Participant Films Can Boast Contagion #1 And The Help #2; Warrior #3 In Fewer Runs

FRIDAY PM: Early numbers are coming in so I’ll refine them later. But no surprise which new North American movie is No. 1 tonight with $8M and an estimated $22+M weekend. Especially considering that Warner Bros’ Contagion is playing in 42% more theaters — 3,222 — than its nearest newcomer this weekend.On the surface this looked like yet anotheryikes-you’re-all-going-to-die formula for a disease movie. But I’m surprised it didn’t generate more appeal what withOscar-winning Steven Soderbergh directing 6Academy Awardwinners or nominees: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow,Jude Law, and Laurence Fishburne.That added oomph tocredited screenplay writer Scott Burns’ material. “Yes, it was important to beprovocative and to scare people,” a Warner Bros exec tells me. “But both the print and trailer and TV campaignpresent a more well-rounded view of themystery. We did sell the visceral experience — a smart and thrilling look at a killer virus, the science behind it, and the aftermath.” Warner Brostook the film to Venice to solid reviews and conducted anaggressive consumer campaign. Besides, adult movies are working at the box office. Entering its 5th weekend in release, DreamWorks/Disney’s hit dramedy The Help made $2.6M going to $9M from 2,935 locations for the weekend. That’s good enough for 2nd place and an estimatednew cume of $138M by Monday. At No. 3, Lionsgate’smuch anticipated martial arts drama Warrior starring hot Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton was only released for 1,869 runs. It openedwith $2M today for what should be a $6M weekend. Let’s see if word of mouth can get that number to $7M. In 4th place is Focus Features adult holdover The Debt with $1.5M today and a projected $5M weekend. At No. 5 is Fox’s hit movie Rise Of the Planet Of The Apes which made $1.1M today for another $4M weekend and big new cume of $168M by Monday. I have it on good authority that Sony Pictures execs were hiding out at the Toronto Film Festival (where better-than-expected Moneyball officially premiered tonight) rather than get tagged with Screen Gems’ Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star which had one of the most annoying TV ad campaigns I’ve ever been assaulted by. Mercifully, its box office take was miniscule.