Having made its first weekend a record success, 'Gravity' now needs to make a lasting impression.
The critics love Gravity. Moviegoers love Gravity. Given these two facts, it’s no wonder that Alfonso Cuaron’s dizzying space thrill-ride easily topped the weekend box office in an otherwise fairly uneventful season. The movie was off to a great start, with $55.6 million in opening weekend revenue (according to Box Office Mojo), helped in part by the pricier 3D ticket. Those earnings seem pretty appropriate for the movie’s large scope, really. Cuaron’s beautiful orbital setting, as well as Sandra Bullock and George Clooney’s moving performances helped Gravity top the opening weekend record for October. The record was previously held by 2011’s Paranormal Activity, which grossed $52.6 million on opening weekend.
At least visually, 'Gravity' is a sight to behold.
Meanwhile, the film far surpassed the weekend’s other hopeful – Runner Runner, starring Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake. Could it have been all those rageful Batman fans, refusing to see the film in protest of Affleck’s casting? One can only speculate.
Watch the 'Gravity' trailer here.
Gravity also offered another chance for a 2013 box office success for Bullock, whose movie The Heat delivered disappointing profits back in summer, despite initially promising reviews. Considering Gravity’s timing, as well as the movie’s undeniably ambitious scope, it’s no surprise that there is already early award buzz, surrounding the film. But this is Hollywood and it would be naïve to believe that the film owes its success to artistic merit alone. In fact, it has been in large part the result of a concentrated effort on the part of Warner Bros.
Bullock and Clooney have both been praised for their performances.
Recognizing the film’s potential, with an all-star cast and stunning visuals, the studio rolled out a massive marketing campaign over the past month. This means that Gravity’s success over the weekend could be just a result of the hype. The proof, as usual, will be in the pudding – and by “pudding,” we mean “next weekend’s profits.”
The question now is: will it last?
Jane 'Calamity' Bodine makes the brave move to come out of retirement as a top...
Utterly charming, this silly prequel rewrites the origin story of the minions and sends them...
Since the dawn of time, the Minions have been desperately looking for a master. From...
It's a wonder why the prehistoric tribe of Minions have managed to survive so long...
The Minions are a prehistoric race with a love of bananas and not the biggest...
More like a 91-minute thrill-ride than an astronaut adventure movie, this tour de force throws...
Dr Ryan Stone is a medical engineer who happens to take her first space adventure...
Miss Congeniality shows up The Other Guys in this riotously funny buddy-cop comedy, which overcomes...
Medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone is on her first mission into outer space with veteran...
FBI special agent Sarah Ashburn and Detective Shannon Mullins could not be two more different...
Dr. Ryan Stone is a young medial engineer on her very first trip to space...