Box Office Opening | featured news

1. Knowing (Summit) OPENER [3,332 Theaters] Fri $8.8M, Wkd est $25M
2. I Love You, Man (DW/Paramount) OPENER [2,711] Fri $6.2M, Wkd est $18.5M
3. Duplicity (Universal) OPENER [2,575] Fri $4.6M, Wkd est $14.3M

1. Race To Witch Mountain  (Disney) [3,187 theaters] $6.5M Friday, est $24M wkd
2. (Tied) Watchmen (Warner Bros) [3,611] $5.5M Friday, est $18M wkd
2. (Tied) Last House On The Left (Universal) [2,401] $5.5M Friday, est $15M wkd
Analysis coming...

Warner Bros.' dark superhero pic "Watchmen" grossed an estimated $55.7 million from 3,611 theaters in its domestic B.O. debut, coming in lower than expected but still scoring the best opening of the year and one of the best showings ever for an R-rated film.

Moviegoers came out to watch "Watchmen" on Friday to the tune of an estimated $24.9 million.

'Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail' locks up $16.5 million in ticket sales to claim the top spot at the box office again, beating out 'Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience.'

Very early data coming in suggests that Disney's Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience should open around $20 million this weekend from only 1,271 3-D theaters. "Honestly, I don't think it's disappointing at all," one rival studio exec tells me tonight. "Many had unrealistic expectations for this pic at 40+.

Tyler Perry rules the box office with his best bow yet, $41.1 mil, while ''Fired Up!'' generates little heat.

So writer/director/actor/producer Perry is heading for his biggest branded film ever as Lionsgate's Madea Goes To Jail opened #1 Friday to $14.7 million domestic from 2,032 theaters. The PG-13 laffer could come close to $40M for this Oscar weekend.

Warner Bros./New Line’s redo “Friday the 13th” scared up the best opening ever for a horror movie in grossing an estimated $42.2 million from 3,105 theaters through Sunday.

These are 4-day numbers based on today's matinees... I don't know which is worse: that moviegoers are flocking to horrific Friday The 13th 2009 tonight because it's Friday the 13th. Or that they plan to see a machete-wielding psycho killer with a loved one on Valentines Day as well.