Monday Morning Box Office Report: Tyler Perry is Big Pimpin’
What should have been a quiet weekend at the box office turned out to be another monster success for Tyler Perry and his latest film Madea Goes to Jail. With limited marketing and little fanfare, the movie broke $41 million making it his biggest opening weekend to date. Friday the 13th, on the other hand, dropped like a rock, losing 80% of its audience from last week and ending up all the way down at #6. Did anyone not see that coming? Taken and Coraline both stayed near the top of the charts with $11 million each, while He’s Just Not That Into You and Slumdog Millionaire rounded out the top 5. Fired Up! had a pretty rough debut with just $6 million.
1. Madea Goes to Jail — $41.1M
2. Taken — $11.4M
3. Coraline — $11M
4. He’s Just Not That Into You — $8.54M
5. Slumdog Millionaire — $8.05M
6. Friday the 13th — $7.83M
7. Confessions of a Shopaholic — $7.02M
8. Paul Blart: Mall Cop — $7M
9. Fired Up! — $6M
10. The International — $4.45M
Comments (12)
Ernest didn’t get nearly as much love when he went to jail. So when is Madea saving christmas?
Posted by Bob The Slob on February 23rd, 2009After she Goes to Camp and gets Scared Stupid.
Posted by Slushie Man on February 23rd, 2009Am I the only one who is shocked that black people don’t find these “Madea” movies offensive? They are stereotypical, pandering pieces of garbage.
Posted by Jon Rocks on February 23rd, 2009like 80 percent of the rap out there. I asked some of my black friends why Tyler’s shit works were others do not. They agree there is a lot of cheese but he does hit on some central themes people like. His audience is also an extension of years of stage shows. He has cultivated a strong grassroots audience and has built an empowering studio in Atlanta (he is starting to get backlash as withholding pay and backend).
Posted by rus in chicago on February 23rd, 2009The only reason this new Perry movie did so well is because Madea is everybody’s favorite charecter from those crap movies. I’m glad to see Slumdog hanging in the top 5 though, its cool to see that it has almost grossed 100 million. But why haven’t I heard any buzz about it from outside the film circles if it’s doing so well?
Posted by Drew on February 23rd, 2009“Am I the only one who is shocked that black people don’t find these “Madea†movies offensive? They are stereotypical, pandering pieces of garbage.”
I’m actually am very frustrated by some of Tyler Perry’s ideas (at least the ones I’ve subjected myself to witness).
Great Example: I absolutely despise the title “Diary of a Mad BLACK Woman”. I actually watched the film and the fact that she’s black has nothing to do with her anger! Tyler Perry is perpetuating the stereotype of the obnoxiously short-tempered black woman with that title and the Medea character. Just like Spike Lee perpetuating the negative stereotype of black people using broken english (with titles like He Got Game and She Hate Me). Why can’t black directors be smart about things and make movies w/ all black casts that could be replaced w/ white actors because they have nothing to do w/ race!?
Ok…I’ll save it for my blog.
Posted by Ryan M. on February 23rd, 2009Also let me state for the record: The success of Tyler Perry movies are not purely based on a black following. As indicated by rap music sales–there is no way a minority can be the only consumer thrusting entertainment into mainstream success. Case in point: I went to see Coraline this weekend and in the lobby there was a loud mid-40s white man lamenting on his cell phone about Madea being sold out.
Posted by Ryan M. on February 23rd, 2009Frank Perry (no relation to Tyler?) directed a popular 70’s movie called “Diary of a Mad Housewife.” Maybe Tyler was riffing on that title, Ryan M?
I’m embarrassed to say that I have no idea who Tyler Perry and Madea are. There must be a large segment of the population that I never come in contact with.
Posted by Reed Farrington on February 24th, 2009this is a lesson in building a BRAND, everyone and everything is about brand these days. I got this off Wikipedia and it appears Medea Goes to Jail has a built in audience from Perry’s stage and stage DVD days:
As of March 2005, Perry’s plays had grossed over $75 million in ticket and DVD sales.
Perry stated in a January 2004 interview in Ebony magazine that his theater productions were designed to be a bridge between the traditional urban theater circuit—historically and pejoratively referred to as the “chitlin’ circuit”—and a more traditional theater format.[9]
Perry’s other highly successful plays include Diary of a Mad Black Woman, I Can Do Bad All by Myself, Madea’s Family Reunion, Madea’s Class Reunion, and Madea Goes to Jail. He also wrote and created the hit plays/DVDs Why Did I Get Married? and Meet the Browns. Why Did I Get Married?
Posted by rus in chicago on February 24th, 2009I just remembered where I have heard of Tyler Perry. He’s going to be in the new Star Trek movie! He plays the head of Starfleet Academy.
Star Trek will be a hit for sure if his fans come out to see him. Maybe they should sub-title the new Star Trek movie: Madea’s Starfleet Class Reunion.
Posted by Reed Farrington on February 27th, 2009I am a black woman and I don’t find nothing about tyler perry movies offensive. I’ve been waiting for a movie like Tyler to come out again. With all of the troubles in the world, it is nice to have your mind in a different world. I like to laugh and I like suprises. Tyler Perry films fit them all.
Posted by saved on March 1st, 2009TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
Posted by saved on March 1st, 2009Leave a Reply