The summer’s second big release put the pedal to the metal over the weekend, but Warner Bros.’ Speed Racer didn’t have quite enough gas to pull past Paramount Pictures’ release of Marvel Ent.’s Iron Man. The superhero movie added approximately $50 million to its domestic take during its second week, while Speed Racer crossed the finish line with an estimated $18 million.
After last weekend’s phenomenal $100 million opening for Iron Man, Speed Racer‘s $18 million debut is a major disappointment for Warner Bros., considering the amount of money that went into the film’s robust marketing campaign, not to mention its hefty visual effects bill. The Wachowski brothers’ Berlin-based production was shot primarily against green screens with ILM, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Digital Domain, CIS Hollywood, Rising Sun Pictures, Evil Eye Pictures, BUF, CafeFX, Pacific Title and Lola Visual Effects all filling in the brightly colored world inspired by Tatsuo Yoshida’s classic manga and anime series. Given the enduring worldwide popularity of the cartoon show, the film should do brisk business overseas and on home video.
Speed Racer landed in the no. 3 spot while What Happens in Vegas, the Cameron Diaz/Ashton Kutcher vehicle earned an estimated $20 million, a respectable opening for a situational comedy made for a mere $35 million. The Sony Pictures romantic comedy Made of Honor came in at No. 4 over the weekend with around $7.6 million, followed by Universal’s Baby Mama with an estimated $5.7 million.
The competition will heat up this weekend as Disney releases the eagerly awaited sequel The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Hot on its heels with a May 22 release date is the even more anticipated Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the fourth installment in Steven Spielberg’s and George Lucas’ blockbuster adventure saga.
