Tatum Rules Box Office Week Before Hunger Games

Call it the calm before The Hunger Games storm with Channing Tatum bookending the top 12 films in the box office this weekend. Tatum teamed up with recent Oscar nominee Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street which topped the weekend with a bigger than expected $36.3 million haul. It also surprised with the critics garnering over 85% at Rotten Tomatoes. It unseated Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, twice the weekend box office champ, which takes the #2 spot with a cumulative $158.4 million in the bank already. As I said, Tatum was in demand with The Vow in 12th place with over $121 million earned in six weeks of release. As an actor, I don't understand at all his appeal, but its heartening to see a critical hit top the box office after the past couple of weeks with nothing but rotten films.

Maybe actor Josh Hutcherson can repeat Tatum's success and have two films in the top 12 next weekend. His much anticipated film The Hunger Games (also starring Jennifer Lawrence) is tracking well everywhere including with the critics and is guaranteed a mega blockbuster opening good for the top spot. His other film Journey 2 currently stands at #8 in its 6th week of release. On the opposite end of the success spectrum though is the box office flop of last weekend, John Carter, which didn't save face this weekend falling more than 50% and earning just $53.2 million against its $250 million budget.