If the "Underworld" and "Big Momma's House" sequels earning $20+ million openings weren't a big enough sign of the apocalypse, then the fact that the heavily panned remake of "When a Stranger Calls" did the exact same feat again this past weekend surely proves hell has frozen over.
The PG-13 thriller landed a $22 million opening, even with this being the busy Super Bowl weekend, and easily set the record for the slot. The aforementioned sequels along with "Annapolis" dropped over 50%, big drops compared with the likes of "Nanny McPhee" (-32%), "Brokeback Mountain" (-13%) and "Walk the Line" (+13%).
The other newcomer "Something New" did a decent but average $5 million in its relatively modest opening. "Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story" continues to rule the limited release front with a $15,000 per theatre average.
