Reynolds' 'Lantern' has low-beam debut of $52.7M (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Ryan Reynolds is the latest superhero to rule the weekend box office.

Reynolds' "Green Lantern" debuted at No. 1 with $52.7 million domestically, a fair but unremarkable opening stacked up against other comic-book adaptations. The movie added $17 million in a handful of overseas markets where it has opened, including Great Britain and Russia.

Released by Warner Bros., "Green Lantern" brought up the rear among superhero movies to open so far this summer, behind the $65.7 million debut of "Thor" and the $55.1 million launch of "X-Men: First Class."

The previous weekend's top flick, Paramount Pictures' sci-fi adventure "Super 8," slipped to No. 2 with $21.3 million. Its domestic total rose to $72.8 million.

Jim Carrey's family comedy "Mr. Popper's Penguins" had a frosty start as the 20th Century Fox release came in at No. 3 with $18.2 million.

Overall business cooled for the second-straight weekend. Hollywood revenues totaled $149 million, down a steep 25 percent from the same weekend last year, when Disney's Pixar Animation blockbuster "Toy Story 3" debuted with $110.3 million, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

Receipts this summer season still are ahead of last year's, with revenue climbing to $1.56 billion since the first weekend in May, up 7 percent from 2010's pace.

Another Pixar animated sequel, "Cars 2," could steer Hollywood upward again this coming weekend.

"We're fine. We're still ahead of last summer, and Pixar is going to have a chance to get us back in the mix next weekend," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

Adapted from the DC Comics series, "Green Lantern" stars Reynolds as a cocky test pilot who gains superpowers after he becomes the first human recruit of a galactic police force.

The movie was trashed by critics, and after a solid $21.6 million haul on opening day Friday, "Green Lantern" trailed off sharply as revenues dropped 22 percent Saturday. That's often a sign that a movie lacks staying power, since revenues for new releases typically rise on Saturday.

With school letting out for the summer, Warner Bros. executives hope the movie will draw teenagers in on the weekdays.

"The mid-weeks are going to tell the tale of the movie," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner. If "Green Lantern" does good business come Monday, "then all bets are off and we're back in the game."

Likewise, 20th Century Fox is counting on good holdover business for "Mr. Popper's Penguins," a children's book adaptation that stars Carrey as a neglectful dad who learns the value of family ties after he inherits half a dozen pesky penguins.

"It's a heartwarming PG comedy that everybody can go see," said Fox distribution executive Bert Livingston. "There's humor for adults in there, and it's got penguins. People love penguins."

In narrower release, Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts' teen romance "The Art of Getting By" flopped with a debut of just $700,000.

Released by Fox Searchlight, "The Art of Getting By" played in 610 theaters and averaged a dismal $1,148 a cinema.

That compared to a $13,806 average in 3,816 theaters for "Green Lantern" and $5,451 in 3,339 cinemas for "Mr. Popper's Penguins."

The Warner Bros. sequel "The Hangover Part II" pulled in $9.6 million domestically and $21.4 million overseas to raise its worldwide total to $488 million. That topped the $468 million global haul of 2009's "The Hangover."

Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" padded its lead as the biggest worldwide box-office draw released this year. The movie took in $6.2 million domestically and $25.9 million internationally to lift its total to $952.2 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Green Lantern," $52.7 million ($17 million international).

2. "Super 8," $21.3 million.

3. "Mr. Popper's Penguins," $18.2 million.

4. "X-Men: First Class," $11.5 million.

5. "The Hangover Part II," $9.6 million ($21.4 million international).

6. "Kung Fu Panda 2," $8.7 million ($52.5 million).

7. "Bridesmaids," $7.5 million ($7.3 million international).

8. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," $6.2 million ($25.9 million international).

9. "Midnight in Paris," $5.2 million.

10. "Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer," $2.2 million.

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Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

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"Green Lantern" falls short at box office (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The costly superhero movie "Green Lantern" flickered at the weekend box office in North America, while a Jim Carrey family comedy got a lukewarm reception.

According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, "Green Lantern" earned about $52.7 million -- at the lower end of expectations -- during its first three days of release across the United States and Canada.

The Warner Bros. 3D release will need to make up ground overseas to recoup its reported $200 million production budget and its $125 million worldwide marketing tab. (The studio said those numbers were too high, but declined to give its own figures.)

Ideally, the picture would have opened to about $55 million, said Dan Fellman, the president of domestic theatrical distribution at the Time Warner Inc unit. But it was too early to get an accurate picture of its prospects, he added.

Critics mauled the picture, which stars Ryan Reynolds as an intergalactic space cop. The relatively obscure character originated in a DC Comics book, and is the latest superhero to invade theaters in recent weeks following "Thor" ($65 million opening) and a fifth "X-Men" movie ($55 million).

Carrey's family comedy "Mr. Popper's Penguins" came in at No. 3 with $18.2 million, exceeding the diminished $10 million to $15 million expectations of its distributor, 20th Century Fox.

The News Corp unit was confident about the long-term prospects for its $55 million movie, citing strong exit polls. On the other hand "Penguins" has just a few more days to attract families before they all line up for Pixar Animation's "Cars 2" sequel beginning June 24.

The film, based on a 1938 children's book, stars Carrey as a divorced dad who reconnects with his children with the improbable help of a half-dozen penguins who run amok through his Manhattan apartment and across the city. Critics also gave it the thumbs down.

Carrey has not starred in a major hit since "Bruce Almighty" in 2003. His last live-action wide release, "Yes Man," also opened to about $18 million in 1998; the comedy finished up with $98 million domestically, but production costs alone were about $70 million.

