‘Zombieland’ doesn’t scare fans, has $25M opening / LJWorld.com

Archive for Monday, October 5, 2009

Associated Press

October 5, 2009

Los Angeles — The undead were alive and well at movie theaters as Woody Harrelson’s horror comedy “Zombieland” opened on top with $25 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Yet the general box office was less lively as a flurry of new wide releases did solid to ho-hum business. Overall Hollywood revenues came in at $113.4 million, down 4 percent from the same weekend last year.

Sony scored a one-two punch with “Zombieland” and the animated family tale “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” which took in $16.7 million, slipping to second place after two weekends at No. 1. The movie raised its domestic total to $82.4 million after three weekends.

Mixing gory action with laughs, “Zombieland” teams Harrelson with Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin and Emma Stone as a band of humans fighting legions of undead — and taking a road trip to a supposedly zombie-free amusement park.

Taking a big bite of the family audience with $12.5 million was a double-feature reissue of Disney’s “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2” in 3-D, which came in at No. 3.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com.

1. “Zombieland,” $25 million.

2. “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” $16.7 million.

3. “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2” in 3-D, $12.5 million.

4. “The Invention of Lying,” $7.4 million.

5. “Surrogates,” $7.3 million.

6 (tie). “Capitalism: A Love Story,” $4.85 million.

6 (tie). “Whip It,” $4.85 million.

8. “Fame,” $4.8 million.

9. “The Informant!”, $3.8 million.

10. “Love Happens,” $2.8 million.