Box Office: 'Dear John' wins race with $32M

Weekend of February 5 – 7, 2010: 'Avatar' reign ends; 'Dear John' prevails

Screen Gems’ romance drama “Dear John” dethroned James Cameron’s “Avatar” at the North American box office this weekend with a surprisingly solid $32.4 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Lasse Hallstrom’s big-screen adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel scored an average of  $10,913 per theater at 2,969 locations, enough to end the impressive winning streak of Cameron’s hit epic “Avatar.”

At No. 2, “Avatar” bagged another $23.6 million from ticket sales at 3,000 locations, a solid weekend gross after eight weeks in release. Domestically, Fox’s sci-fi hit flick has reached a cumulative gross of $630 million.

New entry “From Paris with Love” generated $8.1 million in third place. Pierre Morel’s thriller with John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is playing at 2,722 locations and scored a mediocre average of  $2,983 per theater.

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'Dear John' dethrones 'Avatar' Friday!

Could the box office reign of "Avatar" come to an end this weekend? Looking at the estimated numbers for Friday, it sure could, because "Dear John" opened with a surprisingly strong $13.8 million in first place.

Lasse Hallström's big-screen adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel scored a solid average of $4,648 per theater at 2,969 locations. The romance drama stars Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum.

James Cameron's "Avatar" took a dive and landed at No. 2 Friday, earning $6.2 million ($612 million total). Considering it's half of what "Dear John" made, it will be hard for the sci-fi flick to regain momentum.

Also opening Friday was Pierre Morel's thriller "From Paris with Love," which scored $3 million from ticket sales at 2,722 locations. Lionsgate's flick stars John Travolta as an agent trying to stop a terrorist attack.

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Box Office: 'Avatar' holds on, beats 'Darkness'

Weekend of January 29 – 31, 2010: 'Avatar' STILL on top; new releases doing so-so...

James Cameron’s sci-fi epic “Avatar” got one step closer to beating the domestic gross of “Titanic” this weekend by collecting another $30 million at the North American box office, according to studio estimates Sunday.

“Avatar” easily beat its competition by scoring an average of $9,759 per theater at 3,074 locations. The film’s total gross now stands at an impressive $594.4 million. Worldwide, Fox’s hit movie has generated 2.039 billion ever since its release.

At No. 2, Martin Campbell’s thriller “Edge of Darkness” bagged $17.1 million. Starring Mel Gibson, the film based on a BBC mini-series follows a detective who embarks on a perilous investigation into his daughter’s brutal murder.

Following in third place this weekend was new entry “When in Rome,” a disastrous romantic comedy that managed to grab $12 million from ticket sales at 2,456 locations. Directed by Mark Steven Johnson, the film stars Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel.

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'Avatar' wins Friday box office race with $7M

Cameron's 'Avatar' is still the dominant force at the box office; new releases still no real threat...

James Cameron's "Avatar" held on to the No. 1 spot at the North American box office Friday with a solid $7.3 million in ticket sales, beating all new releases while reaching a domestic total gross of $571.7 million.

Mel Gibson's new thriller "Edge of Darkness" came close to defeating "Avatar," but Cameron's sci-fi flick prevailed, heading for yet another weekend win. "Darkness" grabbed $5.6 million from 3,066 locations. The film is based on a popular BBC TV mini-series.

In the thriller directed by Martin Campbell ("Casino Royale"), Gibson plays a tough Boston detective who penetrates a dark and dangerous world after his daughter is brutally murdered on his doorsteps.

Debuting in third place Friday was Mark Steven Johnson's comedy "When in Rome," which generated $4.4 million from ticket sales at 2,456 locations. The film stars Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel.

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Movie Review: “Edge of Darkness”

Seen on: January 26, 2010

The players: Director: Martin Campbell, Writers: William Monahan, Andrew Bovell, Cast: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic

Facts of interest: Remake of a British TV mini-series.

The plot: Mel Gibson plays a detective who goes totally nuts after his daughter is murdered right in front of him.

