The studio estimates have come in and it is official: Jeremy Renner has delivered the goods as The Bourne Legacy debuted over $40 million. While this is a bit behind its immediate predecessors, the gimmick and leading men were both changed which had many suspecting an entry closer to $30 million. However, the last two Matt Damon-led installments of the series debuted north of $50 million, creating an aura of disappointment.
Given that this was Tony Gilroy’s directorial debut for Bourne (he previously only wrote them) in combination with the circumstances mentioned, not achieving such a feat seemed like an inevitability especially in light of the Aurora theater shootings last month–an event that is being blamed for a 10-20% contraction in overall box office revenue. It might also be worth mentioning that the competition was rather tough because right now there are currently three PG-13 big-budget actioners at the box office.
Second place went to Warner Bros.’s R-rated comedy The Campaign starring Zach Galifianakis and Will Ferrell. Good reviews and a general empty shell in the genre since Ted in late June gave this one an audience. Like The Bourne Legacy, it met the high-end of industry expectations with $27.4 million.
The Dark Knight Rises is still hanging in there with another $19.5 million, bringing its domestic total to $390 million. Basic extrapolation has the movie doing $430 million at its worst by time the run is complete for this trilogy-ender. Standard drop-off rules do not apply, so it could conceivably see $450 million assuming theaters continue to screen the film into September.
Fourth was Hope Springs which is that Meryl Streep-Tommy Lee Jones marriage counseling movie. It banked $15.6 million bringing its total to $20.1 million. This suggests a $60+ million domestic haul by time it is all said and done meaning that Streep has made money yet again with another low-budget offering. Many industry watchers will get a chuckle out of this one as recently the Academy Award-winning actress made headlines by ridiculing studio heads for spending $100′s of millions on blockbuster features that sometimes lose an equally large amount of money.
Related:
Reviewers Accept Jeremy Renner As Matt Damon’s Replacement in ‘Bourne Legacy’
Critics Suggest ‘The Campaign’ May Be One Of Will Ferrell’s Best Movies
Critics Love Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones in ‘Hope Springs’