The male-heavy August box office battle crowned a new champion this weekend, as Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” grossed a strong $37.6 million.
Already hyping a prequel and sequel, Harvey Weinstein of The Weinstein Company, a 50-50 partner on the film with Universal, told Variety that the film proves he and brother Bob have reclaimed their success in “taking an indie film and marketing it to a mainstream audience.” The $37.6 million domestic bow, part of a more than $65 million worldwide premiere, marks a personal best for director Quentin Tarantino.
“District 9,” last week’s dominant winner, landed in second with $18.9 million. Though its 49% dip is high for a film so critically acclaimed, the fact that it lost less than fifty percent of its gross against similarly-targeted new entry “Basterds” was viewed as promising by Sony. “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” added $12.5 million in its third week.
“The Time Traveler’s Wife” and “Julie & Julia” followed, rounding out the top five with $10 million and $9 million, respectively.
Of the new releases, “Basterds” was the only film to make a mark. “Shorts” grossed a mere $6.6 million, while “Post Grad” was good for just $2.8 million. “X-Games 3D: The Movie” earned $800,000.
Weekend Top Ten:
1) Inglourious Basterds – $37.6 million
2) District 9 – $18.9 million ($73.5 million)
3) GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra – $12.5 million ($120.5 million)
4) The Time Traveler’s Wife – $10 million ($37.4 million)
5) Julie & Julia – $9 million ($59.3 million)
6) Shorts – $6.6 million
7) G-Force – $4.2 million ($107.3 million)
8) Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince – $3.5 million ($290.3 million)
9) The Ugly Truth – $2.9 million ($82.9 million)
10) Post Grad – $2.8 million