Weekend Box Office Report: August 15-17, 2014

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Turtles still on top!

The quartet of half-shell heroes hung on to the #1 spot at the box office this weekend, as TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES were the winners with an estimated $28.4 million!

The Michael Bay production of the popular pizza-loving comic crimefighters dropped around 56% from its opening last week, but is up to a 10-day domestic total of $117.6 million and a worldwide total of $185.1 million.

Hovering in second was Marvel's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY with $24.7 million. With a current domestic total of $222.2 million, it's on track to become the summer's biggest hit — but will the sci-fi adventure also fly higher than Marvel's CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER's $259.7 million domestic finish earlier this year? Seems likely.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY has already soared past the domestic totals of Marvel's CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER and both THOR movies, and is now at a worldwide total of $418.7 million (and has yet to open in China, where TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION managed to make over $300 million).

All of the newcomers followed the comic book heroes, with the R-rated comedy LET'S BE COPS performing best with a $17.7 million weekend and $26.1 million since its Wednesday opening. The Jake Johnson/Damon Wayans Jr. big-screen team-up (with a reasonable $17 million cost) proved more enticing than a dozen elderly action legends, although audiences only chuckled enough at the police impersonators for a 'B' CinemaScore, and critics were completely unamused with 11% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sylvester Stallone's new all-star gunfight THE EXPENDABLES 3 landed in fourth place with $16.2 million. The addition of actors like Harrison Ford and Wesley Snipes and the (hypothetically) more palatable PG-13 rating this time apparently weren't enough of a draw, and the movie's online leak three weeks before the theatrical release obviously couldn't help. The crowds that did show up were satisfied enough for an 'A-' CinemaScore, though critics shot it down with a series-low 35% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Whatever the case, the third entry opened far lower than THE EXPENDABLES ($34.8 million) and THE EXPENDABLES 2 ($28.5 million). The previous two movies earned most of their money overseas, so it remains to be seen if THE EXPENDABLES 3 piracy takes a significant bite out of the international box office.

Opening in fifth was the adaptation of young-adult novel THE GIVER with $12.7 million. The longtime passion project of star Jeff Bridges (in the role he envisioned for his father Lloyd Bridges) also features Meryl Streep and Taylor Swift, but the somber material couldn't compete with explosions and colorful CG characters. Moviegoers gave it a 'B+' CinemaScore, but critics weren't forgiving with a 30% Rotten Tomatoes average.

The tornado flick INTO THE STORM fell from third to sixth with $7.7 million (a 55% loss from its opening), and the restaurant drama THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY wasn't far behind with $7.1 million (only 35% below last week). Scarlett Johansson's LUCY broke through the $100 million barrier this week, and Richard Linklater's lauded BOYHOOD entered the Top 10 as it continues slowly adding screens.

Outside the chart, HERCULES departed with the James Brown biopic GET ON UP and DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (now over $200 million domestic), and in limited release, the Steve Coogan/Rob Brydon journey THE TRIP TO ITALY had a $23k per-screen average, while the Aubrey Plaza zomcom LIFE AFTER BETH saw an early grave with just $9k per-screen.

Next weekend has director Robert Rodriguez bringing us back to Frank Miller's grimy black-and-white town in SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR, Chloe Moretz ponders what happens IF I STAY, and football happens WHEN THE GAME STANDS TALL.

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