G.I. JOE keeps GENERAL YANG from No. 1

8 Apr 2013

SINGAPORE - G.I. JOE: RETALIATION grossed an additional US$828,338 in its second weekend - enough to hold on to the top spot despite a hefty 64.9% drop. This is similar to CLASH OF THE TITANS (2010) - another March blockbuster that opened big above US$2m on 70+ screens but dropped a hefty 68% in its second weekend. If it follows the same trajectory as CLASH, a US$4-US$4.4m final tally seems more likely rather than the US$5m predicted last week. So far, RETALIATION has amassed US$3,688,782. The road ahead will be rocky when OBLIVION - the next big budget action film starring Tom Cruise opens this week.

Making a huge debut in the runner-up spot is SAVING GENERAL YANG - it grossed US$545,158 for an amazing US$19,470 average from 28 screens. It's the highest screen average this week and the biggest debut for a China/Hong Kong release so far this year.

Previously, JOURNEY TO THE WEST: CONQUERING THE DEMONS grossed US$509,337 in its opening weekend during the Lunar New Year period but it did so from 44 screens. JOURNEY finished its 5-week run with US$1,761,283 and SAVING GENERAL YANG looks likely to cross US$1m by the end of its run - a rare feat amongst China/Hong Kong releases. Last year, CZ12 was the only film to achieve this feat as it broke box office records in the process, while SHAOLIN and THE LOST BLADESMAN were the only ones to gross more than US$1m in 2011.

Other debuts this week include the horror sequel, THE LAST EXORCISM PART II (US$141,253 total/US$5,886 screen average), the edited M18 version of the Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper crime drama, THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (US$50,469/US$6,309) and the single print release IN THE HOUSE (US$5,636) from acclaimed French director François Ozon.

American comedy LAY THE FAVORITE by Stephen Frears starring Bruce Willis and Catherine Zeta-Jones is released on 2 screens but is unranked - probably grossing less than US$33,392.

Overall, the weekend box office grossed US$2,021,356 - a 43.2% drop from the previous weekend and a 22.14% drop from the same frame a year ago when WRATH OF THE TITANS ruled the no. 1 spot for a second weekend.

Source: Box Office Mojo