Thanks to a second week underperformance from “Monsters University” and its own overperformance, “The Heat” came within striking distance of claiming box office victory.
It ultimately lost out to “Monsters” by a margin of $46.2 million to $40 million, but in light of pre-weekend forecasts, the race was far closer than it had any business being.
Going into the weekend, most figured “Monsters,” coming off a debut weekend in excess of $80 million, would earn at least $50 million this weekend. Melissa McCarthy/Sandra Bullock starrer “The Heat,” meanwhile, was only looking at a debut in the low-$30 millions.
But while “The Heat” managed to shatter those pre-release expectations, “White House Down” was not so lucky. Audiences evidently did not see why the Channing Tatum/Jamie Foxx vehicle was superior to very similar spring release “Olympus Has Fallen,” and the result was a box office debut that actually trailed that of the Gerard Butler film. “Down” earned $25.7 million at the weekend box office, which was only good for fourth place (behind “World War Z” and its $29.8 million).
“Man of Steel” claimed fifth on $20.8 million.