"A Nightmare on Elm Street," the latest slasher film from a newly-resurrected hit movie franchise, topped the weekend North American box office with 32.9 million dollars in receipts, final figures showed Monday.
Last weekend's top earner, animated Dreamworks fantasy hit "How to Train Your Dragon," fell to second place with 10.6 million dollars in ticket sales, box office tracker Exhibitor Relations said.
In third place was slapstick comedy "Date Night," starring Tina Fey and Steve Carrell about the misadventures of a jaded married couple in search of a rare romantic evening without their kids, which earned 7.6 million dollars.
Fourth place went to "The Back-Up Plan," a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez, which took 7.3 million dollars in receipts.
Kiddie flick "Furry Vengeance" about a group of woodland critters who join together to prevent the construction of a housing development on an animal reserve, debuted in fifth place, earning 6.6 million dollars.
In sixth place was "The Losers," an action film adaptation of the comic book of the same name, with 5.9 million dollars in its opening weekend.
"Clash of the Titans," a critically-panned blockbuster based on the exploits of Perseus and his battles with the serpent-haired Medusa and a fearsome sea monster, fell one spot to number seven, earning 5.85 million dollars.
Falling three places to the eighth spot was "Kick-Ass," the controversial action hero movie featuring Nicolas Cage and a host of foul-mouthed, pint-sized crime fighters, which took in 4.5 million dollars.
Ninth place went to the remake "Death at a Funeral," featuring Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence and Tracy Morgan, fell three spots to number seven, with 4.1 million dollars.
Rounding out the top ten was the nature documentary "Oceans," which took in 2.6 million dollars.
Monday, May 03, 2010
Iron Man 2 opens big at international box office
A week before the summer movie season officially launches in North America, superhero film "Iron Man 2" got off to a flying start overseas with an international debut of $100.2 million, according to box office estimates issued Sunday.
"Iron Man 2" will open Friday in the United States and Canada, a market that this past weekend saw horror film remake "A Nightmare on Elm Street" take No. 1 with $32.2 million.
Paul Dergarabedian, president of tracking firm Hollywood.com Box Office, said he expects "Iron Man 2" to make more than $120 million when it opens in the United States and Canada.
"There's just tremendous interest," he said. "It's the kickoff of the summer movie season. People loved the first film so they're going to line up for the second one -- it should be one of the biggest opening weekends of all time."
"Iron Man 2" opened in 53 international territories this past weekend and made $100.2 million at 6,764 theaters, according to studio estimates.
The film was particularly strong in the United Kingdom, where it made $12.2 million, and South Korea, where it debuted to $10.8 million.
The movie is based on a Marvel Entertainment comic book. It stars Robert Downey Jr. as a billionaire with a suit of armor that he dons to jet through the air and blast away enemies.
The Walt Disney Co last year paid $4 billion to buy Marvel, which in recent years has used its studio division to spearhead film versions of its comic books. "Iron Man 2" is the first Marvel film since that deal closed.
Under an agreement that predates Disney's acquisition of Marvel, Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures is distributing "Iron Man 2."
"Iron Man" made $98.6 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters during its opening weekend in 2008. Paramount said Sunday that for the 53 territories where "Iron Man 2" debuted, it beat "Iron Man's" opening gross in local currency by 26 percent.
"Iron Man" made $585 million at worldwide box offices.
SCARING THE COMPETITION
The $32.2 million made by "A Nightmare on Elm Street" is a record for any horror film opening in April or May, said Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution for Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros, the studio behind "Nightmare."
The animated "How To Train Your Dragon" came in at No. 2 with $10.8 million, a drop of about 30 percent from last weekend. Romantic comedy "Date Night" pulled in $7.6 million and fell only 27 percent to land at No. 3.
"Nightmare" stars Jackie Earle Haley as the murderous Freddy Krueger, who slashes to death teenage victims in their dreams. It is a remake of a 1984 release of the same name and the ninth installment in the franchise.
"There's always been great interest in this franchise," Fellman said.
The horror movie cost a little more than $30 million to produce and opened slightly above expectations.
