Pacific Rim Disappoints With Third Place Box Office Debut

Audiences didn't exactly cancel the apocalypse this weekend. Guillermo del Toro's giant robots vs. giant monsters epic Pacific Rim opened in third place at the domestic box office, marking Hollywood's latest big budget ($200 million in this case) disappointment following The Lone Ranger and After Earth.

Pacific Rim bowed with $38.3 million, which was below industry projections of the $40+ million range. The film fared better overseas where it opened in 38 markets. As THR points out, "the 3D tentpole took in $53 million for a worldwide total of $91.3 million. While strong in Asia, Russia and Mexico, Pacific Rim was soft elsewhere."

With a budget of roughly $200 million, plus tens of millions more to market it, Pacific Rim will really need to have legs overseas to help stem the loss for production company Legendary Pictures, which funded most of the picture.

But there's a glimmer of hope, fanboys. As THR notes, the film "is outpacing a slew of films that went on to gross between $300 million and $400 million overseas, including Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Clash of the Titans and Prometheus. It's also pacing on par with World War Z, which has earned more than $200 million to date at the foreign box office."

Adam Sandler's sequel Grown Ups 2 debuted in second place with $42.5 million, while Despicable Me 2 remained No. 1 its second weekend with $44.8 million.

Here are the weekend estimates via Rentrak:

1. Despicable Me 2 $44.8 million

2. Grown Ups 2 $42.5 million

3. Pacific Rim $38.3 million

4. The Heat $14 million

5. The Lone Ranger $11.1 million

6. Monsters University $10.6 million

7. World War Z $9.4 million

8. White House Down $6.2 million

9. Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain $5 million

10. Man of Steel $4.8 million

Listen to the Keepin' It Reel podcast to learn what our box office predictions were.

Source : ign[dot]com