Image Credit: Giles KeyteWith one more day to go, it appears The American will end up triumphant for the four-day Labor Day weekend. Early estimates have the George Clooney thriller pulling in just under $13 million for its Friday through Sunday gross, which translates to around $16.1 million total since its opening on Wednesday. By Monday, it should reach roughly $16 million for the four-day holiday, and $20 million total.
Last weekend’s top draw Takers, meanwhile, slipped into second place with an estimated $11.5 million, which will likely inch up close to $14 million for the holiday, putting the heist thriller near a $40 million total. Hot on its heels, though, is the weekend’s other solid debut, the exploitation revenge thriller Machete, which banked $11.3 million for the three-day weekend en route to a likely $14 million four-day total.
In fourth place, The Last Exorcism made roughly $7.5 million for the three-day holiday, and should close in on $9 million through Labor Day, which would put its total near $34 million. Going the Distance landed at a distant fifth place, opening to $6.8 million through Sunday; it won’t likely make more than $8.5 million for the four-day weekend.
Check back here tomorrow for the full Box Office Report, including my mea culpa for a truly awful attempt at predicting this weekend’s box office winners.
What a weak Labor Day weekend.
Agreed. Were any of those movies good anyway?
Machete was awesome!
Both Machete and The American won with critics, The American didn’t win with audiences though who gave it a D- which is even worse than audiences gave The Last Exorcism. As far as the weak weekend, Labor Day weekend is always weak.
so was going the distance best rom com i’ve seen all year
Clooney number 1? I don’t believe that Americans actually paid to see this movie. The only reason Clooney agreed to start in the film ‘The American’ is because of the title. Everyone knows he is not American because he doesn’t even help his own people in his country. He helps those outside the US while we are suffering. Help us Clooney, help us!
That was the dumbest comment I’ve seen all week. Be proud to be a dumb American! The fact is America is the richest country in the World buddy. That is why he is going around the World to help people. The fact you have something wrong with that, shows how racist you really are. The fact is that he donates money to organizations in America too, but your too stupid to even know that. Judging people from inside your mother’s basement just comes off childish. Peace!
The fact that you called somebody else a racist PROVES that you are a racist, you racially racist race-monger!!
I agree with you. He & his liberal buddies know how to raise money for foreigners but God forbid they help out of work Americans.
i hope your joking. people in haiti and Pakistan didnt just lose their jobs they lost their homes too. 20mil in Pakistan are now homeless… that is actually the entire population of australia… maybe that should put this into perspective for you
Clooney personally donated a million dollars to charities helping Katrina victims, and organized a celebrity telethon to raise even more money for people on the gulf coast. Ok, so you don’t like his politics, but he has helped out his fellow Americans.
You are a moron…maybe you heard about a little place called New Orleans? I’d like to know how you contributed, you clueless idiot….
MACHETE DON’T TEXT.
awesome
Since when is $11.3 million a solid debut? Sounds pretty bad to me.
For the type of movie Machete is, 11.3M is probably a good take; especially considering it’s based on a fake trailer from the Grindhouse movies, lol.
Plus Labor Day weekend is never a hot bed of box office activity, so 11.3 is solid.
I just came back from seeing Machete a couple of hours ago, and imo, it was good. But of course, I like those types of movies. I would agree with EW’s rating of a B.
since when can that guy act the star of machete hes a bad actor
It onl;y cost $18m to make
11.3 isn’t a solid opening. Considering the massive amount of hype this film received it has to be considered a disappointment.
“Massive” amount of hype? Certainly there was some hype, but a massive amount? I think not.
I saw the American…it was not a thriller, there was no action…it wasn’t horrible for what it was, but the marketing was very deceiving…
Agreed. The movie was marketed as an action film, but it’s more a throwback to 60′s arthouse. I’m sure this has pissed off a lot of people.
Bad 60s arthouse, IMO. Neither the story nor the characters (nor even the atmosphere and “feel” of the film) were interesting or engaging to me. I’m sure some people think it worked, but hey, judging the quality of movies is a subjective exercise.
We saw it yesterday and walked out saying almost the exact same thing. Good to know it wasn’t just us.
Movies need help
A name star doesn’t make a movie
Mao The Last Chinese Dancer was a
movie worth the time and money
The American is #1 and a flop at the same time
Not really, it has by far grossed $16 million dollars, not bad for a film with a $20 million budget.
I’m always amazed at the number of people who appear to do no research whatsoever before walking into a movie.
