ Friends with Kids opened at 13th place in limited release (369 theaters) with $2.017M ($5,467 per theater average).
Project X (#3 – $11.142M / $39.717M total); Act of Valor (#4 – $6.992M / $56.092M total); Safe House (#7 – $4.802M / $115.605M total); The Vow (#8 – $3.842M / $117.456M total); This Means War (#9 – $3.756M / $46.895M total) and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (#10 – $3.611M / $90.642M total) rounded out the top 10.
Source: Box Office Mojo
