Never mind how formidable an actor he is, Denzel Washington just could not dislodge Avatar from its top spot for five straight weeks in North America.
Denzel's film The Book of Eli grossed $11.7 million on its opening day in America and Canada against Avatar's $10.4 million. But by Sunday evening, it was clear that the new film was no match to the 3-D sci-fi epic. Avatar's gross has reached $1.6 billion worldwide. Avatar opened in its last major territory Italy on Friday, grossing about $14 million in three days even though the Vatican has accused it for exalting nature over mankind.
It won the Best Film and Best Director (for James Cameron) awards at Golden Globes, where it was pit against The Hurt Locker, a small-budget Iraq war drama. The movie was directed by Cameron's ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow.
In accepting the Golden Globe, Cameron also said: 'Avatar asks us to see that everything is connected, all human beings to each other, and us to the Earth. And if you have to go four and a half light years to another, made-up planet to appreciate this miracle of the world that we have right here, well, you know what, that's the wonder of cinema right there, that's the magic,' Cameron said, while accepting his award.
With the Oscar nominations expected to give it a boost on next month, the movie is expected to storm well past $2 billion in the next four weeks. Add to that the money to be made from television and DVD sales, and various ancillary deals including graphic books and music sales, it could made an additional $1.5 billion from across the globe.
The Book Of Eli, which grossed $31 million in North American, and $20 million outside, came at second spot. It will open in many more countries in the next four weeks and may end its worldwide run with at least $160 million. The movie did not cost a fortune. Like Sherlock Holmes -- a bigger hit destined for at least $450 million worldwide -- it cost $80-$85 million as well.
In Eli, Denzel Washington plays a brave prophetic fighter while Gary Oldman plays a tin-pot dictator.
There haven't been many star-driven hits in the last 12 months. Only a few hit films have featured older stars like The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock, Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr, Julie & Julia with Meryl Streep, and now Eli.
There were some box office surprises over the weekend. The Lovely Bones, which was struggling in a limited release for three weeks, was given a push by distributor Paramount. It came third with $16 million in some 2,500 theatres in North America. The film, directed by Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), has been rubbished by critics for deviating from the bestselling supernatural novel of the same name by Alice Sebold.
'In the disappointing adaptation of The Lovely Bones, Jackson runs wild with the CGI, a ludicrous decision that sucks the emotion out of Alice Sebold's intimate novel,' declared San Jose Mercury News. 'Perhaps the bigger issue, though, is the novel itself. Sebold's unforgettable story, while mesmerizing on the page, defies being turned into a movie: A tender approach is mandatory when handling Bones, specifically since the lead character of Susie is a dead 14-year-old who has been raped and murdered by a neighbour.'
Yet the decent opening in North America could help the film, with the DVD and Blu-ray and TV sales factored in. It cost $100 million, with at least $75 million spent on promotion.
Invictus, Clint Eastwood's inspiring yet entertaining film, also had plenty of good news from Europe. It received solid but not ecstatic reviews in North America and is headed for a disappointing $38 million run. But it had a glorious three-day opening in France with $6 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It was more than what the film grossed in its opening weekend in North America. Eastwood is treasured in France, and also has a big following in Spain and Italy.
The post-apartheid drama of an unusual friendship Nelson Mandela forges with a rugby team, known once for its opposition to the blacks, has Morgan Freeman playing the charismatic black leader and Matt Damon as the rugby team captain. If other countries follow the example of France, the $60 million film could not only recover its cost but also make a small profit.
