'Neighbors' unseats Spider-Man to top box office | Inquirer Entertainment

‘Neighbors’ unseats Spider-Man to top box office

/ 09:30 AM May 12, 2014

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Zac Efron, left, and Dave Franco in a scene from “Neighbors.” AP

LOS ANGELES, California— Seth Rogen and Zac Efron have bested Spider-Man at the box office.

Rogen and Efron’s family-versus-fraternity comedy “Neighbors,” was the top draw for moviegoers this weekend, unseating last week’s champ, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.”

Article continues after this advertisement

“Neighbors” debuted with $51 million in ticket sales, pushing Spidey to second place with $37 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

FEATURED STORIES

“Sustaining a No. 1 ranking is generally tougher in the summer than any other time of year,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak. “You don’t expect a comedy to be able to unseat an epic blockbuster, but historically it happens more than you think.”

Raunchy comedies have traditionally found success in the summer movie season: Think “Bridesmaids,” ”The Hangover,” 2012’s “Ted” and last year’s “The Heat.”

Article continues after this advertisement

“Neighbors” stars Rogen and Rose Byrne as new parents finding their footing in the suburbs when a fraternity led by Efron moves in next door. Filled with goofball and gross-out gags balanced with a dash of heart, the comedy boasts some epic party scenes and ample shirtless Efron.

Article continues after this advertisement

The Universal release earned a “fresh” rating from review aggregator RottenTomatoes.com, with 74 percent of film critics responding favorably to the film. Conversely, Sony’s “Amazing Spider-Man 2” earned a “rotten” rating of 54 percent.

Article continues after this advertisement

Spidey is still a major success, with more than $550 million in worldwide ticket sales so far.

“Spider-Man has nothing to worry about,” Dergarabedian said.

Article continues after this advertisement

Another comedy, the Cameron Diaz-Leslie Mann revenge romp “The Other Woman” held onto third place in its third week of release, adding $9 million to its take. “Heaven Is for Real” and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” round out the top five.

RELATED STORIES

Summer Preview: Seth Rogen on ‘Neighbors’

Frat Comedy “Neighbors” Debuts Images

 

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

 

TAGS: box office, Hollywood, Spider-Man 2

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.