Movie audiences were doing the”wild thing” at domestic theaters this past weekend. The new Spike Jonze directed, “Where the Wild Things Are,” exceeded expectations and earned an estimated $32 million to debut as the number one movie in the country.
“Where the Wild Things Are” is a live-action adaptation of the 1963 children’s book by Maurice Sendak. It’s the fantasy story of a young boy who runs away from home to an island where strange giant creatures roam. In second place, another new film, but with a very different tone. “Law Abiding Citizen,” is a drama/thriller, and it racked up around $21 million dollars in theaters. Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler star in a movie about an ordinary guy who seeks justice after a plea bargain frees the killer of his family. It’s directed by F. Gary Gray.
“Paranormal Activity” continued to scare up plenty of business with a weekend take of $20 million for third place. Following in fourth, last week’s number one film the relationship/comedy, “Couples Retreat” with nearly $18 million. Rounding out the top five, another new film, the remake of the 1987 horror/thriller “The Stepfather” with around $12 million. The movie is about a stepfather who appears to be nearly perfect, but is far from it. The cast includes Sela Ward, Dylan Walsh, and Penn Badgley.
