Weekend Box Office: ‘Hotel Transylvania’ Impresses With $43 Million Opening

Sony Pictures Animation was in for a surprise when its latest cinematic offering Hotel Transylvania scared up approximately $43 million in ticket sales at the American box office over the weekend. According to The Hollywood Reporter, that’s the biggest debut for any September release in history, not to mention the largest three-day gross since The Dark Knight Rises. What’s more, the picture also provided a hit for star Adam Sandler, whose career really needed a little box office love.

Since studio analysts had placed Hotel Transylvania somewhere in the ballpark of $35 million, the film’s box office receipts are a pleasant surprise for Sony. Not only has the film broken opening weekend records for September, it also generated the most money in a single day during the month, as well. Stars Adam Sandler, Kevin James, and Selena Gomez should probably make room on their busy schedules for the inevitable sequel.

Sony also scored a win with director Rian Johnson’s Looper, which was released under the company’s TriStar banner. In addition to scoring $21 million at the US box office, the time-traveling sci-fi actioner reportedly generated between $23 million and $25 million in China. Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Emily blunt star in the acclaimed $30 million feature.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the controversial “parent trigger” drama Won’t Back Down, which found Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis portraying mothers who take on the public school system, was essentially ignored at the box office over the weekend. Despite opening in no less than 2,500 theaters, the film only managed to earn $2.7 million. On a budget of around $19 million, that’s not the sort of thing executives like to hear.

The musical comedy Pitch Perfect, meanwhile, made an impressive $5.1 million in only 335 theaters. Executives are hoping to build upon the film’s success when it expands into more markets next weekend.

1. Hotel Transylvania – $43,000,000
2. Looper – $21,200,000
3. End of Watch – $8,000,000
4. Trouble with the Curve – $7,530,000
5. House at the End of The Street – $7,154,000
6. Pitch Perfect – $5,200,000
7. Finding Nemo – $4,066,000
8. Resident Evil: Retribution – $3,000,000
9. The Master – $2,745,000
10. Won’t Back Down – $2,700,000