Box Office

Wild Things Roars Into Theaters

Adaptation racks up better-than-expected $33M.

Where are the wild things? At the top of the box-office heap, for now. Warner Bros. execs, who weren’t sure what to expect from the movie and its imaginative director, are probably having a wild rumpus right now as the Spike Jonze-helmed adaptation of the beloved children’s book took in a strong $33 million this weekend, and an overall B+ Cinemascore. With Jonze’s award-winning pedigree and the movie’s dark themes in mind, the studio chose to focus its marketing campaign on adults, and the strategy paid off, with a $660,000 gross from the Thursday midnight shows alone. Coming in second was the Jamie Foxx thriller Law Abiding Citizen, with a $21 million bow, followed by Paranormal Activity ($20 million in a wider release), Couples Retreat ($18.5 million) and Stepfather ($11.5 million). At a $130 million total, the box office was up 35 percent from last year.