End of Year Box Office Saviors

Written by: Samuel K. Sloan (FarPoint Media Executive News Director)

Two films opening this weekend have proven to be the salvation for film box office in 2007. In what was starting to be a truly dismal final quarter for this year, with the one rare exception being Disney’s surprise hit “Enchanted,” it was looking like the movie entertainment industry would close out the year with a whimper instead of a bang. That, however, will not be the case.

One SF film and a trio of 50 year old chipmunks have saved the day for Hollywood. Will Smith’s ominous tale, “I Am Legend” has opened the start of the final two holiday weekends with an estimated rousing $76.5 million, making it one of the biggest openers so far in the last four years, even beating out the record once held by Peter Jackson’s gargantuan hit “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King,” which opened at nearly $73 million back in 2003.

The other surprise hit of the weekend was the combination CGI/live action movie “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” starring “My Name Is Earl” actor Jason Lee. It is estimated to bring in about $45 million before the close of box office later this evening. Combined with “Legend” that will be a nice and tidy domestic box office sum of nearly $122 million in just 3 days between these two flicks, more than most of the major openers have been able to score (combined) over the last two months.

Rounding out the top five films for this weekend are “The Golden Compass,” slipping to #3, “Enchanted,” still going strong at #4 and “No Country For Old Men” moves to the fifth spot.

We will have the full Top Ten grossers for you in a couple of days.