OPENING: Ride Along (UNI) Record Breaker; Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (PAR) trampled by Lone Survivor; The Nut Job (OPRD) $26.6M to $27.2M weekend and busted non-studio animated record opener, Devil’s Due (Fox) goes all to hell. NOTEWORTHY: Oscar nominated August: Osage County (TWC) expands to over 2,000; Best Picture Oscar-nominees 12 Years a Slave(FSL), Captain Phillips (SONY), Philomena (TWC) holds strong, Gravity (WB), Dallas Buyers Club (Focus) all add theaters in hopes to cash in but really don’t. American Hustle (SONY) easily trumps The Wolf of Wall Street (PAR).
UPDATE: SUNDAY 6:53 AM: Last night’s estimates for all pictures, including this weekend’s crowning champ, Ride Along, are holding steady, with a 3-day estimate now at $42.1M and a 4-day expected in at $48.1M from most distribs (Universal is still being cautious, saying $47.7M). For more info about Ride Along, read the updates below the numbers. So nothing much has changed from last night. Posting Top Five and Bottom Five estimates. And will take a look at other Oscar nominated pictures. 
In the meantime, Open Road Films’ The Nut Job has stored away a tidy $20.5M for the three-day and $26.6M to $27.2M for the 4-day and can only imagine how much more it would have gathered had Frozen melted some, but Disney’s picture can’t stop itself. Open Road Films is ecstatic, noting that Nut Job is the highest animated opener ever for a non-studio film (bigger than previous record-holder Coraline which opened to $16.8M in the 3-day in 2009). It’s also bigger than than Escape From Planet Earth, Free Birds — both did 15.8M — and Hoodwinked, $12.4M. “We’re over the moon. We knew the picture was terrific and would play well with the young kids and into the teens. What helped us was the evening business,” said Open Road CEO Tom Ortenberg. “We knew the picture deserved numbers like this. It’s a testament to our marketing and distribution team, (marketing pres.) Jason Cassidy and (evp distrib.) Elliot Slutsky.” Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is in fourth opening very soft, while American Hustle got a nice little bump to take 6 and The Wolf of Wall Street in 9th and Her looks to nab the 10 spot. Devil’s Due, well, it’s … ah, never mind. Let’s see how football impacts today. It’s a key day for Ride Along.
TOP FIVE:
1). Ride Along (UNI), 2,663 theaters / $14.5M Fri. / $16.7M Sat. (+16%) / Estimated 3-day Cume: $42.1M / Per screen 3-day: $15,828 / Estimated 4-day Cume: $47.7M to $48.1M / Per screen 4-day: $18,000 / Total Cume: $48.1M / Wk 1
2). Lone Survivor, (UNI) 2,989 theaters (+114) / $6.6M Fri. / $10.3M Sat. (+55%) / 3-day Cume $23.2M (-39%) / Per screen 3-day: $7,743 / 4-day Cume: $27.5M / Per screen 4-day: $9,191 / Total Gross: $78.3M / Wk 4
3) The Nut Job (OPRD) 3,427 theaters / $4.7M Fri. / $8.7M Sat. (+82%) / 3-day Cume: $20.5M / Per screen 3-day: $5,864 / 4-day Cume: $26.6M / Per screen 4-day: $7,777 / Total Gross: $26.6M to $27.2M / Wk 1
4). Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (PAR) 3,387 theaters / $5.3M Fri. / $6.8M Sat. (+28%) / 3-day Cume: $16.5M / Per screen 3-day: $4,890/ 4-day Cume: $19.4M / Per screen 4-day: $5,741 Total Gross: $19.4M / Wk 1
5). Frozen, (DIS) 2,979 theaters (-260) / $2.5M Fri. / $5.3M Sat. (+110%%) / 3-day Cume: $11.8M (-20%) / Per screen 3-day: $3,968/ 4-day Cume: $16M / Per screen 4-day: $5,371 / Total Gross: $336.6M / Wk 9
BOTTOM FIVE:
6). American Hustle, (SONY) 2,204 theaters (-425) / $2.8M Fri./ $4.6M Sat. (+63%%) / 3-day Cume: $10.4M (+26%) / 3-day Per screen: $4,744 /4-day Cume: $12.4M / 4-day Per screen: $5,629 / Total Gross: $118.2M / Wk 6
