Perhaps this will show the usually talented Will Ferrell that three consecutive sports comedies (with similar themes, style and characters) does not a filmography make. Semi-Pro the basketball counterpart to Blades of Glory‘s figure skating and Talledega Nights‘ car racing (each big BO hits), made just $5 million dollars Friday night, heading for a $12-15 million opening, and putting it toward the bottom of Ferrell openers. Take a look:
ALL-TIME TOP 10 WILL FERRELL LIVE ACTION OPENINGS
1. Talladega Nights – $47M
2. Blades of Glory – $33M
3. Elf – $31.1M
4. Anchorman – $28.4M
5. Kicking & Screaming – $20.15M
6. Bewitched – $20.13M
7. Old School – $17.4M
8. Zoolander – $15.5M
9. Stranger Than Fiction – $13.4M
10. Semi-Pro – $13??
Even the soccer comedy “bomb” Kicking and Screaming did much better.
Thankfully, the trailer for this summer’s Step Brothers looks a lot more promising, and maybe Ferrell can, uh, rebound.
The film’s failure is also a sad end to a horrific week for New Line. This follows Rendition, The Last Mimzy, Martian Child, Over Her Dead Body and The Golden Compass, all of which tanked.
But in brighter box office news, The Other Boleyn Girl came in at third on Friday with $2.9 million on just 1,100 screens… heading for $8.5 million.
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