Two wide releases opened Friday: the sci-fi effort Elysium is in first place with $11.2 million---the Disney cartoon Planes follows in third with $8.1 million.  However, Planes should see the animation bump on Saturday and Sunday.  Epic and The Croods (recent animated movies that opened on a Friday in the same box office range) earned 72-73% of their weekend box office on Saturday and Sunday.  If Planes follows a similar path, it should reach $28-31 million for the weekend.  Elysium is more likely to resemble recent actioners 2 Guns and Pacific Rim, which peaked on Friday and grossed 61-63% of their weekend box office on Saturday and Sunday.  That track would also land Elysium in the $28-31 million range for the weekend, so it could be a close race.

We're the Millers opened Wednesday and looks good in second place with $8.5 million, on its way to making back the listed $37 million budget by Monday.  Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters also opened Wednesday, and lags behind with a $4.9 million Friday.  Check back tomorrow for full details on the weekend box office.

Title

Friday

Total

1.

Elysium

$11,200,000

$11.2

2.

We're the Millers

$8,510,000

$20.0

3.

Planes

$8,105,000

$8.1

4.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

$4,900,000

$13.8

5.

2 Guns

$3,400,000

$40.8