July 24, 2006
Movie Goers dump Super Ex-Girlfriend
Weekend box office report

Usually the summer brings a new No. 1 film each week. But for the first time in four years, one film, Pirates 2, has remained on top for three straight weeks. With another $35 million it's domestic total now stands over $320MM. At this pace I will have to revise my prediction of $350MM and go for $420MM, which would put it higher than Spider-Man but under Phantom Menace's take. There are no major releases on the horizon and those that have come out have been shipwrecked by Pirate love. Including the animated Monster House, no doubt competing for the same audience as Pirates, M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water (Disney is cheering) and My Super Ex-Girlfriend.

The latter starring Uma Thurman crash landed at No. 7, which is a major disappointment. I thought it's TV spots were better than the ones for Superman Returns and that it would score as a date flick. But apparently neither Uma nor Luke Wilson are box office draws. Luke's brother Owen is doing better with You, Me and Dupree (No. 3 last week, No. 4 this week). It's odd because as Luke is the better looking Wilson brother, you would expect his career to be stronger. That he would be a leading man. But character seems to count, as his larger nosed and more popular brother Owen can attest. Even Rainn Wilson (The Office's Dwight, who is really not related to them but just has the same last name) is more popular than poor Luke.

Last week: Yo Ho Ho and millions of bottles of rum