The animated film starring Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez scores the biggest September opening weekend in history, besting previous record holder 'Sweet Home Alabama'.
- Oct 1, 2012
AceShowbiz - After incessant slow weekends throughout September, North American box office is finally topped by a movie which debuts to more than $20 million. Sony Pictures' animated pic "Hotel Transylvania", which receives a sizzling "A-" CinemaScore from the audience, successfully claims the champion title with $42.5 million.
The result marks the biggest September opening weekend of all time, besting "Sweet Home Alabama" which collected $35.6 million in September 2002. The Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez-starring family movie also becomes the best result to date for Sony's animation unit.
Sony's big win this weekend doesn't stop there as its other film, "Looper", also opens to a solid result at the end of the month. Receiving a "B+" CinemaScore, the mind-bending sci-fi movie starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis takes in $20.8 million and places second.
Of the astounding result for its two movies, Sony's President of Distribution Rory Bruer says, "More than anything, this film has been such a collaboration of talent, and it paid off in such a huge way. Everyone in our company just loved this film. And to perform at this level in September shows that 'Hotel Transylvania' has something for everyone. And to have a second film ['Looper'] do so well is an incredible feat."
Last week's chart-topper "End of Watch" drops to the third place with $7.8 million for a total domestic cume of $26.1 million after two weeks of playing Stateside. Landing on the fourth and fifth places respectively are "Trouble with the Curve" with $7.2 million and "House at the End of the Street" with $71. million.
Other newcomers "Pitch Perfect" and "Won't Back Down" open to the sixth and tenth spots respectively. The former bags $5.1 million, a quite pleasing result since it is released in only 335 theaters. The latter, on the other hand, debuts to a dismal $2.6 million despite the fact that it is screened in 2,515 theaters nationwide.
Top Ten Movies at Box Office for September 28-30:
