Homer’s heroes took over Van Helsing’s monsters this weekend as Warner Bros.’ expensive epic Troy grossed an estimated $45.6 million at the domestic box office. The Wolfgang Petersen-directed film, which stars Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom and Peter O’Toole, also opened internationally in 47 territories, bringing the total global take for the project to $100.6 million. The film features some impressive vfx sequences courtesy of Framestore CFC, The Moving Picture Co., Cinesite and Lola.
Meanwhile Universal executives are praying that the Stephen Sommers’ vampire frightfest, Van Helsing, won’t continue to drop at the box office at the same rate it did during its sophomore weekend. Slipping to the No. 2 spot, the effects-laden film brought in an estimated $20.1 million, but showed a 61% drop from its debut weekend. However, it’s not all bad news for Hugh Jackman’s fearless vampire slayer. The movie has taken in an est. $84.5 million in 10 days, and its worldwide gross is an estimated $179.5 million. Paramount’s teen comedy Mean Girls (with an estimated $10.1 million), Screen Gems’ Jamie Foxx comedy, Breaking All the Rules (est. $5.3 million) and Denzel Washington’s revenge odyssey Man on Fire rounded (est. $5.2 million) rounded up the top five this weekend.
Rialto’s Godzilla brought in an estimated $48,000 from four locations, up two from its debut in two a week earlier. The original Japanese-lingo version of the classic 1954 film totaled an impressive $12,000 per theater. Let’s hear it for the staying power of director Ishiro Honda’s beloved and misunderstood Gojira.
