Weekend Box Office: ‘Total Recall’ is not a total success

Total Recall opened at No. 2 this weekend and earned $26 million, but the studio is NOT satisfied. It seems like a respectable opening—right? But, seeing as the studio dumped MAJOR cash into its shiny marketing scheme and bank-rolled a noteworthy cast; coming in 2nd place to Batman (now in its third week) is NOT what they had aspired to do. The Total Recall team likely took the news the same way Silver medal winners do in the Olympics — by bursting into tears and running into the arms of their gymnastics’ coaches…

The Dark Knight Rises held on to No.1 for a third straight weekend, adding $36 million to its $354 million total. The final piece of Nolan’s Batman trilogy is well positioned to overtake this year’s number two money-maker, The Hunger Games which is settling in at around $410 million. The Avengers and its nearly $620 million in domestic sales is still safe as the top earner of 2012.

Below are the Top 5 box office performers this weekend: 

1-  The Dark Knight Rises earned a very healthy $36 million (bringing the film’s total earnings up to $355 million; first 3 weeks).

2-  Total Recall* again, did $26 million in its opening weekend.

3-  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days* also debuted this weekend and brought in $14.7 million, which seems like hot diggity dog earnings until you compare it to its two predecessors—both doggy flicks opened at over $20 million.

4-  Ice Age: Continental Drift slid in another $8.4 million ($132 million during its 4-week run).

5-  The Watch in its 2nd week, brought in $6.4 million ($25 million total).