The African-American themed comedy Think Like a Man grossed an impressive $18 million in its second weekend to stay at No. 1, while Jason Segel-Emily Blunt comedy The Five-Year Engagement came in No. 5 with a disappointing $11.2 million debut.
From Sony's Screen Gems, Think Like a Man
has earned $60.9 million in its first 10 days of play, making it one of
the most successful African-American movies of recent times and already
pacing ahead of the lifetime gross of most Tyler Perry films.
Otherwise, the domestic box office was decidedly muted, with revenue down a steep 30 percent from a year ago, when Universal's Fast Five opened to $86.1 million.
After Think Like a Man, the race was close between Sony's animated 3D pic The Pirates! Band of Misfits ($11.4 million), The Lucky One ($11.3 million), The Hunger Games ($11.25 million) and Five-Year Engagement.
The biggest box office headline was overseas, where Disney and Marvel Studios' The Avengers rolled out in 39 markets, grossing a massive $178.4 million.
Heading into the weekend, Five-Year Engagement was expected to come closest to beating Think Like a Man in North America. The pic reunites many of the principals from 2008’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall,
which opened to $17.7 million, including Segel. This time around, he
teams up with Blunt as they play a couple enduring a long-term
engagement.
Universal says its financial exposure on the R-rated
comedy is limited, between a modest $30 million production spend and
co-financing arrangement with Relativity Media.
Five-Year Engagement,
which received a B- CinemaScore, skewed noticeably older, with 57
percent of the audience over the age of 30. Females made up 64 percent.
"Although it opened slightly lower than expected, the movie will
make up ground in ancillary markets," Universal president of
distribution Nikki Rocco said.
Sony and Aardman Animations' The Pirates cost
in the mid-$50 million range to produce, and has already earned $63.7
million internationally for a worldwide total of $75.1 million through
Sunday.
"Pirates opened right in our sweet spot domestically," Sony president of distribution Rory Bruer said.
The weekend's other new offerings -- Safe and The Raven -- came in No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, both doing modest business.
Safe, directed by Boaz Yakin and starring Jason Statham, debuted to $7.7 million after receiving a B+ CInemaScore. Safe, distributed by Lionsgate, was fully financed and produced by IM Global.
Story safe:Film review
The Raven, opening to $7.3 million, was directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta) and stars John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe. FilmNation and Intrepid Pictures co-financed and co-produced the film, with Relativity distributing.
For full weekend results, see below.
Domestic box office, April 27-April 29
Title/Weeks in release/Theater count, Studio/Three-day weekend total/Cume
1. Think Like a Man, 2/2,015, Sony, $18 million, $60.9 million.
2. The Pirates! Band of Misfits, 1/3,358, Sony/Aardman, $11.4 million.
3. The Lucky One, 2/3,175, Warner Bros., $11.3 million, $40 million.
4. The Hunger Games, 6/3,572, Lionsgate, $11.25 million, $372.5 million.
5. The Five-Year Engagement, 1/2,936, $11.15.
6. Safe, 1/2,266, Lionsgate/IM Global, $7.7 million.
7. The Raven, 1/2,203, Relativity/Intrepid, $7.3 million.
8. Chimpanzee, 2/1,567, Disney, $5.5 million, $19.2 million.
9. The Three Stooges, 3/3,105, $5.4 million, $37.1 million.
10. The Cabin in the Woods, 3/2,639, Lionsgate/MGM, $4.5 million, $34.7 million.