Meanwhile, opening just below expectations was the family comedy "Furry Vengeance" starring Brendan Fraser, which made $6.5 million at U.S. and Canada box offices and came in at fifth place for independent studio Summit Entertainment.
"The Back-up Plan," starring Jennifer Lopez in her first film since 2006, pulled in $7.2 million in its second weekend to land at No. 4. The romantic comedy is from CBS Films, a unit of CBS Corp.
"How To Train Your Dragon" was produced by DreamWorks Animation SKG and distributed by Paramount. It has made $192.4 million in the U.S. and Canada since its March opening.
"Date Night" is from News Corp's 20th Century Fox. It has pulled in $73.6 million since its April 9 debut.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Bill Trott)
"Iron Man 2" will open Friday in the United States and Canada, a market that this past weekend saw horror film remake "A Nightmare on Elm Street" take No. 1 with $32.2 million.
Paul Dergarabedian, president of tracking firm Hollywood.com Box Office, said he expects "Iron Man 2" to make more than $120 million when it opens in the United States and Canada.
"There's just tremendous interest," he said. "It's the kickoff of the summer movie season. People loved the first film so they're going to line up for the second one -- it should be one of the biggest opening weekends of all time."
"Iron Man 2" opened in 53 international territories this past weekend and made $100.2 million at 6,764 theaters, according to studio estimates.
The film was particularly strong in the United Kingdom, where it made $12.2 million, and South Korea, where it debuted to $10.8 million.
The movie is based on a Marvel Entertainment comic book. It stars Robert Downey Jr. as a billionaire with a suit of armor that he dons to jet through the air and blast away enemies.
The Walt Disney Co last year paid $4 billion to buy Marvel, which in recent years has used its studio division to spearhead film versions of its comic books. "Iron Man 2" is the first Marvel film since that deal closed.
Under an agreement that predates Disney's acquisition of Marvel, Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures is distributing "Iron Man 2."
"Iron Man" made $98.6 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters during its opening weekend in 2008. Paramount said Sunday that for the 53 territories where "Iron Man 2" debuted, it beat "Iron Man's" opening gross in local currency by 26 percent.
"Iron Man" made $585 million at worldwide box offices.
SCARING THE COMPETITION
The $32.2 million made by "A Nightmare on Elm Street" is a record for any horror film opening in April or May, said Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution for Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros, the studio behind "Nightmare."
The animated "How To Train Your Dragon" came in at No. 2 with $10.8 million, a drop of about 30 percent from last weekend. Romantic comedy "Date Night" pulled in $7.6 million and fell only 27 percent to land at No. 3.
"Nightmare" stars Jackie Earle Haley as the murderous Freddy Krueger, who slashes to death teenage victims in their dreams. It is a remake of a 1984 release of the same name and the ninth installment in the franchise.
"There's always been great interest in this franchise," Fellman said.
The horror movie cost a little more than $30 million to produce and opened slightly above expectations.
Meanwhile, opening just below expectations was the family comedy "Furry Vengeance" starring Brendan Fraser, which made $6.5 million at U.S. and Canada box offices and came in at fifth place for independent studio Summit Entertainment.
"The Back-up Plan," starring Jennifer Lopez in her first film since 2006, pulled in $7.2 million in its second weekend to land at No. 4. The romantic comedy is from CBS Films, a unit of CBS Corp.
"How To Train Your Dragon" was produced by DreamWorks Animation SKG and distributed by Paramount. It has made $192.4 million in the U.S. and Canada since its March opening.
"Date Night" is from News Corp's 20th Century Fox. It has pulled in $73.6 million since its April 9 debut.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Bill Trott)
IBM buys cloud computing firm Cast Iron Systems
Technology giant IBM announced Monday it has bought cloud computing specialty firm Cast Iron Systems to ride the hot trend in offering programs as services hosted online.
IBM touted California-based Cast Iron Systems as having been enlisted by thousands of firms including Allianz, Dow Jones, and Time Warner to use software as Internet services.
"In today?s competitive global business environment, companies are recognizing the need to reduce complexity and cost in order to increase their business agility," IBM said in a release.
