BOX OFFICE REPORT (AUG. 9-11): 'Elysium' Wins the Weekend but Fails to Match Success of 'District 9'

After seeing a ton of big-name movies flop at the box office, it was kind of surprising to see four new releases take the top four spots at the box office this past weekend. Despite that note, though, all four movies debuted at lower numbers than expected. Elysium couldn't match director Neill Blomkamp's District 9, We're the Millers couldn't build on Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston's Horrible Bosses, Planes didn't come close to beating Cars or Cars 2, and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters' opening failed to trump its predecessor.

1. Elysium (N)
Weekend gross: $30.40 million / Total domestic gross: $30.40 million / Percent change: NA
When District 9 debuted in 2009, it gave Blomkamp a nice $37.35 million opening weekend to claim for his first film. On top of that, District 9 was an original, thought-provoking film done on a very samll budget. Elysium was going to be the director's chance to prove that District 9 wasn't a fluke. While a $30.40 million opening isn't bad, Elysium failed to live up to Blomkamp's previous offering, both at the box office and critically. Elysium seemed to suffer from having a bigger budget and bigger names, as it was a good movie but nowhere near as tight as District 9.

2. We're the Millers (N)

Weekend gross: $26.56 million / Total domestic gross: $38.04 million / Percent change: NA
Even though We're the Millers received poor reviews, that wasn't expected to keep the movie from doing good business at the box office. Everyone loves Sudeikis and Aniston, especially with Aniston playing a stripper, right? We're the Millers couldn't match Horrible Bosses, the last time the duo starred in an R-rated comedy together, though.

3. Planes (N)

Weekend gross: $22.53 million / Total domestic gross: $22.53 million / Percent change: NA
The fact that Planes didn't come close to matching Cars' $60.12 million or Cars 2's $66.14 million opening weekends proves that the even people who love the Cars movies have standards. Bizarre, huh?

4. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (N)

Weekend gross: $14.60 million / Total domestic gross: $14.06 million / Percent change: NA
The only reason this movie got made has to be because Logan Lerman and Alexandra Daddario were already under contract and it was cheaper to make another sequel to something rather than create something new.

5. 2 Guns (1)

Weekend gross: $11.13 million / Total domestic gross: $48.52 million / Percent change: -58.9

The only holdover from last weekend's top five, 2 Guns plummeted almost 60 percent this weekend. Can't say I actually talked to a real person who saw this movie.

Next week's predictions

1. Kick-Ass 2

2. Lee Daniels' The Butler

3. Paranoia

4. Elysium

5. Paranoia

SOURCE: Box Office Mojo