Our thoughts: Mel Gibson returns to action on the big screen in Martin Campbell’s new thriller “Edge of Darkness,” and while he’s undoubtedly in great shape, the movie itself could do with a little more spice. That said, “Darkness” still qualifies as an entertaining viewing experience I had no trouble enjoying throughout.

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This week's new movie releases - Jan. 29, 2010

Opening this week are Martin Campbell's action thriller "Edge of Darkness" with Mel Gibson and Ray Winstone, and Mark Steven Johnson's "When in Rome" with Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel.

EDGE OF DARKNESS (by Martin Campbell, with Mel Gibson)

Synopsis: Thomas Craven is a veteran homicide detective for the Boston Police Department and a single father. When his only child, 24-year-old Emma, is murdered on the steps of his home, everyone assumes that he was the target. But he soon suspects otherwise, and embarks on a mission to find out about his daughter's secret life and her killing.

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Trailer for Gibson's 'Edge of Darkness' debuts

Mel Gibson is the guy with nothing to lose in Martin Campbell's upcoming thriller "Edge of Darkness," a film I'm quite excited about now that I've seen its first intense trailer. See it after the jump; it delivers!

In the film, Gibson plays a homicide detective who discovers his daughter’s (Bojana Novakovic) secret life after she’s murdered on the steps of his house. He will stop at nothing to find out the truth and the killer.

Also starring are Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Shawn Roberts and Bojana Novakovic. William Monahan and Andrew Bovel wrote the script. Campbell recrently directed "Casino Royale."

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Here's Mel Gibson in a new 'Edge of Darkness' still

It's been a while since we last saw Mel Gibson in a lead role on the big screen, but he'll soon return to action in Martin Campbell's upcoming crime thriller "Edge of Darkness." The folks at Empire have posted a new official still from the flick, and you can check it out below in better shape. In the film, Gibson plays a homicide detective who discovers his daughter’s (Bojana Novakovic) secret life after she’s murdered on the steps of his house.

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Daily news dose: Warner picks up 'Darkness;' Schreiber to star in 'Salt'

Here's your daily dose of film news for Feb. 19, 2009:

• Warner Bros. has acquired the North American rights to Martin Campbell's thriller "Edge of Darkness," starring Mel Gibson as a homicide detective who discovers his daughter’s (Bojana Novakovic) secret life after she’s murdered on the steps of his house. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Liev Schreiber is in talks to star alongside Angelina Jolie in "Salt," a spy thriller directed by Phillip Noyce. According to Variety, the film "centers on Evelyn Salt, a CIA officer who is fingered as a Russian sleeper spy. She eludes capture by superiors who are convinced she is out to assassinate the president."

• Wes Craven is apparently trying to remake "The People Under the Stairs" and "Schocker," according to Arrow in the Head. Apparently, Universal owns the rights to the flicks. "So if we all say yes we can do it. Universal can't go off and make them with somebody else," Craven said.

• Jeffrey Dean Morgan is in talks to star in Sylvain White's comic-book adaptation "The Losers" for Warner Bros. The Hollywood Reporter says the story "follows a special forces team betrayed by their handler and left for dead. The Losers regroup in the interest of revenge and the opportunity to remove their names from a secret CIA death list."

Mel Gibson acting crazy on ‘Darkness’ set?

Well, sort of. Mel Gibson has been spotted on the set of Martin Campbell’s upcoming thriller “Edge of Darkness,” and somehow, he looks totally insane in most of the pics posted over at The Bag and Ugly.

For a little preview of Mel’s weird facial expressions, see above. Is he just goofing off? Anyway, Gibson stars as a homicide detective who discovers his daughter’s (Bojana Novakovic) secret life after she’s murdered on the steps of his house.

Also starring are Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Shawn Roberts and Bojana Novakovic. William Monahan and Andrew Bovel wrote the script.

Click here for more Mel Gibson madness on the “Darkness” set.