EVERY freakin review out there pointed out that this was a slow-paced art film and not an action movie. It was not hard to miss. lol
Then maybe the people who made and then marketed the movie should have been honest, as all the ads were made to look like an action movie. The same thing happened with that last Anniston movie. People said it was the main character was the man. Again, the movie was marketed as an Anniston rom-com type movie. Then after the fact, people blame the audience for not knowing what the movie is about. If there is confidence in the movie and the concept, it should be marketed based on truth, not to fool the audience. If there is a misunderstanding, blame the studio and the people responsible for the ads and marketing campaigns.
Lol, what kind of fairy tale world do you live in? Of COURSE the studios are going to say and do whatever they can to get you in there. That’s their job. That doesn’t mean we have to be complete suckers and fall for it.
Maybe in a world where honesty means something. Again, if a studio believes in what they make, then market it that way. So for you cheating and lying is the norm in business and it is OK. What kind of world do you live in?
No body said it was OK. It’s the way it is. The movie industry is a BUSINESS, it’s exists to make money. Studios will advertise their films in whatever manner they believe will attract the most people. You talk of honesty and integrity, but remember most films are still made (directly or indirectly) in Hollywood. Honesty and integrity? Have you ever BEEN there?
I try not to read too much about a movie before I go to see it. A lot of those reviews give the whole movie away.
Machete was awesomeeeee…lohan boobies and all.
It’s on par with “Birth of a Nation” which was very popular when it debuted.
Not surprised by this at all. Many of us have been saying for awhile movies are in trouble. Of course it’s a weak Labor Day weekend which Hollywood and EW will just ignore. The only reason I would consider seeing “The American” is because Owen gave it a bad review, which usually just means it’s more complicated than Twilight and went over his head.
You’re not as smart as you think you are. Nor have you apparently read many of Gleiberman’s reviews of complex, interesting films. I definitely don’t agree with him all the time but that’s because film criticism is all about OPINIONS. Some of which you’re bound to disagree with – doesn’t mean a critic’s whole body of work is invalid.
If anyone wants to celebrate Vampires Suck dropping out of the top 10, I will be in the kitchen making pies.
I’m there! Banana cream, please!
Sure thing! LOL.
I’ll drink to that. However, it probably stayed in the top 10 long enough for them to start another crapfest.
I agree. I personally would like to see a parody of former Oscar nominees/winners. That would be pretty cool! That is, unless the creators of Vampires Suck handled it…
Well Geese season starts in a few days. I will go buy some shotgun shells rather that see any of the current garbage that is now showing at the movies. Go Federal Black Cloud!!!
I am shocked that, even on weak weekend, that The American can top the box office. I thought it was too good, too foreign for U.S. audiences. It’s slow and thoughtful . . . poison for today’s ADD crowd.
Haven’t you heard? The studio pulled a fast one and marketed it as fast paced action flick.
So you’re shocked that there could be anyone else as thoughtful and discerning as you…?
I saw both Machete, and The American this weekend, and they are both great movies. I can not understand why people are still seeing Takers, since it seems like a piss poor retread of heat, with an almost entirely laughable cast. Oh well. As for those who say Clooney is not a box office draw, then why has his movie won the weekend.
Machete was awesome!The American was indeed a rather slow paced art house film,but I enjoyed it.
hehehe. Machete did horrible. Looks like their agenda just didn’t take…
I saw, “Machete”, and it was everything the trailer advertised. Awesome movie! No matter the box office take, it will STILL be profitable as, “The American” will also be. It was a very weak labor day weekend, indeed!
The fact that it was “everything the trailer advertised” is exactly what will stop people from checking out the movie. If they know what it’s about, most of the country is against the political premise behind it. Most people don’t like to pay good money to be annoyed. And profitable doesn’t mean successful, particularly when the only thing making it break even is that they shot it for nothing.
If you actually watch the movie, you will realize that its so silly that no one will take its “political agenda” seriously, which is exactly what everyone was planning for when they made he movie. Plus $11 million on a $18 million budget is not horrible.
However, Machete’s debut is a far cry from what previous August actioner, The Expendables, pulled in. So, it makes sense that Machete is considered a bit of a box office disappointment.
Wait…Machete didn’t have as big of an opening as a movie with every action star ever?? How did that happen?
So let me get this straight, Woot… you’re actually using the “it’s ok that their box office sucks because their cast also sucked” argument? I guess the key to branding these movies a success is to lower expectations to the point that they’re already met.
Justin Long is a douche and deserves to be shot. That is all. :]