Weekend Box Office Report: July 19-21, 2013

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

The Conjuring does scary business!

On a crowded weekend of new releases featuring A-list action and an animated snail, audiences instead flocked to the supernatural chills of THE CONJURING, putting the horror movie at the top with a shocking $41.5 million!

Based on a true story, the terrifying tale of paranormal investigators and demonic activity got the approval stamp from both critics and crowds (85% on Rotten Tomatoes, and an 'A-' CinemaScore). Already profitable on a $20M budget, it's by far the biggest opening for director James Wan (SAW, INSIDIOUS) — at least until his FAST & FURIOUS 7 screeches into theaters next summer.

DESPICABLE ME 2 continues to have a monster summer, taking second place with another $25 million in its third weekend. The Minion-filled CG sequel is up to $276.1 million domestically (the third-biggest movie of the year after IRON MAN 3 and MAN OF STEEL), with a whopping worldwide total of $584.5 million.

Slinking in behind Gru was the original 3D computer-animated TURBO with $21.5 million (and $31.2 million since its Wednesday opening). That's not a great opening for Dreamworks' CG-toon efforts, behind even RISE OF THE GUARDIANS' disappointing $23.7 million first weekend last November. But with an 'A' CinemaScore from audiences, the Ryan Reynolds-voiced mollusk may be in it for the long haul.

Adam Sandler and his cohorts were in fourth place with another $20 million for GROWN UPS 2, dropping around 51% from its opening weekend. Bruce Willis and company weren't far behind with the new sequel RED 2, coming in fifth with $18.5 million. The second elder adventure fared better with moviegoers ('B+' CinemaScore) than critics (40% on Rotten Tomatoes), but it still came up short of the first RED, a surprise 2010 hit that opened to $21.5 million and ended with almost $200M worldwide (and cost around $25M less than the sequel).

Guillermo del Toro's epic monster-on-metal clash PACIFIC RIM placed sixth with $15.9 million, losing about 57% from its opening last week. At this rate the pricey mega-brawl will be fortunate to hit $100 million domestically, although it has already collected more than that from overseas crowds.

The new ghostbusting actioner R.I.P.D., based on a decade-old Dark Horse comic, was a cold corpse in seventh place with just $12.7 million. Perhaps the target audience was too busy following updates from this weekend's Comic Con, or maybe the movie just seemed too much like MEN IN BLACK with more spirits and less charm. Whatever the case, its steep budget (possibly as high as $180M) and neglected existence means the movie will likely be one of the year's biggest flops and a black mark for director Robert Schwentke (whose last movie, coincidentally, was the first RED).

Rounding out the list was the certified hit THE HEAT, Brad Pitt's zompocalypse WORLD WAR Z (which could eventually shamble to $500 million worldwide) and Pixar's MONSTERS UNIVERSITY. Outside the chart, THE LONE RANGER rode into the sunset after just two weeks in the Top 10, WHITE HOUSE DOWN has collapsed, KEVIN HART: LET ME EXPLAIN talked its way to $30 million, and MAN OF STEEL has returned to the Fortress of Solitude. Audiences also shrugged at Ryan Gosling's reunion with DRIVE director Nicolas Winding Refn — their violent new offering ONLY GOD FORGIVES had a mere $4k per-screen average in 78 locations (it's also available via VOD).

Next weekend brings Hugh Jackman's sharp-fisted mutant anti-hero back to theaters in THE WOLVERINE, Aubrey Plaza goes through THE TO-DO LIST, and the comedy THE WAY WAY BACK expands onto a few hundred more screens.

Are you excited to check out THE WOLVERINE next weekend? VOTE HERE!