Baby Mama Tickles Box Office Rally

Fey-Carell vehicle wins down-to-the-wire weekend battle

(NEWSER) - Steve Carell and Tina Fey held off a challenge from a horde of 3D Greek gods as Date Night recorded a narrow preliminary victory over Clash of the Titans at the weekend box office, Variety reports. The mistaken-identity caper raked in $27.1 million to $26.9 million for the action fantasy flick. In third place, the animated How to Train Your Dragon ($25.4 million) turned in another solid performance. More»

Box office performance for latest flick a mystery

(NEWSER) - Though it’s called Funny People, Adam Sandler’s latest film is a bit more serious than his fans are used to—and its opening-weekend performance is a mystery, Variety reports. Forecasts range from just over $20 million to more like $35 million, Audiences loved director Judd Apatow’s prior efforts—which were more upbeat than the R-rated, 2½-hour Funny People. More»

(NEWSER) - Audiences fell for The Proposal this weekend, sending Sandra Bullock's comedy down the aisle with $34.1 million, USA Today reports. Banking $12 million more than pundits predicted, the romcom claimed yet another box office win for summer comedies. The Hangover hung onto second with $26.9 million, Up finished third with $21.3 million, and Jack Black’s Year One debuted at $20.2 million. More»

(NEWSER) - Foreign audiences are totally into Marley and Me, the Owen Wilson/Jennifer Aniston vehicle, which topped the international box office last weekend with $14.2 million, Variety reports. Marley’s success—it’s beating Watchmen, among others—runs counter to traditional wisdom about foreign taste for US yuks leaning more to boorish guy movies. Strong showings for Confessions of a Shopaholic and Bride Wars seem to confirm the trend. More»

Kingdom takes first, but audiences fall for Sarah Marshall

(NEWSER) - Jackie Chan and Jet Li KO’d the competition at this weekend's box office, Entertainment Weekly reports. The Forbidden Kingdom finished first with $20.9 million, kicking raunchy romantic comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall to second with $17.3 million. Other debuts stirred up little action: The Al Pacino thriller 88 Minutes ranked fourth with $6.8 million, and Ben Stein’s Expelled took ninth, banking $3.2 million. More»