The Weekend Derby

The numbers, Friday to Sunday:

1). Gone Girl (FOX), 3014 theaters / $13.2MFri. / 3-day est. cume: 37M+/ Wk 1
2). Annabelle (WB), 3185 theaters / $15.45MFri. / 3-day est. cume: $32M+/ Wk 1

3). The Equalizer (SONY), 3236 theaters (0)/ $5.6M Fri. / $3-day est. cume: $18M (-44%) / Wk 2

4). The Maze Runner (FOX), 3605 theaters (-33) / $3.4M Fri. /3-day est. cume: $11.6M / Wk 3

5). The Boxtrolls (FOC), 3464 theaters (0)/ $2.7M Fri. / 3-day est. cume: $10.4M (-38%) / Wk 2

6). Left Behind (Freestyle), 1825 theaters / $2.3M Fri. / $ 3-day est. cume: $7.5M / Wk 1

7). This is Where I Leave You (WB), 2735 theaters (-133) / $1.2M Fri. / 3-day est. cume: $4M / Wk 3

8). Dolphin Tale 2 (WB), 2790 theaters (-586) / $798K Fri. / 3-day est. cume: $3.04M/ Wk 4

9). Guardians of the Galaxy (DIS), 1894 theaters (-557) / $794K Fri. / 3-day est. cume: $2.9-3M/ Wk 10

10). No Good Deed (SONY), 1580 theaters (-550)/ $741K Fri. / 3-day est. cume: $2.4M/ Wk 4

Forbes analyzes the top of the list:=. d

... Warner Bros.’ Annabelle, a spin-off from The Conjuring, scored the top spot at the box office on Friday night, earning a robust and impressive $15.5 million. The $6.5m New Line Cinema production, which centered on an evil doll, is an unquestionable horror smash in a year relatively bereft of them. Spin-off or not, Annabelle played like a proverbial sequel to The Conjuring, earning just 8% less than the $16.95m earned by The Conjuring on its first Friday. ...

The knockout debut for Gone Girl is frankly something I had secretly half-expected but dared-not-utter out of fear of poisoning the well. A $20 million weekend debut would have been just fine for the sure-to-be-leggy thriller, but it smelled like the kind of film that basically every available adult moviegoer rushes out to see. As such, the film’s $13.2 million Friday debut not only establishes the film as a genuine hit but also firmly establishes the film as a major Oscar player. ...