Last weekend's champion, "Super 8," slipped to No. 2 with $21.3 million. The sci-fi mystery has earned $72.3 million after 11 days, according to Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc.

(Reporting by Dean Goodman; editing by Mohammad Zargham)

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"Green Lantern" on track to earn $20 million on Friday (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Warner Bros. Pictures' 3D superhero film "Green Lantern" -- starring Ryan Reynolds -- is on track to cross $20 million at the Friday box office, giving it a shot at a $57 million to $60 million debut over Father's Day weekend, according to early estimates.

Friday's total includes $3.4 million in midnight grosses.

Even rival studios are impressed by the strong business "Green Lantern" is doing, and credit an aggressive marketing campaign.

The other new entry over Father's Day weekend is 20th Century Fox's family film "Mr. Popper's Penguins," starring Jim Carrey.

In recent days, Fox lowered its expectations for the movie because of soft tracking. Based on Friday business, "Popper's Penguins" is looking at a weekend gross of $17 million to $19 million.

That's better than Fox's estimate of $10 million to $15 million, but still less than what the studio originally hoped for.

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)

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Box Office Preview: Lots of green for 'Lantern' (AP)

By PAUL DERGARABEDIAN, For The Associated Press Paul Dergarabedian, For The Associated Press – Thu Jun 16, 1:19 pm ET

LOS ANGELES – Another superhero is about to enter the summer sweepstakes as Warner Bros.' "The Green Lantern" in 3-D, starring Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, smashes its way into more than 3,600 domestic theaters with an expected winning gross of near $60 million.

Directed by Martin Campbell, who helmed the "Casino Royale" and "Goldeneye" Bond films, this adaptation of a lesser-known DC Comics series is looking to build a potential new franchise by drawing action fans and Reynolds followers alike.

Paramount's "Super 8" enters its second weekend with solid midweek numbers and strong momentum from a better-than-expected debut and should experience no more than a 45-55 percent drop for a likely second-place take of about $20 million.

Fox's PG-rated "Mr. Popper's Penguins," starring Jim Carrey, should enter the box office race in third place at around $15 million. The film about a businessman whose life is turned upside down after inheriting six penguins offers a lighthearted alternative for families and younger kids in this testosterone-driven season.

Fox's "X-Men: First Class" in its third weekend and Paramount-Dreamworks' "Kung Fu Panda 2" in its fourth weekend will duke it out for fourth and fifth place in the $12 million range. Each film has made its mark globally, with "Kung Fu" passing $300 million and "X-Men" collecting more than $230 million.

Of course, there's always a chance Warner Bros.' global comedy phenomenon "The Hangover Part II" could hurl its way into the top five for a fourth straight weekend, stumbling in at around $10 million.

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Paul Dergarabedian is president of the Box Office Division of Hollywood.com and a box office analyst for The Associated Press.

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Online: http://www.Hollywood.com/boxoffice

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Physiques ab-solutely key to 'Lantern' (AP)

By MIKE CIDONI LENNOX, AP Entertainment Writer Mike Cidoni Lennox, Ap Entertainment Writer – Wed Jun 15, 9:49 am ET

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Ryan Reynolds is ready to trade one six pack for another.

The actor admitted he was sick of talking about his well-defined abs, which are on display so prominently in the new, big-screen adaptation of "The Green Lantern" comic-book series that they practically deserve their own billing.

"God, on a scale of one to 10 — one being, 'This is delightful' to 10 being, 'I can't stop vomiting' — probably somewhere around a nine; just dry-heaving at this point," the actor noted, with a smile.

The lanky Reynolds has certainly looked fit onscreen before, perhaps most notably in "The Proposal'"s scene where his and Sandra Bullock's characters accidentally run into each other — naked.

"There's no starvation," he said of his "Lantern" role-prep diet. "It's the opposite. It's eating, eating, eating. I don't typically eat like that. So, it's a lot about getting a little bit bigger and stronger, too. So, a lot of it's functional, too, because you just get your ass kicked like this. So, you want to get up after falling on the cement 45 times in a row."

While physical training for a movie was nothing new to Reynolds, that didn't make it any easier for "Lantern," which opens this weekend. "The goal is, no matter how you feel, you just got to get up and do it. It's three in the morning because you've got a five a.m. call," Reynolds explained. "You know, it's just part of the job. You know, 'This too shall pass. This is 10, 11 months right now. But, pretty soon, I'll be able to sit on the couch and have a beer, 10 beers. It's all the same. I'm Canadian."

Both the 34-year-old Reynolds and co-star Mark Strong (a British thespian perhaps best known for the third and sixth "Prime Suspect" films) spend much of the time in "Lantern" in green suits that are so formfitting they look sprayed on. "Unforgiving," noted Strong, 47.

"It's funny to me from where I come from, the work I've done, coming from the theater, that over the past 25 years, part of being an actor is your physical appearance, in terms of whether you're fit or whether you look good naked. That never really used to be an issue. It's a kind of recent — for the last 10 years — phenomenon for an old (guy) like me. I have to keep up with the young guys."

Added Reynolds, "When Mark signed on to the film, I knew we had something special there __ specifically because if the franchise is to continue, which everybody hopes it will, then what's going to happen is that war between Hal (Reynolds' character) and Sinestro (Strong's character). That's something that's going to be interesting."

Which means both Strong and Reynolds may be hitting the gym again.

"You know," replied Reynolds, "That is what we call 'a good problem.' In my industry, it's a very good problem."

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Online: http://www.greenlanternmovie.warnerbros.com

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