“Dear John” topples “Avatar”

Amanda Seyfried Avatar Avatar Box Office Channing Tatum Dear John Dear John box office Hannah Montana

10:00 am, February 7th, 2010

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BOX OFFICE

 

UPDATED SUNDAY

Avatar‘s astounding run at #1 is over.

After upsetting the James Cameron juggernaut on Friday, Dear John also posted better Saturday box office numbers, albeit by a narrower margin. The romance earned an estimated $12.4 million yesterday to edge the sci-fi epic’s estimated $11.3 million.

With a weekend total of $32.4 million, Dear John also beat Hannah Montana‘s record for a Super Bowl Weekend. That concert film earned $31.1 million in 2008.

At number two, “Avatar” snagged $23.6 million this weekend, raising its domestic total to $630.1 million. 

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ORIGINAL POST – 11:30AM Saturday -

The weekend is far from over, but early projections have produced a big surprise. The over performing love story Dear John is expected to end Avatar‘s reign atop the box office.

Starring Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum, Dear John shot to a huge $13 million Friday opening in North America, far ahead of Avatar, still very strong in its eighth week with a $6 million Friday take.

While numbers from today and tomorrow (Super Bowl Sunday) could obviously shake things up, estimates now place Dear John at roughly $30 million for the weekend, which would be enough to knock off the ridiculously successful Avatar.

Again, numbers won’t be final until tomorrow night. But Avatar‘s long stay atop the weekend box office MAY be over.

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