"To do so, many organizations are accessing key business applications through software as a service models and cloud deployments."
Cloud computing essentially lets users rent programs and access them as needed on the Internet instead of buying software that they need to install, maintain and update on their own computers.
IBM predicted that the global cloud computing market will grow 28 percent annually to 126 billion dollars by the year 2012.
US-based IBM planned to use the expertise of Cast Iron Systems to enable business customers to quickly blend on-premise computer systems with applications provided as services on the Internet.
"The combination of IBM and Cast Iron Systems will make it easy for clients to integrate business applications, no matter where those applications reside," said IBM WebSphere general manager Craig Hayman.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
IBM touted California-based Cast Iron Systems as having been enlisted by thousands of firms including Allianz, Dow Jones, and Time Warner to use software as Internet services.
"In today?s competitive global business environment, companies are recognizing the need to reduce complexity and cost in order to increase their business agility," IBM said in a release.
"To do so, many organizations are accessing key business applications through software as a service models and cloud deployments."
Cloud computing essentially lets users rent programs and access them as needed on the Internet instead of buying software that they need to install, maintain and update on their own computers.
IBM predicted that the global cloud computing market will grow 28 percent annually to 126 billion dollars by the year 2012.
US-based IBM planned to use the expertise of Cast Iron Systems to enable business customers to quickly blend on-premise computer systems with applications provided as services on the Internet.
"The combination of IBM and Cast Iron Systems will make it easy for clients to integrate business applications, no matter where those applications reside," said IBM WebSphere general manager Craig Hayman.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
How to Access Free Wi-Fi
1 Go to a business that offers free Wi-Fi. Go to food businesses like Bruegger's Bagels, Caribou Coffee, Panera Bread Company, and Krystal Restaurants that offer free Wi-Fi. Look on the wall for access info or ask an employee about the secret code you will need. Visit supply stores for free access like Office Depot, Staples, Apple Stores, and CompUSA stores. Check out other businesses that may offer free Wi-Fi depending on location such as Wegman's Supermarkets, EZ Lube Service Centers, and truck stops.
2 Visit a local airport with free Wi-Fi. Most airports have free Wi-Fi. Go to Northwest Airlines WorldClubs or Alaska Airlines Clubs. Park yourself just outside the club and you can sometimes get free Wi-Fi as well.
3 Stay at hotels, motels, and inns with free Wi-Fi. Most hotels have free Wi-Fi for the guests. Some even have free Wi-Fi access to anyone in the lobby area. Ask at the front desk about the access code.
4 Check out an RV and Campground with free Wi-Fi. Subscribe to KOAKonnect dial-up service and get free Wi-Fi to the Hotspotzz Network at participating KOA Campgrounds. Ask at the front desk for other free Wi-Fi access programs at your favorite campground.
5 Book a vacation rental property with free Wi-Fi. Book through a rental property management group in popular vacation areas. Most vacation rental owners have added free Wi-Fi in order to compete in a Wi-Fi happy world. Many also have computers for you to use to access the Internet.
6 Find free Wi-Fi Hotspots in your area. Many parks and other government facilities offer free Internet access. Check out your county's website for a list of locations.
2 Visit a local airport with free Wi-Fi. Most airports have free Wi-Fi. Go to Northwest Airlines WorldClubs or Alaska Airlines Clubs. Park yourself just outside the club and you can sometimes get free Wi-Fi as well.
3 Stay at hotels, motels, and inns with free Wi-Fi. Most hotels have free Wi-Fi for the guests. Some even have free Wi-Fi access to anyone in the lobby area. Ask at the front desk about the access code.
4 Check out an RV and Campground with free Wi-Fi. Subscribe to KOAKonnect dial-up service and get free Wi-Fi to the Hotspotzz Network at participating KOA Campgrounds. Ask at the front desk for other free Wi-Fi access programs at your favorite campground.
5 Book a vacation rental property with free Wi-Fi. Book through a rental property management group in popular vacation areas. Most vacation rental owners have added free Wi-Fi in order to compete in a Wi-Fi happy world. Many also have computers for you to use to access the Internet.
