Seven-Day Summary: Ogre Stomps on 'City' Girls, Persian 'Prince'
While Shrek Forever After may have underwhelmed in its first week, it showed some resilience in its second week, handily out-grossing newcomers Sex and the City 2 and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Thanks to boosted grosses from the four-day Memorial Day weekend, Iron Man 2 and Robin Hood had their best holds yet, while Letters to Juliet continued to serve as decent summer counter-programming. Overall business was down ten percent from the same timeframe last year, when Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian led the way with $79.8 million.
Shrek Forever After eased 24 percent week-to-week, grossing $68 million for a 14-day total of $157.7 million. While that was 31 percent behind Shrek the Third through the same point, Shrek the Third had a much steeper 48 percent second week decline. If Shrek 4 follows Shrek 3's trajectory from here on out, it will finish with at least $240 million. While that would be a far cry from Shrek 3's $322.7 million, it would also be far from the disappointment that the movie's first week suggested.
While things were looking up for Shrek, they were looking down for the ladies of Sex and the City 2. The sequel finished the week with $46.6 million, or 40 percent below Sex and the City's $78 million. The sequel, though, burned off some of its audience with last week's Thursday opening. An apples-to-apples comparison of the movies' first seven days is slightly more favorable to Sex and the City 2 as it was down a more respectable 26 percent from its predecessor. However, that includes four-day holiday grosses, which Sex and the City did not have. No matter which way one slices it, Sex and the City 2 has been comparatively disappointing, and it would take Shrek-like endurance for it to save face.
Despite finishing ahead of Sex and the City 2 for the four-day weekend, Prince of Persia fell behind during the Tuesday to Thursday period, ending the week with $45.6 million. This represented the third-highest grossing seven-day start for a video game adaptation, after Lara Croft: Tomb Raider ($64 million) and Pokemon: The First Movie ($53.1 million), though it would rank fourth behind Mortal Kombat in estimated attendance. However, this was less impressive for a movie that was positioned as a new Pirates of the Caribbean-type adventure.
Iron Man 2 was down 27 percent to $24.9 million in its fourth week, bringing its total to $283.5 million. That was less than Iron Man's $30.5 million fourth week, and Iron Man 2 is now only leading its predecessor by $21 million through the same point. With a worldwide (domestic plus foreign) total of $569.8 million, though, Iron Man 2 is poised to pass Iron Man's $585.2 million sometime next week.
Robin Hood dipped 35 percent in its third week, grossing $16.4 million for an $89.1 million 21-day tally. Worldwide, the Russell Crowe-Ridley Scott epic has made over $252 million. Also in its third week, Letters to Juliet had the best hold out of all nationwide releases, down 23 percent to $9.6 million for a $40.3 million total.
Related Story
• Weekend Report: 'Sex,' 'Prince' Deserted as 'Shrek' Leads Weak Memorial Weekend
Last Week
• Seven-Day Summary: 'Shrek' Pales Next to Last 'Shrek'
Related Charts
• Weekly Box Office, May 28-June 3
• Daily Grosses
Shrek Forever After eased 24 percent week-to-week, grossing $68 million for a 14-day total of $157.7 million. While that was 31 percent behind Shrek the Third through the same point, Shrek the Third had a much steeper 48 percent second week decline. If Shrek 4 follows Shrek 3's trajectory from here on out, it will finish with at least $240 million. While that would be a far cry from Shrek 3's $322.7 million, it would also be far from the disappointment that the movie's first week suggested.
While things were looking up for Shrek, they were looking down for the ladies of Sex and the City 2. The sequel finished the week with $46.6 million, or 40 percent below Sex and the City's $78 million. The sequel, though, burned off some of its audience with last week's Thursday opening. An apples-to-apples comparison of the movies' first seven days is slightly more favorable to Sex and the City 2 as it was down a more respectable 26 percent from its predecessor. However, that includes four-day holiday grosses, which Sex and the City did not have. No matter which way one slices it, Sex and the City 2 has been comparatively disappointing, and it would take Shrek-like endurance for it to save face.
Despite finishing ahead of Sex and the City 2 for the four-day weekend, Prince of Persia fell behind during the Tuesday to Thursday period, ending the week with $45.6 million. This represented the third-highest grossing seven-day start for a video game adaptation, after Lara Croft: Tomb Raider ($64 million) and Pokemon: The First Movie ($53.1 million), though it would rank fourth behind Mortal Kombat in estimated attendance. However, this was less impressive for a movie that was positioned as a new Pirates of the Caribbean-type adventure.
Iron Man 2 was down 27 percent to $24.9 million in its fourth week, bringing its total to $283.5 million. That was less than Iron Man's $30.5 million fourth week, and Iron Man 2 is now only leading its predecessor by $21 million through the same point. With a worldwide (domestic plus foreign) total of $569.8 million, though, Iron Man 2 is poised to pass Iron Man's $585.2 million sometime next week.
Robin Hood dipped 35 percent in its third week, grossing $16.4 million for an $89.1 million 21-day tally. Worldwide, the Russell Crowe-Ridley Scott epic has made over $252 million. Also in its third week, Letters to Juliet had the best hold out of all nationwide releases, down 23 percent to $9.6 million for a $40.3 million total.
Related Story
• Weekend Report: 'Sex,' 'Prince' Deserted as 'Shrek' Leads Weak Memorial Weekend
Last Week
• Seven-Day Summary: 'Shrek' Pales Next to Last 'Shrek'
Related Charts
• Weekly Box Office, May 28-June 3
• Daily Grosses
