The Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg action flick 2 Guns topped the box office on Friday.
Analysts predicted that Contraband director Baltasar Kormakur’s latest big-screen endeavor would be the film to beat this weekend. According to studio estimates, the movie ended up bringing home a less-than-impressive $10 million on opening day .
2 Guns was already off to a strong start during Thursday evening and midnight showings. The action movie managed to bring in a modest $1.3 million from those screenings alone. Judging from its recent performance, the movie will likely remain in the top spot come Sunday.
Washington and Wahlberg star as two undercover agents who are forced to go on the run after a drug operation turns sour. The film also features Paula Patton, Bill Paxton, Fred Ward, James Marsden, and Edward James Olmos.
Unfortunately for the suits at Columbia Pictures, director Raja Gosnell’s The Smurfs 2 isn’t generating the same business as the first installment. The sequel only managed to score approximately $5.5 million on Friday , which put it behind both 2 Guns and The Wolverine.
Since arriving in theaters on Wednesday, The Smurfs 2 has only pulled in around $15 million . However, Columbia and Sony Pictures are hoping the flick will do some serious business in foreign markets. No word yet if the studio still plans to move forward with The Smurfs 3.
On the independent front, the much-maligned Lindsay Lohan drama The Canyons is reportedly doing steady business in New York City. Bret Easton Ellis and Paul Schrader’s flick is expected to make a decent amount of money from VOD. However, reviews have been less than flattering .
Hugh Jackman and director James Mangold’s The Wolverine added $6.4 million to its box office piggy bank on Friday. This pushes its domestic total to approximately $79.7 million. The superhero epic has earned $171.1 million from moviegoers across the planet.
Are you planning to see 2 Guns or The Smurfs 2 in theaters over the weekend?
[Image via Universal Pictures]