6 Find free Wi-Fi Hotspots in your area. Many parks and other government facilities offer free Internet access. Check out your county's website for a list of locations.
Nintendo launches dark Wii, expanded bundle in US
Nintendo Co. is trying to expand U.S. sales of the Wii by throwing in an extra game and its MotionPlus accessory for making the console's signature motion-sensing wand more precise. The company is also offering a black version of the system as an alternative to the game system's white casing.
The packages will sell for $200, which is what the Wii, bundled with "Wii Sports" and the wand, currently costs. Nintendo said on Monday that it will add "Wii Sports Resort" and the MotionPlus to the bundle. The new packages and the black Wiis will be available in the U.S. and other markets in the Americas starting Sunday.
Black Wiis have already been available in Japan and Europe, and their U.S. announcement has been expected. Nintendo, based in Japan, did not give specific pricing for the console packages outside the U.S. but said it would be comparable.
The Wii is the world's most popular video game console, its sales eclipsing both Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360. But both Sony and Microsoft are coming out with their versions of motion controllers later this year, potentially challenging the Wii's popularity.
Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo of America, said the company is looking to bring in consumers who've been sitting on the fence about buying a Wii. He described the new deal as a "value enhancement" rather than a price cut. "Wii Sports Resort," which comes with MotionPlus, costs $50, though some retailers offer deals for $40.
The packages will sell for $200, which is what the Wii, bundled with "Wii Sports" and the wand, currently costs. Nintendo said on Monday that it will add "Wii Sports Resort" and the MotionPlus to the bundle. The new packages and the black Wiis will be available in the U.S. and other markets in the Americas starting Sunday.
Black Wiis have already been available in Japan and Europe, and their U.S. announcement has been expected. Nintendo, based in Japan, did not give specific pricing for the console packages outside the U.S. but said it would be comparable.
The Wii is the world's most popular video game console, its sales eclipsing both Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360. But both Sony and Microsoft are coming out with their versions of motion controllers later this year, potentially challenging the Wii's popularity.
Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo of America, said the company is looking to bring in consumers who've been sitting on the fence about buying a Wii. He described the new deal as a "value enhancement" rather than a price cut. "Wii Sports Resort," which comes with MotionPlus, costs $50, though some retailers offer deals for $40.
Apple sells 1 million iPads, outdoing first iPhone
Apple Inc. said Monday that is has sold 1 million of its new iPad tablet computers in the month after its launch, meaning it's been selling more than twice as fast as the iPhone did when it was new.
Apple said it reached the milestone on Friday, when the new 3G model of the iPad was delivered to its first buyers. That model can access AT&T's cellular broadband network. The first models had only Wi-Fi access.
"One million iPads in 28 days — that's less than half of the 74 days it took to achieve this milestone with iPhone," said CEO Steve Jobs. Demand keeps exceeding supply for the tablet, he added.
The iPad went on sale in the U.S. on April 3. Apple has already the delayed the international launch of the device, saying sales in the U.S. were unexpectedly strong. It's planning to start taking orders for the iPad from international buyers on May 10.
Apple shares rose $5.26, or 2 percent, to close at $266.35 Monday.
The iPad is half an inch thick and has a 9.7-inch screen. The Wi-Fi-only models start at $499, and the 3G models at $629.
Apple said it reached the milestone on Friday, when the new 3G model of the iPad was delivered to its first buyers. That model can access AT&T's cellular broadband network. The first models had only Wi-Fi access.
"One million iPads in 28 days — that's less than half of the 74 days it took to achieve this milestone with iPhone," said CEO Steve Jobs. Demand keeps exceeding supply for the tablet, he added.
The iPad went on sale in the U.S. on April 3. Apple has already the delayed the international launch of the device, saying sales in the U.S. were unexpectedly strong. It's planning to start taking orders for the iPad from international buyers on May 10.
Apple shares rose $5.26, or 2 percent, to close at $266.35 Monday.
The iPad is half an inch thick and has a 9.7-inch screen. The Wi-Fi-only models start at $499, and the 3G models at $629.
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