Adam Sandler, one of the industry’s most dependable performers at the box office, just lost to an “Eenie Meenie” Bieber. Well, at least for one day. The 3-D concert pic Justin Bieber: Never Say Never topped the charts on Friday, grossing $12.4 million from 3,105 theaters, according to early estimates. That’s more than 2008′s Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour, which tallied $8.7 million its opening day. It’s also the largest opening day of 2011 so far. However, the real test for Never Say Never comes today and tomorrow — will it have enough steam to hold off Sandler and win the weekend? Or, in other words, just how front-loaded is the G-rated movie’s Friday figure? By comparison, Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus jumped 51 percent on Saturday, while Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience fell 5 percent. At the moment, Never Say Never is estimated to finish the weekend with about $29 million, and will fall just short of Sandler’s Just Go With It, which is on pace for $30 million. But should Never Say Never hold up better than expected today, that outcome could easily flip.
The romantic comedy Just Go With It, which stars Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, landed in second on Friday with $9.7 million. Assuming it finishes the weekend with $30 million, it’ll represent a middle-of-the-road debut for Sandler. It will fall short of hits like Grown Ups, Click, The Longest Yard, Anger Management, and Big Daddy, which all opened to more than $40 million, but it’ll beat some of Sandler’s less successful projects, like Funny People, Reign Over Me, Spanglish, and Little Nicky. For Aniston, however, Just Go With It will likely become her best debut since 2008′s Marley and Me.
In third was Disney’s Gnomeo & Juliet, which earned $6.1 million. The 3-D animated film, which fulfilled William Shakespeare’s dying wish to see one of his plays performed by lawn ornaments, is on pace for a $22 million opening weekend. The movie’s stellar result is proof that one should never underestimate a new family film after there has been a long drought of said films. Things didn’t turn out as rosy for The Eagle, though, which marched into fourth place with $2.8 million. The Roman Empire action film, starring Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell, will likely finish the weekend with a mere $8 million. And rounding out the top five was the college-thriller holdover The Roommate, which plummeted 60 percent for $2.6 million. Check back here on Sunday for the complete box office report.
1. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never — $12.4 mil
2. Just Go With It — $9.7 mil
3. Gnomeo & Juliet — $6.1 mil
4. The Eagle — $2.8 mil
5. The Roommate — $2.6 mil
Box office preview: Justin Bieber and Adam Sandler duel for pop-culture supremacy
I think Jennifer Aniston is an overrated actress who is so self-centred, it’s easy to figure out why Brad Pitt, John Mayer, Vince Vaughan, etc. have left her for greener pastures.
what a stupid comment
she is nice,beautiful and awesome
shut up
Marco, you are such an idiot – how do you know she’s nice – are you her personal friend? And actually, she’s not beautiful – she’s average and looks like she walked into a brick wall.
I am REALLY interested in seeing what you look like jethrine.
I just wet myself.
I’m a cross between Angelina, Charlize, Gisele and Megan Fox.
Did you wet yourself again, Marco?
Jethrine….
If ugliness were bricks, you would be the Great Wall Of China…
Go back to your life of ugly and leave Jen alone.
Don’t let all the rabid Jen fans getcha down, dude.
Melissa Leo is nice,beautiful and awesome
shut up
It’s the other way around! Looks like Jen is looking for THE ONE and Pitt, Mayer, and Vaughn were looking for a ride!!!
……Let the American public inflate Justin Bieber’s ego and reward him with a hit movie….Let’s all keep fueling the fire, folks!
I agree completely
Your name shows your ignorance, rendering your comment pointless.
Shut your mouth PJ. You filthy, old, socialist pig.
Jennifer Aniston should stop making movies!!!
She should put a paper bag over her head and crawl under a slimey rock.
Curious that you took the time to read the article and comment. This is America – if you don’t like an actor, just avoid their movies – dumsh**
Its so sad that Angelina feel the need to attack any post with Jennifer’s name on it just so they can better better about the fact most people sympathize with her.
*Feel better
I personally like Jennifer aniston! She was great in just go with it.
She was good and funny and the best part of the movie
The paragon of udnersatndnig these issues is right here!
Thank God Never Say Never replaced the roommate as the #1 movie in America!
Why? Crap replaced crap.
