Will Smith proved just how extremely bankable a movie star
he is this weekend by having his superhero film “Hancock” claim the top spot at
the box office, with ticket sales in North America worth an estimated $66
million.
It’s becoming an Independence Day tradition that a movie
starring Will Smith comes out and wipes everything else out at the box office.
Remember 1996’s “Independence Day,” 1999’s “Wild Wild West” and the “Men in
Black” films? These are all previous Fourth of July box office smashes recorded
by Will Smith.
“Hancock” marks the actor’s eight consecutive No. 1,
following the more recent “The Pursuit of Happyness,” released in December 2006
to take the top spot at the box office, which also earned him an Academy Award
nomination, and the post-apocalyptic sci fi film “I Am Legend,” released in
December 2007, which became the highest grossing opening for a film for the
month of December, at $77 million.
Will Smith’s Hollywood
superhero status is thus indubitable.
In “Hancock,” produced by Sony Pictures and distributed by
Columbia Pictures, he portrays the title character, an unlikely superhero who
likes to booze it up, is always cranky, and while attempting to save someone’s
life manages, time and again, to cause some havoc and destruction.
Columbia said Sunday the film had earned an estimated $66
million over the three days beginning Independence Day, in the US and Canada.
As the film first entertained moviegoers with Tuesday-night previews, “Hancock”
has earned an approximate total of $107.3 million.
When the people’s injurious comments become more frequent
than their words of gratitude, Hancock resorts to a modern-day solution: a
public-relations expert, played by Jason Bateman. Charlize Theron co-stars in
the comedy directed by Peter Berg (“The Kingdom”).
“Wall-E,” last week’s celebrated box office champion, slipped
to No. 2, with an additional $33.4 million in ticket sales, bringing its 10-day
total to $128.1 million. The film, which tells of a romance between robots, has
been praised almost unanimously by film critics.
Rounding out the top five are the Angelina Jolie thriller “Wanted,”
with $20.6 million, according to Media By Numbers LLC, “Get Smart,” with $11.1
million and animated family flick “Kung Fu Panda,” with $7.5 million.
