‘Knowing’ Smashes Box Office-Results 3/20-22/09

A "bromance" and two spies couldn't beat a world on the brink of apocalyptic doom. Despite bad reviews, Nicolas Cage's latest sci-fi/thriller Knowing debuted at #1 this weekend with $24.8 million, according to studio estimates from BoxOfficeMojo.com Sunday. The Alex Proyas fantasy about an M.I.T teacher who comes across a slip of paper that reveals disasters that have/haven't occurred in the past half century, opened with about $4 million more than expected from Summit Entertainment. A lot was doubted from this film-only about a quarter of the nation's critics recommended it, according to site RottenTomatoes.com.

I Love You, Man, despite good reviews, debuted at #2 on the box office, with a fair $18 million. The comedy, which stars dynamic duo Paul Rudd and Jason Segel, was given an average of 4/5 stars from critics. Landing smack-dab between the stars' last year comedies, Role Models and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which opening weekends' grossed $19.2 and $17.7 million. Two spies who try to con their boss, Duplicity, opened at #3, with an expected $14.4 million. The results answered the question that was on everybody's mind-can Julia Roberts still open a movie? Apparently not.

The previous weekend topper, Race to Witch Mountain, dropped 3 spots to #4, with a subtle $13 million. The Disney hit is doing quite well so far, nationally rounding up an estimated $45 million. Still lower than Dwayne Johnson's 2007 kid-friendly flick, The Game Plan, which grossed an estimated $90.7 million in its run at the box office.

The graphic novel antihero epic Watchmen continues to see its audience fade away; this weekend dropping 62% to $6.7 million from $17.8 million. The Last House on the Left, the latest Hollywood horror remake, also perished at the box office this past weekend, dropping 58% to $5.9 million. Obviously released due to the success of the Friday the 13^th
remake last month, not doing as well as planned. The Sean S. Cunningham "Jason" horror remake has now grossed $64.7 million nationwide, Last House only grossing $23.9.

Estimated results from March 20-22 according to BoxOfficeMojo.com-