"Mall Cop" Still Box Office Champ, Despite Oscar Bumps

LOS ANGELES — "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" wasn't ready to turn over his box-office badge this weekend as the film about a bumbling shopping center security guard earned $21.5 million to nab No. 1 for a second week in a row.

The comedy, starring Kevin James as the guard who tries to protect the mall where he works from criminals, has now grossed $64.8 million in its two weeks of release and appears on its way to surpass $100 million.

"It's just a very funny film," said Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution for Sony. "It's not only a great family film, it really is a film that everyone loves."

The third installment of the "Underworld" series fared well in its opening weekend. "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans," a prequel that looks at the roots of a feud between vampires and werewolves, made $20.7 million. Its two predecessors _ "Underworld" and "Underworld: Evolution" _ earned $21.7 million and $26.8 million, respectively, in their opening weekends.

The fantasy adventure "Inkheart" was unable to cast a spell over movie-goers, earning only $7.7 million in its debut. The movie, taken from the best-selling novel by Cornelia Funke, features Brendan Fraser playing a bookbinder with the ability to read characters right out of books and into real life.

"Unfortunately, families didn't come out in larger numbers," said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros.' executive vice president of distribution.

Films that received Academy Award nominations this past week had a strong showing at the box office as studios expanded their release.

"Slumdog Millionaire," the drama about a game-show contestant from the slums of Mumbai, earned $10.6 million this weekend as the movie appeared in more than 1,400 theaters. Studio executives said the film, which has now made nearly $56 million, has been boosted by its recent haul of awards, including top honors from the Producers Guild of America on Saturday.

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"I think the word of mouth has been very strong since we opened in November, but with the Golden Globes and the Academy Award nominations as well as the PGA, it's the must-see movie before the Academy Awards in February," said Sheila DeLoach, senior vice president of distribution at Fox Searchlight.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" re-entered the Top 10, earning $6 million to boost its total to $111 million. The film, starring Brad Pitt as a man aging backward toward infancy, landed 13 Oscar nominations, including best actor for Pitt. "The Wrestler" and "Frost/Nixon" also drew big crowds this weekend.

"This group has gotten the biggest (Oscar) bump collectively that I've ever seen," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box-office tracker Media by Numbers. "This lays to rest the argument that Oscar nominations can't help out your box-office numbers."

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," $21.5 million.

2. "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans," $20.7 million.

3. "Gran Torino," $16 million.

4. "Hotel for Dogs," $12.4 million.

5. "Slumdog Millionaire," $10.6 million.

6. "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," $10.1 million.

7. "Inkheart," $7.7 million.

8. "Bride Wars," $7 million.

9. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," $6 million.

10. "Notorious," $5.7 million.

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On the Net:

http://www.mediabynumbers.com/

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Universal Pictures, Focus Features and Rogue Pictures are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric Co.; Sony Pictures, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; DreamWorks, Paramount and Paramount Vantage are divisions of Viacom Inc.; Disney's parent is The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is a division of The Walt Disney Co.; 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox Atomic are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros., New Line, Warner Independent and Picturehouse are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a consortium of Providence Equity Partners, Texas Pacific Group, Sony Corp., Comcast Corp., DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and Quadrangle Group; Lionsgate is owned by Lionsgate Entertainment Corp.; IFC Films is owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.

Comments

[FatherWolf]

My local newspaper's snooty movie reviewer gave Mall Cop a dismissive review. Sure sign it was going go be boxoffice boffo.

[Ty90]

King of Queens was very funny. I love Kevin James and i want to see this movie.

I can understand why people are lining up to see it.

I know you're brainwashed to believe that people should only like movies with big,
blockbuster celebs that are overrated, so you can't wrap your mind around this...but i can.

[horsey]

we don't mind funny movies...j­ust stupid ones

[Ty90]

Ha ha. Stupid? Yeah because your little insignificant opinion is all that matters.

You're not the judge of what's stupid dumbo.

[conniedogs]

I love Kevin James, he deserves this. Funny how this film has gotten little promo (at least where I live) yet it's kicking butt...the little film that could!

[Nicotone]

what is going on here?

[Madmac]

I guarantee you that they'll try to make a sequel to this and it will get spanked at the Box Office

[scarecrow713]

Kevin James totally deserves this. He's been in the business for a long long time! I mean, who didnt LOVE King of Queens! That has to be one of the best shows ever!

[btrim]

We are sooooo fooked. Corroboration item number 14769.

[Jasel]

I mean the movie wasn't Oscar material but I saw it and it was moderately funny. Definitely was a stress reliever for a couple of hours.

[InedaName]

When I first heard about this movie, I predicted it would open D.O.A. Boy, was I wrong. And boy, did I understimate how badly my fellow Americans really need to check their minds at the door and just laugh for a little while. Screwball comedy helped people get through the Great Depression.

[LiberalBuzz]

I can see why Mall Cop is doing well. It's pretty funny. We saw it opening weekend, and it's a good escapist popcorn movie amidst all the gloom and doom of the real world.

I saw Inkheart and liked it but the movie title is realllllly bad. It would have done better with a cooler title Heck even MAGIC BOOK READER would have been better. Or Wizard of the Universe. Or something that related the movie better.

Gran Torino is definitely a really good movie.

[ENK727]

I went to see Slumdog Millionaire and left feeling depressed thinking about all the poverty and horrible conditions so many people live in. I almost wished I would have gone to see Mall Cop. I would have rather had a few laughs then feeling down after leaving the theater. You're right there's so much doom and gloom around us lately that you just want to see a sillymovie and have a few laughs.

[JZ735]

That's why so many escapist movies have done so well and movies like "W" tanked...

BTW: Frost/Nixon is absolutely amazing...­Langella is phenomenal and Kevin Bacon does a nice job...whoe­ver plays Pat Nixon is awful...sa­w it in a theater of under 30 year olds who seemed either not to get anything about the movie or have a clue period.