Neither the magic of Harry Potter nor the combined star power of Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler was enough to keep a crew of wise-cracking guinea pigs from scurrying to the top of the box office this weekend. Disney’s family comedy G-Force, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and featuring the voices of Nicolas Cage, Will Arnett, and Penelope Cruz as a team of world-saving rodents, made an estimated $32.2 million in its debut. Despite opening hot on the heels of the one-week old Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the animation/live action hybrid pic was a hit with young audiences, pulling 55 percent of its viewers from the under-18 crowd.
But Potter’s box office magic hasn’t worn off just yet: The series’ sixth installment landed in the number two spot its second weekend with $30 million, bringing its total to $221.8 million. After just 12 days in theaters, Half-Blood is already the fifth biggest hit of the year domestically, not to mention overseas, where the powerhouse has raked in an additional $236 million.
There was plenty for adults to enjoy at the box office, too. The Ugly Truth, a raunchy R-rated rom-com that pits Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler in a battle of the sexes, scored an impressive $27 million bow, a career best for both Heigl and director Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde).
The weekend’s other wide release, Warner Bros’ creepy Orphan — starring Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farmiga — pulled in $12.8 million from an audience that was 55 percent female.
Lower down on the chart, Fox Searchlight’s (500) Days of Summer (at number 11 with $3 million) is still building momentum. The quirky rom-com posted a hefty $19,176 per-site average and a 95 percent increase over its debut last weekend.
More box office news:
‘G-Force’ wins Friday box office with $11.5 million
Box office preview: ‘Harry Potter’ likely to hold off newcomers
Harry Potter’s ‘Half-Blood Prince’ becomes box office king
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Wow…Potter toppled after 1 week. Colour me shocked!
Also shocked Ugly Truth didn’t bomb
http://tvdonewright.com/
Guina pigs beat Harry Potter at the box office…..LMAO!
Not actually a career best for Heigl, since Knocked Up opened with 30 mil . . .
they already have the movie uploaded to jjpeg.com/watch282.html if you wanna see it
I am literally apalled that a movie like G-Force made that much money. Parents should be ashamed of themselves for taking their kids to see this crap.
Mike – I believe he means “career best” for Heigl in the lead role, Knocked Up wasn’t her film (well…she was the leading lady). Ugh…I dunno how to explain it.
What a weak summer for movies, seems like all that is out are stupid kids movies or romantic comedies. Boring.
Of course the guinea pigs won! Everyone loves mindless dribble like “poop in his hands, poop in his hands!”
Knocked Up made around 30 million in its opening weekend so this is not Heigl’s career best.
If I remember right, Will Arnett is one of the actual people in G-Force not one of the voices. A small article to have had two easily verifiable things missed (the Heigl thing too). I guess all of the fact checkers for EW are at Comic-Con.
It’s the end of the world as we know it!
I was hoping Katherine Heigl the Professional Complainer would go away.
UGH. Just because CGI allows you to do something does NOT mean it needs to happen. What an idea for a movie!
Looks like I wasn’t the only one disappointed in HP6….
good call Mike & Joshua – just checked, Knocked up made just under 30.7 Million it’s opening weekend.