By Ryan Parsons | Image property of New Line Cinema.
Semi-Pro
Talk about a weak weekend. Though Semi-Pro came in under expectations with only $15.3 million, the Ferrell comedy was still able to take the top spot.
Semi-Pro Wins Box Office
Semi-Pro won the weekend by default. The comedy was a shoo-in considering that it was the only new release to open to more than 1,200 theaters.
Semi-Pro was expected to do over $20 million, but it looks like
the film's restrictive rating restricted an expanded audience. Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne can't be happy about the numbers, as Semi-Pro represented New Line's big exit. The studio was recently absorbed by Warner Bros.
Sony fared slightly better. Though The Other Boleyn Girl entered theaters under a curtain of negative reviews, the historical lustfest was able to gross an estimated $8.3 million from just under twelve-hundred screens.
Though Semi-Pro's numbers were disappointing, New Line could have seen this coming. Ferrell has always excelled at PG-13 and even PG (Elf), but R has historically been a bit tougher. Ferrell's 2004 comedy, Old School, opened to similar numbers with $17.4 million.
Thanks to a weak box office leader, this weekend was down a whopping 21% from the same frame last year, when Disney found a middle-aged hit with Wild Hogs.
For the trailers, posters, stills and additional movie info, go to the Semi-Pro Movie Page.
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