7). Devil’s Due (FOX) 2,544 theaters / $3.4M Fri. / $3M Sat. (-13%)/ 3-day Cume: $8.4M / 3-day Per screen: $3,308 / 4-day Cume: $9.49M / 4-day Per screen: $3,730 / Total Gross: $9.5M / Wk1
8). August: Osage County, (TWC) 2,051 theaters (+1146) / $2M Fri. / $3.4M Sat. (+54%) / 3-day Cume: $7.59M (+6%) / 3-day Per screen: $3,702 / 4-day Cume: $8.8M / 4-day Per screen: $4,419 / Total Gross: $19.7M / Wk 4
9). The Wolf Of Wall Street, (PAR) 1,930theaters (-591) / $2M Fri. / $3.2M Sat. (+60%) / 3-day Cume: $7.3M (+17%) / 3-day Per screen: $3,792 / 4-day Cume: $8.6M / 4-day Per screen: 4,495 / Total Gross: $91.5M / Wk 4
10). Her, (WB) 1,729 theaters (0) / $1.1M Fri. / $1.7M Sat. (+53%) / 3-day Cume: $4M (-25%) / 3-day Per screen: $2,327 / 4-day Cume: $4.7M / 4-day Per screen: 2,753 / Total Gross: $15.7M / Wk 5
NOTEWORTHY: Philomena‘s per screen is very strong and the picture is holding solidly weekend to weekend. Meanwhile, it’s over for The Legend Of Hercules which dropped like a rock in its second weekend. Read it and sleep:
Philomena (TWC) 505 theaters (-102) / $350K Fri. / $563K Sat. (61%) / 3-day Cume: $1.3M (-6%) / 3-day Per screen: $2,588 / 4-day Cume: $1.5M / 4-day Per screen: 3,095 / Total Gross: $24.3M
The Legend Of Hercules , (LGF/SUMMIT) 2,104 theaters (0) / $881K Fri./ $1.4M Sat. (+63%) / 3-day Cume: $3.3M (-62%) / 3-day Per screen: $1,582 / 4-day Cume: $3.9M / 4-day Per screen: $1,870 / Total Gross: $14.9M / Wk 2
Oscar re-issues: Not one of the reissues from the best picture nominations did much of anything, but they gathered a bit more for their bottom lines:
Gravity, (WB) 944 theaters (+789) / $462K Fri. / $905K Sat. (+96%)/ 3-day Cume: $1.9M / 3-day Per screen: $2,071 / 4-day Cume: $2.3M / 4-day Per Screen: $2,445 / Total Gross: $258.7M
12 Years a Slave (FSL) 761 theaters (+647) / $390K Fri. / $703K Sat. (+80%)/ 3-day Cume: $1.5M / 3-day Per screen: $2,037 / 4-day Cume: $1.89M / 4-day per screen: $2,487/ Total Gross: $40.9M
Dallas Buyers Club (Focus) 419 theaters (+294) / $236K Fri. / $421K Sat. / 3-day Cume :$952,000 / 3-day Per screen: $2,271 / 4-day Cume: $1.1M / 4-day Per screen: $2,729 / Total Gross: $18M
UPDATE: SATURDAY 10:30 PM: Ride Along is on its way to smashing previous Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday box office records set by Cloverfield in 2008 to become the biggest MLK holiday opener ever, with what Universal is saying tonight looks to be a $47.7M four-day weekend. Other exhibs say it may even rise higher to $48M, however, we have a big football day tomorrow. The Uni numbers sends its per screen average spinning to almost $18,000 ($17,812 to be exact); others push it over to almost $19,000 per. The higher numbers certainly looked to be the case last night and this morning, but Universal cautiously lowballed and said $40M. Every other distributor thought it would hit around $45M so it’s a couple of million higher than the rest of the town predicted and extraordinarily higher than expected only two days ago. Cloverfield‘s MLK opening was $46.1M and was also on 748 more screens than Ride Along. Will be watching the grosses on this one as I’m hearing that some theaters are adding a 2:10 AM screening which should be counted on the Sunday number. Chalk another one up for producer William Packer, the guy with the Midas touch these days as this the 5th film he’s produced that has opened to number one (Stomp the Yard, Think Like a Man, Takers and Obsessed). He clearly knows his market and his marketing. 
