"Think Like a Man" Tops Final Spring Frame

In the calm before The Avengers storm, four new releases were rejected by moviegoers, thus allowing Think Like a Man to remain on top. The box office fell well below last year’s Fast Five-fueled pace, ending an otherwise fantastic spring on a down note.

Falling 46% from its surprisingly potent debut, Think Like a Man remained at number one with $17.6M. The decline was understandable given the built-in audience, and placed Sony’s ten-day total at a terrific $60.4M. With great word-of-mouth, the inexpensive $12M-comedy may flirt with the $100M mark.

Taking silver, Pirates! A Band of Misfits bowed to a weak $11.1M from a very wide 3,358 theaters. Despite a massive theater count and strong reviews, Sony’s claymation pic gave Aardman Animation their weakest opening ever. However, with no family pics until Madagascar: Europe’s Most Wanted on June 8, the road ahead could be kind. Overseas numbers have been much stronger with $66M to date.

Aided by a one week IMAX run, The Hunger Games fell only 23% to $10.81M. Lionsgate has reached a staggering $372M domestically, placing the film at number 17 on the all-time chart. However, with Friday’s opening of The Avengers, larger declines lie ahead.

Slipping two spots to fourth, The Lucky One fell 52% to $10.80M in its sophomore frame. The Zac Efron romance has given Warner Bros. a solid $39.4M in ten days. A final of $70M seems likely for the Nicolas Sparks adaptation.

Disappointing in fifth, The Five-Year Engagement grossed a mediocre $10.6M from 2,936 theaters. Starring Jason Siegel and Emily Blunt, the R-rated laugher was promoted as being “from the creators of Bridesmaids,” but audiences didn’t bite. Judd Apatow’s latest earned mixed reviews and an unpromising B- at CinemaScore.

Below the top five, two male-skewing titles posted weak debuts. Lionsgate’s kidnapping thriller Safe saw a slow $7.8M from 2,266 theaters, while Sony’s period chiller The Raven opened to a miserable $7.2M from 2,203 theaters. Lionsgate’s Jason Statham actioner and Relativity’s John Cusack thriller both drew weak reviews.

Two family flicks followed. Posting a typical decline, Chimpanzee tumbled 51% to $5.2M. With $18.9M in ten days, Disneynature could finish close to Earth’s $32M final. Fox’s The Three Stooges fell 47% to $5.1M and $36.9M in 17 days.

Rounding out the top ten, A Cabin in the Woods fell 44% to $4.6M, giving Lionsgate $34.7M in 17 days.

Compared to projections, The Five-Year Engagement trailed my $23M forecast, while Pirates! A Band of Misfits, Safe and The Raven were close to my predictions of $12M, $9M and $8M.

The top ten was down a steep 34% from 2011, but up 6% from 2010.

Opening next weekend: The Avengers.