Weekend Box Office Report: November 8-10, 2013

The box office is thunderstruck!

Marvel continues to show its strength at the box office as the Thunder God returned to theaters with a mighty blow, putting THOR: THE DARK WORLD at the top with an opening weekend of $86.1 million!

Much like IRON MAN 3, the sequel enjoyed the post-AVENGERS business bump — the first THOR opened in May 2011 to $65.7 million and went to an eventual $181 million domestically and $449 million worldwide. THOR: THE DARK WORLD got a week's head start overseas and is already up to $327 million globally!

The domestic opening for THOR: THE DARK WORLD makes it the ninth biggest November weekend, and in a major franchise crowd — above it are three TWILIGHT movies, four HARRY POTTERs, and last year's 007 hit SKYFALL, which opened on this same weekend with $88.3 million.

Paying crowds appreciated the increased scope of Thor's second headlining adventure, giving the movie an 'A-' CinemaScore (no doubt assisted by the Tumblr infatuation with his duplicitous half-brother Loki). THOR: THE DARK WORLD has an extra week to gather coin before major competitor THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE arrives on November 22nd (plus a bonus Monday for those who have tomorrow off from work or school for the Veteran's Day holiday).

Coming in second was last weekend's #2, JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA with another $11.3 million, diving over the $100 million mark globally to become the second-biggest JACKASS movie, after JACKASS 3D went on to $117.2 domestically and $171.7 worldwide.

The computer-animated turkey flick FREE BIRDS trotted up a spot to #3 with $11.1 million, wrinkled-neck-and-neck with the elder actors' Sin City trip LAST VEGAS with nearly the same amount (they may end up switching spots when tomorrow's actual figures are calculated). Both movies held fairly well, losing 29% and 32% of business from their respective openings.

The same can't be said for last weekend's winner ENDER'S GAME, glitching into fifth with $10.2 million — a drop of 62% from last week. That pricey sci-fi entry, adapted from Orson Scott Card's novel, cost around the same as the sixth-place GRAVITY, the phenomenon that's now closing in on half a billion worldwide.

The critically exalted awards-buzzed drama 12 YEARS A SLAVE expanded to 1100 screens and remained in seventh place with $6.6 million, while CAPTAIN PHILLIPS drifted past to eighth with $5.8 million toward an inevitable $100 million destination.

The time-travel love story ABOUT TIME jumped into wide release to land in ninth place with $5.1 million (the Rachel McAdams romance from LOVE ACTUALLY writer-director Richard Curtis has already cleared $40 million overseas). CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 hangs onto the last spot as THE COUNSELOR and CARRIE got bounced off the list, while the limited release WWII drama THE BOOK THIEF made a moderate impression with a $27k per-screen average.

Next weekend brings just one new wide release, the reunion/sequel THE BEST MAN HOLIDAY, while limited releases include Alexander Payne's NEBRASKA and Shia LaBeouf in CHARLIE COUNTRYMAN.

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