Friday Box Office Analysis (6/2)

The Break-Up either scored $14.0 million or roughly $15.8 million according to estimates on Friday, which puts it on track to hit $40 million for the weekend or at least very close to that mark. The Vince Vaughn/Jennifer Aniston romantic comedy about a doomed relationship played stronger than expected, especially in LA where ticket sales were almost up to the level of Bruce Almighty.

The two estimates would have Break-Up averaging either $4,565 or $5,152 per-screen in 3,067 theaters, and the grosses are comparable to Hitch and American Pie 2, which opened to $14.0 million and $16.5 million, respectively. Though critics did not warm up to the feature, audiences seemed to respond to the somewhat honest look at relationships and seemed to have found it funnier than most reviewers (big surprise there).

The Break-Up was a big-enough event on Friday night that the trailer for Snakes on a Plane drew cheers from an audience at a local multiplex that usually attracts more reserved moviegoers. Last week the Snakes trailer was making rounds with X3 and was lighting up the house almost everywhere (at the Chinese in Hollywood, the ad received a Star Wars-like response).

It will be interesting to see if Break-Up falls on Saturday considering the big opening day, as its chances of hitting $40 million for three days should largely depend on that performance.