After seven straight weeks at the top of the box office, James Cameron‘s sci-fi epic Avatar was finally pushed out of the number one spot this past weekend. Avatar fell to number two in the weekend box office, pushed aside by the romantic drama Dear John.
We hate to stereotype, but we don’t find it all that surprising that Avatar got bumped off its box office throne on Super Bowl weekend and replaced in the top spot by a chick flick. After all, the ladies had to have something to do while their men were going all caveman for a bunch of guys pounding on each other in the modern gladiator event known as the Super Bowl.
Avatar raked in another $23.6 million at the weekend box office, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the somewhat surprisingly robust ticket sales of Dear John, starring Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum. The movie soared to the top of the box office with $32.4 million in sales – with a hefty 84 percent female audience, according to MTV.com. That’s good news for Screen Gems, which made enough in the film’s first weekend to pay for the movie’s entire production budget.
Avatar has managed to top nearly every record at the box office made by James Cameron’s previous epic drama, Titanic, but at least one will remain standing for now. Titanic held number one at the box office for 17 straight weeks.
With a total of over $2 billion at the box office so far, we’re sure the powers-that-be behind Avatar aren’t feeling all that bummed about losing out on conquering another record. We’re sure they are happily consoled with all those fat piles of crisp, green bills to roll around in.
>> Previously: Avatar Box Office Swamps Titanic Worldwide Record