'SpongeBob Movie' cleans up with $56 million
American Sniper finally met a box office foe it couldn't beat: The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, which soared to an emphatic box office win with an impressive $56 million haul.
The animated 3-D movie, featuring the characters from the long-running Nickelodeon cartoon, knocked American Sniper out of the top spot that Clint Eastwood's drama held for three weeks.
It's been more than a decade since The Spongebob SquarePants Movie made $140 million worldwide in 2004.
The new film picked right back up again with the characters leaving their sea city home of Bikini Bottom to come onto land. SpongeBob scored with audiences seeking family entertainment.
"The delay in films did not matter at all. It's become a generational experience. It's just a great brand," says Paul Dergarabedian analyst for Rentrak. "It's incredibly impressive. This is so beyond what everyone thought. It's nearing Lego Movie territory."
SpongeBob earned a B audience score with CinemaScore and a 68 % approval with critics.
The R-rated drama American Sniper held onto second place with $24.2 million, giving it a $282 million total.
Third place went to Andy and Lana Wachowski's Jupiter Ascending, starring Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum, with $19 million in its debut weekend (with $2.2 million coming on IMAX screens).
The sci-fi adventure had been delayed from a July 2014 release to a less-competitive February opener. It was scorned by critics with a 23 % approval rating and earned a B-minus audience grade on CinemaScore.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2015/02/08/spongebob-movie-out-of-water-weekend-box-office/23076671/?csp=breakingnews
Tags
Who is online
31 visitors
Not as controversial as American Sniper - I wonder of there will be some societal taboo which Sponge Bob Squarepants offends?
Two of the tickets sold were for two of my grandchildren. Their other grandma took them to see it yesterday morning (part of my grandson's fifth birthday celebration).
The neighbors' daughter also attended and was thrilled with the movie and wants to see it again.
''I wonder of there will be some societal taboo which Sponge Bob Squarepants offends?''
Square Pants offend my fashion sense.
Bongo!!
You win the prize for causing the biggest laugh in the man cave today!
Thanks I needed that
Being on the cutting edge of fashion, I'm very sensitive to faux pas in the fashion world.