By Ryan Parsons | Image property of 20th Century Fox
Taken
With a Jack Bauer-like formula, Liam Neeson's action-thriller, Taken, proved that family films aren't the only ones that can (mind the pun) kill it at the box office.
Taken Takes Box Office
Though the male moviegoers should have been prepping for the Super Bowl Sunday event, there were plenty who still found time to make it to the theaters. Though Taken wasn't one of the most marketed films we've seen, whatever was done by 20th Century Fox had an impact. The film opened to $24.6 million, making it the second best Super Bowl opener of all time.
What's the best Super Bowl opening? I hate to say it, but it was last year's Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour. Guess little girls don't mind missing the big game.
Coming in at number two, Paul Blart: Mall Cop showed strong legs by declining a miniscule 35% in its third frame to earn another $14 million; bringing its total gross to an impressive $83.4 million. Strong take gave the comedy the number two spot.
Paramount hoped that horror might succeed during the Super Bowl weekend, and The Uninvited (almost) did just that. The film earned an estimated $10.5 million to take the number three spot.
Hoping to take advantage of their recent nominations and awards, both The Reader and Milk had expanded releases. Unfortunately the increase in theaters only had sub-par results. TWC and Focus Features shouldn't worry just yet, as it was Super Bowl weekend after all. With the Academy Awards now approaching, there could still be a significant boost in attendees.
Thanks most in part to the top three films, this Super Bowl weekend was up 7% over last year.
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