Weekend Box Office Report: September 27-29, 2013

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Cloudy with a Chance of Money!

After a few weeks without any new options, audiences hungry for family entertainment ate up the latest offering and put CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 at the top with a $35 million opening!

The computer-animated sequel, in which the characters discover a "lost world" of food beasts, took a bigger box office chomp than the original CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS in 2009 ($30.3 million opening weekend). For Sony Animation releases, it's also a much larger bite than their summer CG/live-action hybrid THE SMURFS 2 ($17.5 million), but it trailed their effort on this same weekend last year when HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA set a record for biggest September opening with $42.5 million.

Paying crowds also lapped up the movie's delicious visuals, giving CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 a satiated 'A-' CinemaScore. And without a single new family release in the entire month of October, it should have a long shelf life.

Coming in second place was last week's winner, the harsh kidnapping thriller PRISONERS, with an additional $11.2 million. Right on Hugh Jackman's rear bumper was Ron Howard's real-life racing drama RUSH, in third with $10.3 million as it expands nationally after a five-screen limited release last week.

While RUSH has also made an extra $17.6 million overseas, the studio was probably expecting it to peel out a bit faster considering critics' and moviegoers' reactions (88% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 'A-' CinemaScore) — plus the fact that it prominently features an Avenger. Coincidentally, Howard's directing debut was GRAND THEFT AUTO, which many people are currently playing instead of going to the movies…

In fourth place was the new PG-13 romantic comedy BAGGAGE CLAIM with $9.3 million, followed closely by Joseph Gordon-Levitt's R-rated sex satire DON JON with $9 million. While critics were impressed with the actor's low-budget directing debut (81% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences didn't much care for JGL's porn addict and Scarlett cure, slapping it with a discouraging 'C+' CinemaScore (counterintuitive though it might seem, any grade lower than 'B' typically means bad news for word-of-mouth business).

Dropping from second to sixth was the fright flick INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2, although with so little horror competition leading up to Halloween next month, it might haunt the Top 10 for a while longer. Luc Besson's mobster comedy THE FAMILY fought it out with the Mexican import INSTRUCTIONS NOT INCLUDED, while WE'RE THE MILLERS is still cruising after two months on the list, just ahead of another longstanding success, LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER.

Outside the chart, RIDDICK and PLANES went on their way, along with BATTLE OF THE YEAR after a single sad week in the Top 10. The Julia Louis-Dreyfus/James Gandolfini romcom ENOUGH SAID expanded to 227 screens with a favorable $2.1 million, the IMAX-only release of the concert adventure METALLICA THROUGH THE NEVER rocked out with $1.6 million, and the 3D IMAX reissue of THE WIZARD OF OZ is up to $5 million.

Next weekend brings filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron's highly anticipated 3D space disaster GRAVITY, while Justin Timberlake deals with Ben Affleck in the gambling thriller RUNNER RUNNER and METALLICA THROUGH THE NEVER expands nationally.

What October release are you most interested in seeing? VOTE HERE!