Prisoners records hat-trick in UK

Prisoners has recorded a third straight week as the UK’s number one, the first film to do so since The Croods in April.

eOne’s drama added $1.6m (£968,990) after a slim 12% drop and now stands at a strong $8.1m (£5.04m) after 17 days in play.

The weekend total is the lowest for a number one film this year, and the lowest since Ice Age: Continental Drift topped the chart with $1.4m (£853,000) over the June 29-July 1, 2012 weekend. It’s worth noting though that Ice Age 4’s result was from its opening in Scotland and Ireland.

Either way, nothing should be taken away from Prisoners’ hat-trick in the UK especially since it’s only the third film to do so this year after The Croods and Les Misérables.

eOne released The Fifth Estate in 411 sites this weekend, resulting in a $804,000 (£502,495) debut to chart sixth, also marking one of the softest openings for director Bill Condon in the UK, although that does include the climactic Twilight two-parter.

Also for eOne, Justin and the Knights of Valour added $307,000 (£191,556) for $4.3m (£2.7m), while Insidious: Chapter 2 scared up a further $260,000 (£162,555) to stand at $11.2m (£7m).

ENTERTAINMENT

Dropping only 5% in its second week and climbing to second, Entertainment’s Sunshine on Leith added $1.2m (£732,296) for a $3.5m (£2.2m) after ten days in play.

Meanwhile, Romeo & Juliet could only manage $218,000 (£136,410) to chart outside the top 15.

FOX

Although they won’t be counted until this week’s official opening, Fox’s Turbo is off to a speedy start in the UK.

Its $2.2m (£1.4m) performance from Sat-Sun previews means it’s looking at an opening over £3m, making it a firm contender for the top spot this week. Turbo plays in most of Scotland throughout this week as a result of the school half term and has additional previews on Thursday [Oct 17] in sites across the UK.

Also for Fox, Runner Runner dropped a respectable 37% in its third week for $447,000 (£279,714). The crime thriller has now taken $3.8m (£2.4m) in the UK.

Landing in 102 sites, Baggage Claim posted a solid opening of $250,000 (£156,466) at an average of $2,451 (£1,534) to chart 14th. The debut tops that of director David E. Talbert’s only other UK outing, First Sunday, which took $65,000 (£40,706) back in March 2008.

WARNER BROS

Recording a minimal drop in its third week, Warner Bros’ Blue Jasmine as it climbed one place to third with $1m (£643,000).

Woody Allen’s latest has now amassed $5.3m (£3.3m) to become Allen’s best-ever UK performer, ahead of Midnight in Paris’ $4.5m (£2.8m).

Meanwhile, comedy We’re the Millers has grossed $13.4m (£8.4m) to date, following a $94,000 (£59,000) weekend.

LIONSGATE

Posting a slim drop of 25% in its third week of release (second week nationwide), Lionsgate’s Filth fell to fourth as it grossed $1m (£638,856) from its 383 sites.

Jon S. Baird’s adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel has now amassed $4.1m (£2.5m) in the UK after adding over $1.9m (£1.2m) over the past seven days.

Lionsgate also released sequel Machete Kills in 232 sites for a $265,000 (£165,586) opening, almost double its predecessor’s $145,000 (£90,423) UK bow. It’s worth noting that Machete opened in less sites though at 158.

STUDIOCANAL

Rounding off this week’s top five was StudioCanal’s Rush, which raced to a further $853,000 (£532,953) in its fifth weekend, a drop of just 25%.

Ron Howard’s biopic of the rivalry between F1 drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda has £10m firmly in its sights as it stands at $14.2m (£8.9m).

CURZON FILM WORLD

Debuting in 125 sites, Curzon Film World’s Le Week-end recorded a non-final debut of $520,000 (£325,011).

The opening includes around $19,000 (£12,000) in previews, and is the fourth best debut for director Roger Michell, behind Notting Hill ($7.3m/£4.6m), Changing Lanes ($1.3m/£808,268) and Morning Glory ($838,000/£524,356).

It’s worth noting that both Changing Lanes and Morning Glory were released on considerably more sites than Le Week-end at 311 and 374, respectively.

Given its primary market, Le Week-end is likely to post a healthy midweek performance.

SONY

Shooting its way to a further $304,000 (£190,000), Sony’s White House Down is now up to $6.7m (£4.2m) after five weeks in play.

Also for Sony, The Smurfs 2 dropped just 17% in its 11th week to add $160,000 (£100,000) for $19m (£11.9m) to date, as One Direction: This is Us grossed $72,000 (£45,000) for $12.6m (£7.9m).

Grown Ups 2 and Elysium stand at $13.7m (£8.6m) and $14.3m (£8.95m), respectively.

UNIVERSAL

Now in its sixth week, Richard Curtis’ alleged directorial swansong About Time took an additional $286,000 (£179,000) for $11.6m (£7.25m) to date.

Also for Universal, the year’s biggest hit (and the 26th best performer of all time) Despicable Me 2 dropped just 22% in its 16th week for $286,000 (£179,000) to stand at $74.6m (£46.68m).

DISNEY

Falling only 8% in its 14th weekend, Monsters University grossed $179,000 (£112,018) for a running total of $48.1m (£30.1m).

Meanwhile, Planes was just behind with a $176,000 (£109,807) weekend for $13.3m (£8.34m) to date.

ARTIFICIAL EYE

Italy’s official Oscar submission The Great Beauty now stands at $1.2m (£731,768) after adding $48,000 (£29,824) this weekend through Artificial Eye.

UPCOMING RELEASES

This week sees saturation releases for Fox’s Turbo (after previews this weekend), Sony’s LFF opener Captain Phillips and eOne’s Escape Plan.

Fox’s Enough Said receives a wide release, while StudioCanal’s The Broken Circle Breakdown (Belgium’s official Oscar submission), Metrodome’s Prince Avalanche and Arrow’s Like Father, Like Son are among the films receiving a limited release.