Underworld Awakes Top Box Office

Underworld: Awakening sank its teeth into the necks of box office pundits over the weekend as the vampire flick, starring Kate Beckinsale, opened with $25.3 million, far ahead of most of their predictions. It was helped by 3D and IMAX surcharges — $3.8 million of its total came from IMAX venues. Landing in second place was the George Lucas-produced Red Tails, with $18.8 million. (Most forecasts had it earning around $10 million.) It received an “A” grade from moviegoers polled by Cinemascore. Last weekend’s winner, Contraband, starring Mark Wahlberg, fell 52 percent to third place with $12 million. However, the poorly reviewed Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, flopped as it expanded nationwide, earning $10.1 million, to place fourth. And the female action flick Haywire lived up to its name as it debuted in sixth place — slightly above forecasts but with just $8.4 million.  

TOP TEN BOX OFFICE

Issue Date : 23 January 2012

1         Underworld: Awakening (2012)     $25.3M     $25.3M     1
2         Red Tails (2012)     $18.8M     $18.8M     1
3         Contraband (2012)     $12M     $45.9M     2
4         Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011)     $10M     $10.7M     5
5         Beauty and the Beast (1991)     $8.78M     $33.6M     2
6         Haywire (2011)     $8.43M     $8.43M     1
7         Joyful Noise (2012)     $5.92M     $21.7M     2
8         Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)     $5.55M     $197M     6
9         Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)     $4.52M     $178M     6
10         The Iron Lady (2011)     $3.68M     $12.6M     4