Let’s look at the ratings shall we:
Never Say Never has a 63% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Roommate-a whopping 6%
Just Go With It-18%
Gnomeo & Juliet-53%
Hmmm…
You never saw Justin’s movie so why do you make a comment and to Liz Lemon do you live you life base on Rotten Tomatoes?! That is pretty sad you can’t form your own opinion. Oh right you both are just jealous of his fame and fortune at 16 which you will never see or achieve in your life time. Even if his popularity ends tomorrow at least he lived it! What have you achieve in your pathetic lives so far?!!!
the only joke is Adam Sandler as a leading man…
GOP fears Bieber.
There’s nothing new out that I want to see. I’ve seen all of the Oscar movies that interested me. I won’t be going back to the movies until March when Battle: Los Angeles, The Adjustment Bureau, and Red Riding Hood get released.
I can’t even a imagine what a sold out show to the Bieber movie would be like. Probably a bunch of obnoxious tween girls screaming their lungs out to the point where you can’t even hear the movie itself.
Now you know what Twilight premieres are like.
So true. I attended a Twilight premiere and lived to see the day…
It’s a shame that we have to rely on Justin Bieber, Adam Sandler, a crappy animated film, and Channing Tatum to bring life to the box office.
Saw Just Go With it on Fri. and really enjoyed it. Anisten and Sandler had goo chemistry,and the move was funny.
You probably like Two and Half Men, too.
No, Just Go With It sucked.
I like Two and a Half Men – those guys have more talent in their middle finger than Jen and Adam on their best days. Adam was over with SNL in the 70′s. Now he’s just fat, unattractive and overpaid.
Hehe they had goo chemistry. Sounds sticky and gross.
I thought after the disappointing result of the Jonas Brothers concert there would be now way Justin Beiber’s concert film would do well. So far he proved me wrong.
What a surprise that Channing Tatum’s film totally flopped – NOT.
When will Hollywood “get it” that Tatum peaked a long, long time ago. No one is interested anymore.
The problem is this isn’t the kind of movie his target audience would go see. Personally, I like him, but The Eagle isnt the kind of film I would go see, regardless of the name on the marquee
Well maadcmiaa nuts, how about that.
Good for Justin! Haterz keep on hating but Justin Wont Stop BELIEBER ROCK! Yay Justin!! <33
Didn’t people say the same thing about the Jonas Brothers? Where are they now?
touring around the crappiest places in Latin America… where teeny boppers go to die
Haters said same about Britney Spears and Justin Tinerlake, and at 30 y/o are still around.
Tinerlake? They’re still around thanks to losers like you.
Why is it that Bieber fans can’t complete a sentence without multiple spelling errors?
I would to see Bio movie in Van Halen.L7.I like to see thoses movies.
Huh?? Lol
I just saw never say never yesterday and i can now say i have more respect for justin bieber not only does he have talent but he has determination to everything he has he has worked for this was not given to him he worked hard for it from using his stairs as drums to selling out MSG To hopefully winning the grammys tomarrow and making history hes going to be around for along time i cant wait to see what this kid can do next
Did you really think that Never Say Never would show Bieber in a bad way? It’s Bieber propaganda.
I am happy to be a hater. Justin sucks!
I so agree with you! Hater right here.
I’m not a hater wats wrong with u r u jealous because jb is famous while u live in a dumpster. A hobo would dump u for a ugly rock
did u know the more u haters hate the more famous he’ll get? damn ur a moron
Says the moron that doesn’t bother to type out full words.
did u know the more u hate on him the more famous he gets? dang ur a moron and he probably has more talent then u will ever have so shutup
agreed
I’m with u. Rock on girlfriend
As a person, the kid is awesome. Adults hating on a kid is the sickest thing I have ever witnessed. It’s his age group that should have the opinion unless you cry yourself to sleep over whether or not you can buy his CD (you must honestly want).
David Ross Justin bieber does not suck! Your just jelous
Leave it to Bieber to open huge. I wonder if that’s the biggest opener of 2011 thus far. I think it’s bigger than Green Hornet 1st day. Saturday and Sunday matinees will be big as well.
The article clearly says it was the biggest opening day of 2011
Why don’t Bieber Beavers use periods in their blogs???
Because they’re not old enough to know what periods are.
I love your comment
I love your comment mya