The Box Office Report
‘SMART’ MOVE: “Get Smart’s” $38.6 million opening changed the course of a couple of recent trends. First, it showed that Steve Carell can open a big summer movie after the disaster that was last year’s “Evan Almighty.” And second, it continued the winning streak of successful TV show adaptations on the heels of “Sex and the City” (and following a string of dreadful attempts before that).
THE UPSIDE: Overall box-office revenues were up for the fourth straight weekend over the same period in 2007. If this pace continues, this summer will eclipse last summer’s record, when revenues passed $4 billion for the first time.
BOMB SQUAD: It looks like a case of out of sight, out of mind for Mike Myers. “The Love Guru,” his first live-action film in four years, managed just $13.9 million and a fourth-place finish. Of course, mostly terrible reviews and a character with less broad appeal than Austin Powers didn’t help.
SWAMI SEZ: Missed it by that much.
Prediction: “Get Smart” easily tops “Love Guru,” winning the weekend with $38 million. Result: A prediction within a million bucks is considered a gimme putt.
Prediction: “Love Guru” earns a modest $20 million but is edged out by “The Incredible Hulk” for second place. Result: Well, “Hulk” took second, and “Guru” was beaten out by “Kung Fu Panda,” as well.
THINKING BIG: The name “Pixar” has become a synonym for “cash,” as every film it has released this decade has crossed the $200 million mark. The studio’s next film, “WALL-E,” is likely to continue that trend, and with it opening on more than 3,900 screens, the table is set for a huge opening. But how huge?
Prediction: $61.8 million is the average opening of the five Pixar movies this decade, so let’s go with that for “WALL-E.”
GUNS A BLAZIN’: If bloodlust is overriding your desire for cuteness this weekend, fear not. Hollywood hasn’t forgotten about you. “Wanted,” which features plenty of blood (and just enough lust via Angelina Jolie) debuts for the R-rated crowd.
Prediction: “Wanted” comes in at a solid No. 2 with $29 million.
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Stephen Becker: sbecker@dallasnews.com
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