U.S Box Office Report - 9th - 11th March 2007

1. 300 $70M - $70M
2. Wild Hogs $28M - $77.4M
3. Bridge to Terabithia $6.8M - $67M
4. Ghost Rider $6.8M - $104.1M
5. Zodiac $6.7M - $23.7M
6. The Number 23 $4.3M - $30.4M
7. Norbit $4.3 - $88.3M
8. Music and Lyrics $3.8M - $43.8M
9. Breach $2.6M - $29.1M
10. Amazing Grace $2.5M - $11.4M

300 explodes into the top spot with a huge opening take of $70M. This marks the biggest opening for a March and a spring movie. It's also the biggest weekend for any movie so far in 2007. Furthermore, with that opening weekend take the movie has already recouped its production budget. As far as R-rated movies go, only The Matrix Reloaded & The Passion took more in their opening weekends. This is great news, especially for Warner Bros who were said to be more than a little concerned at spending $65M on an ultra violent R rated sword and sandals epic (yes, because that $150M for Poseidon was well spent, eh WB?).

It also bodes well for the proposed Watchman movie that 300 director Zack Snyder is on the cards to develop and direct next, especially after WB voiced concerns about the potential budget and proposed R rating. After a very strong opening day of $27.5M, which did include midnight screenings, the movie followed the standard path of films in this demographic (15-30 year old men) - tailing off a little on Saturday with a larger but not huge drop for Sunday. This is usual with this demographic who often rush to see a movie on opening night, causing the aforementioned drop off over the rest of the weekend. We're witnessing the first solid blockbuster of 2007! With only one movie opening wide next weekend (the Sandra Bullock thriller Premonition) 300 should retain the top spot as it heads rapidly to the $100M mark.

Wild Hogs has a strong second weekend, it's Friday take was down just 30% from the same time last week and the movie has probably picked up the extra business from folks who didn't fancy seeing 300 such as couples, some families and those who were turned off by the blood and gore, not to mention those who just wanted to see a comedy. Only Norbit stands as another out and out comedy in the top ten and that's a few weeks old now. A case perhaps, of a movie that's succeeding in part thanks to a lack of competition rather than being solid entertainment.

With a better critical standing but a similar lack of competition, Bridge to Terabithia continues to find itself finishing in the top section of the charts. The movie crossed the $60M mark this weekend and although budget details haven't been forthcoming it's safe to say that if it's not in a profit yet, it soon will be.

Comic book movie Ghost Rider crossed the $100M mark this week and is fast approaching $200M in terms of Global box office (which includes the $100M US take). This week also marked the point at which Ghost Rider surpassed the total US box office take of Mark Steven Johnson's previous movie Daredevil, which ended up with $102M.

Zodiac drops three spots as it struggles to find an audience. Part of that desired audience has gone to see 300 or Wild Hogs this weekend. This might turn out to be Fincher's lowest grossing film which would be a shame considering it's being regarded as his best by critics. The subject matter, that of the Zodiac killer, might be putting people off who were perhaps hoping for a more 'showy' serial killer story. This is a by the book, procedurally correct investigation into one of the most notorious killers of the last 30 years. Were people hoping for something more along the lines of Red Dragon or Seven?

The Number 23 keeps hanging on but is only maintaining it's place thanks to a lack of new releases pushing it out. The movie is currently in 2,700+ locations and while it has just recouped its production budget, the movie is still a disappointment for all concerned. Carrey's last movie, Fun with Dick & Jane, managed $110M, Eternal Sunshine did $34M in limited release and Bruce Almighty took a huge $242M. Time for Carrey to throw back on his comedy jacket?

Norbit & Music and Lyrics follow next - the question for Norbit is whether it'll make it to $100M before the end of its domestic run. It's certainly recouped its production budget of $60M and could open the doors for a quick sequel (see Nutty Professor). Music & Lyrics however, might not even make it to $50M.

Breach, a movie that seemed appear on the release schedules from nowhere has quietly stood in the lower end of the charts taking small amounts of box office each week, losing only a fraction of business from weekend to weekend. This weekend it actually moves up the charts and might cross the $30M band when final numbers are released on Monday. Finally, rounding out the top ten is Amazing Grace, a movie which has just expanded into a further 200 locations (bringing its count to 1000) and lost just 10% of its business from last weekend.