411 Box Office Report: The American Takes #1

Posted by Jeremy Thomas on 09.05.2010

George Clooney's assassin pic tops Machete in a slow weekend...

George Clooney's The American opened at #1 at the box office this weekend, bringing in $12.9 million on a slow Labor Day weekend to bring its gross since Wednesday to $16.1 million. Opening in 2,823 theaters, the film had a first weekend per-theater average of $4,594. It had a budget of $20 million.

Takers dropped one spot to #2 in its second week, bringing in $11.5 million. The film now has $37.9 million total on a $32 million budget.

Opening in #3 was Robert Rodriguez's grindhouse-style movie Machete. The action film starring Danny Trejo opened in 2,670 theaters and had a three-day take of $11.3 million. That was good for a $4,232 per-screen average. The movie had a budget of $25 million.

The Last Exorcism fell two spots to #4, dropping 63% with a $7.6 million take. The movie has brought in $32.5 million on a $1.8 million budget.

The Drew Barrymore/Justin Long romantic comedy Going The Distance opened at #5, bringing in $6.9 in the three-day weekend in 3,030 for a $2,272 per-theater average. The film had a budget of $32 million.

The Expendables went to #6 in its fourth weekend, scoring a three-day total of $6.6 million. That puts the action film at a total gross of $92.2 million and a total worldwide gross of $182.2 million off a budget of $80 million.

The Other Guys dropped two spots at #7 in its fifth week, bringing in $5.4 million. The action-comedy has now brought in $106.9 million on a $100 million budget.

Eat Pray Love fell from #4 to #8 with $4.9 million in its fourth week. The film has a total gross now of $69.0 million on a budget of $60 million.

Inception stayed steady at #9 in its eighth week, bringing in $4.5 million to bring its total gross to $277.1 million and $664 million worldwide. The film had a budget of $150 million.

Emma Thompson's Nanny McPhee Returns went to #10 in its second weekend. The film grossed $3.6 million, giving it $22.4 million total domestically and $85.3 million worldwide. It had a budget of $35 million.

Labor Day is traditionally a weak weekend with strong Monday showings, so the four-day numbers could cause some shifting in the rankings.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (FOUR-DAY NUMBERS)
1. The American - $12.9 million ($16.1 million total)
2. Takers - $11.5 million ($37.9 million total)
2. Machete - $11.3 million ($11.3 million total)
4. The Last Exorcism - $7.6 million ($32.5 million total)
5. Going The Distance - $6.9 million ($6.9 million total)
6. The Expendables - $6.6 million ($92.2 million total)
7. The Other Guys - $5.4 million ($106.9 million total)
8. Eat Pray Love - $4.9 million ($69 million total)
9. Inception - $4.5 million ($277.1 million total)
10. Nanny McPhee Returns - $3.6 million ($22.4 million total)