It was a good weekend to be a maniacal dream slasher in a stripy jumper and knife-fingered glove: the new, Platinum Dunes-produced take on A Nightmare On Elm Street got off to a solid start at the US box office with $32.2 million, according to weekend estimates.
The next two slots were taken up by films that are showing considerable legs, with How To Train Your Dragon on $10.8 million (the DreamWorks’ toon is now up to nearly $200 million in the States) and Date Night, which held firm in third place with $7.6 million.
Jennifer Lopez’ latest attempt at keeping her film career afloat, The Back-Up Plan, dropped from second to fourth place and $7.2 million, while the other new wide release, environ-message comedy Furry Vengeance, could only muster $6.5 million for fifth. It would appear that few families were suckered in by the incredible drawing power of Brendan Fraser being hit in the giblets by animals.
The remainder of this week’s chart shakes down thusly: The Losers in sixth place, Clash Of The Titans down to seventh, Kick-Ass eighth, Death At A Funeral ninth and Disney’s sea documentary Oceans in 10th.
And in related box office news, Iron Man 2, which opened here and in Europe early to avoid running into the World Cup, got off to a flying start with $100.2 million from more than 6,000 thousand cinemas. It'll no doubt do rather well when it touches down across the pond next weekend.
You complete chart run down lurks in your dreams over at Box Office Mojo.