With the summer movie season rapidly coming to a close, three new films hit multiplexes this weekend that will likely not perform very well; R-rated horror film Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark from FilmDistrict, PG-13 action thriller Colombiana starring Zoe Saldana from Sony/TriStar and Paul Rudd leads an ensemble cast in R-rated comedy Our Idiot Brother from The Weinstein Co. None of the films will likely be strong enough to knock out current box office king, The Help.   Based on my estimates, the Top 10 will generate $75.2 million this weekend, down approximately 13.8% from last year when Sony’s Takers and Lionsgate’s The Last Exorcism led the overall Top 10 to a gross of $87.2 million. 

20^th Century Fox’s sci-fi prequel Rise of the Planet of the Apes held firm in first place first place on Friday despite competition from four new films. Apes collected an estimated $7.8 million and should be on track for a weekend tally north of $26 million. This will put the primate pic at just over $100 million total by the end of the weekend. Not bad considering most felt the franchise was over and done with.

Four new films hit multiplexes this weekend; horror sequel Final Destination 5 from New Line Cinema, Sony’s R-rated comedy 30 Minutes or Less starring Jesse Eisenberg, historical drama The Help starring Emma Stone from DreamWorks and 20^th Century Fox releases Glee: The 3D Concert Movie. None of the films will be strong enough to knock out current box office king, Rise of the Planet of the Apes.   Based on my estimates, the Top 10 will generate $139.3 million this weekend, up a modest 8.3% from last year when Lionsgate’s The Expendables and Sony’s Eat Pray Love led the overall Top 10 to a gross of $127.8 million. 

20^th Century Fox’s sci-fi prequel Rise of the Planet of the Apes easily rose to first place on Friday, grossing roughly the same amount as the other four films occupying the Top 5 combined. Apes bashed its way to an estimated $19 million first day (including $1.25M from Thursday midnight showings) and is on track to an opening weekend total in the high 40’s. The film has received tremendous support from critics and will likely play well over the next month due to what will more than likely be positive word of mouth from audiences. Apes is the last big summer popcorn movie and will only have to deal with competition from B-movie fare such as remakes Fright Night and the sure to be atrocious Conan the Barbarian in the coming weeks. 

The month of August kicks off with the last potential summer blockbuster, PG-13 sci-fi prequel Rise of the Planet of the Apes from 20^th Century Fox. Universal also opens R-rated body switching comedy The Change-Up starring Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman. Planet of the Apes will dominate the charts this weekend while The Change-Up will likely debut near the bottom of the Top 5. Based on my estimates, the Top 10 will generate $145.7 million this weekend, up about 19.2% from last year when Sony’s comedy The Other Guys led the overall Top 10 to a gross of $117.7 million. 

This weekend, one of the last remaining potential summer blockbusters opens along with one movie for the adults and one for the kids. Universal and DreamWorks release sci-fi western mash-up Cowboys & Aliens from Iron Man director Jon Favreau, Sony hopes to entice families with The Smurfs and adult audiences may finally have a movie they can embrace with relationship comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love from Warner Bros.   Based on my estimates, the Top 10 will generate $168.4 million this weekend, up about 23.5% from last year when Warner Bros. Inception and Paramount’s Dinner For Schmucks led the overall Top 10 to a gross of $128.8 million. 

Paramount’s Captain America: The First Avenger, the final superhero film of the summer, easily bested Harry Potter at the box office this weekend. According to estimates, Marvel’s patriotic hero had the best debut of the superhero movies this summer, just edging out Marvel’s own Thor. Sony’s buddy sex comedy, Friends With Benefits, starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, opened in third place. After a massive opening weekend, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II from Warner Bros. experienced a massive sophomore weekend drop off, which was to be expected after such a large opening. The film has collected an awesome $274.2 million after only ten days and should wind up the highest grossing film of the summer (and probably the year).

This weekend, the fourth and final superhero film for the summer, Paramount’s Captain America: The First Avenger bursts into theatres but the classic Marvel superhero may be overshadowed by the second weekend of the final Harry Potter film.  Before the summer movie season began, we would’ve guessed that Captain America would’ve had the biggest opening of all the superhero films this summer, but signs are pointing towards audience fatigue for men and women in spandex and the patriotic hero may suffer the fallout. Also being released is Sony Screen Gems’ raunchy romantic comedy Friends With Benefits starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. Last weekend Warner Bros. record setting opening weekend for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II ($169.2 million) led the Top 10 to a 32% increase over last year and the boy wizard is going to push the Top 10 to a decisive victory over last year once again. Based on my estimates, the Top 10 will generate $193.1 million this weekend, up about 22% from last year when Warner Bros. Inception and Sony’s Salt led the overall Top 10 to a gross of $150.7 million. 

The final film in Warner Bros. epic series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II took the box office by storm breaking all sorts of records in the process. Before it had even opened on Friday, the film was setting records including the record for widest launch in 3D theatres and IMAX screens and also grossed $32.5 million in pre-sale tickets an all-time high. The film all but obliterated the prior records for biggest midnight and biggest opening day and then smashed the all-time biggest weekend record established by The Dark Knight ($158.4 million) on this very weekend three years ago. It also now holds the record for widest launch in 3D theatres and IMAX screens. Disney’s Winnie the Pooh had a modest debut coming in sixth place for the weekend. 

The final film in the epic series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II is taking the box office by storm and breaking all sorts of records this weekend. The film all but obliterated the prior records for biggest midnight and biggest opening day and is on its way to smashing the all-time biggest weekend record established by The Dark Knight ($158.4 million) on this very weekend three years ago. It also now holds the record for widest launch in 3D theatres and IMAX screens.