The Liam Neeson kidnapping thriller Taken scored big at the box office on Friday, grossing $9.4 million to win the first day of Super Bowl weekend with ease, BoxOfficeMojo reports. While the daily triumph was anticipated, the dollar total is something of a surprise — there was good reason to wonder if such a guy-baiting action flick could succeed in a frame with plenty of XY distractions. Meanwhile, the horror flick The Uninvited was a distant No. 2 on its first day, with $4.3 mil; the weekend’s other big new movie, Renee Zellweger’s New in Town, grossed just $2.4 mil at No. 6. The top of Friday’s chart is below, and please check back here on Sunday for a complete weekend recap in the Box Office Report.
1. Taken — $9.4 mil
2. The Uninvited — $4.3 mil
3. Paul Blart: Mall Cop — $4.2 mil
4. Gran Torino — $2.6 mil
5. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans — $2.5 mil
6. New in Town — $2.4 mil
7. Slumdog Millionaire — $2.3 mil
More Box Office News:
Box Office Preview: Taken vs. The Super Bowl
Paul Blart edges out Underworld 3 to win the weekend
EW.com’s Box Office Chart
Paul Blart: Mall Cop wins the weekend
Gran Torino drives away with a win
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A lot of people said that Taken would be deflated at the box office because there was such a high number of bootlegs going around. Hell, I knew 5 people that had already seen a pirate copy prior to its release. But it ended up honestly helping the film because all those people that I know told me they really liked it. Bootlegging is not a great practice, but if your movie is worth seeing, and maybe the trailer makes it look like crap, then the word of mouth it can generate is immeasurable.
Just saw Taken today and I have to say that I hope it gets every penny it deserves
I hope Taken gets every penny it deserves too. Although, it’s already gotten over 9 million more than it deserves. Stuff like this usually goes direct to DVD.
I saw Taken last night, and I thought it was excellent! Liam Neeson was awesome, as usual, but I was happily surprised by Maggie Grace’s realistic portrayal of a 17 year-old. I hope the movie continues to do well! It was more than worth the price of admission!
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realistic portrayal of a 17 year old?? i loved taken–i thought liam neeson was great, he really surprised me as an “action star” but his daughter? she just infuriated me! as an 18 year old girl, i was actually sort of offended at the actresses “im obviously not 17 so im going to act like a well-meaning but nonetheless spoiled child who lacks any ounce of common sense and runs like a duck.”
taken was awesome, pure epicness
Taken was one of the best movies I have ever seen