Good thing that Uni chair Donna Langley locked him up at the studio in a first-look, three-year deal (both TV and film). The film opened on a perfect weekend and looks like nothing can knock it down next w eekend either. Speaking of which, Lone Survivor is hauling it in this weekend as it looks to have a high percentage jump from last night, but Uni says it may pull in $10M or so tonight to push its four-day to $27.5M, which all agree upon. Newcomers The Nut Job looks to take in about $26.6M for four-day and third spot, while Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is looking to pull in around $19M for the four-day, and Devil’s Due looks to debut at No. 7 with about $10M for the four-day. Stay tuned. Will update as more numbers tumble in during the early morning hours and will post three-day and four-day estimates.
UPDATE, SATURDAY 7:43 AM: Ride Along is riding phenomenally high for Universal Pictures, with an expected box office take of over $40M to $45M 4-day, which puts it on track to be the second biggest Martin Luther King holiday box office opener (behind Cloverfield, $46.1M). Saturday will tell the tale. Remember there are big football games over the weekend leading up to the Super Bowl which will certainly impact the box office. Universal dominates this weekend as its Lone Survivor ($26.6M)is not letting up and showing no mercy to newcomer Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit from Paramount. In fact, at this point, Jack Ryan is not even close to No. 3; that goes solidly to The Nut Job from Open Road Films. Jack Ryan is battling for No. 4 f eeling the Frozen effect as Disney’s picture (in week 9) won’t stop playing. Jack Ryan was originally supposed to go in December but was moved from that spot thinking an urban picture like Ride Along was no big deal. Not mentioning any names over at Par but the initials RM come to mind. Paramount’s gotta be kicking themselves right now. They decided not to move the picture to President’s Day. New Line is also kicking itself as it lost Ride Along to Universal. This weekend proves exceptional news for not only Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, but also for United Talent Agency which literally represents every person in that film, including the stars and its director Tim Story. Kudos, too, to Universal chairman Donna Langley who was the champion behind the action comedy that got an A CinemaScore. Simply put, after this weekend, Universal owns January. Then there&r squo;s Devil’s Due, with a D+ CinemaScore – hate to say it but somebody’s baby is downright ugly. Who will get the tenth spot is too hard to judge at the moment. Here are the estimates based on Friday numbers. The numbers are likely to change.
1). Ride Along (UNI), 2,663 theaters / $14.5M Fri. / Estimated 3-day Cume: $35M / Estimated 4-day Cume: $40M to $45M / Wk 1
2). Lone Survivor, (UNI) 2,989 theaters (+114) / $6.6M Fri. / 3-day Cume $22.6M / 4-day Cume: $26.6M / Wk 4
3) The Nut Job (OPRD) 3,427 theaters / $4.7M Fri. / 3-day Cume: $$18M to 19.4M / 4-day Cume: $24.6M to $25.9M / Wk 1
4/5). Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (PAR) 3,387 theaters / $5.3M Fri. / 3-day Cume: $15.8M to $16M / 4-day Cume: $18.6M / Wk 1
Frozen, (DIS) 2,979 theaters (-260) / $2.5M Fri. / 3-day Cume: $12.7M to $12.9M / 4-day Cume: $17.6M to $18.7M / Wk 9
6). American Hustle, (SONY) 2,204 theaters (-425) / $2.8M Fri. / 3-day Cume: $9.8M to $10.3M /4-day Cume: $11.7M to $12.2M / Wk 6
7). Devil’s Due (FOX) 2,544 theaters / $3.4M Fri / 3-day Cume: $9.1M to $9.3M / 4-day Cume: $10.4M / Wk1
8). August: Osage County, (TWC) 2,051 theaters (+1146) / $2M Fri. / 3-day Cume: $7.4M / 4-day Cume: $8.8M / Wk 4
9). The Wolf Of Wall Street, (PAR) 1,930theaters (-591) / $2M Fri. / 3-day Cume: $6.5M to $7M / 4-day Cume: $8.2M / Wk 4
10). Her, (WB) 1,729 theaters (0) / $1.1M Fri. / 3-day Cume: $4M / 4-day $5M /Wk 5
Saving Mr. Banks, (DIS) 2,449 (-222) $1M to $1.1M Fri. / 3-day Cume: $3.8M to $3.9M / 4-day Cume: $4.4M to $4.8M / wk 6
The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (WB) 1,815 (-1260) $873K to $898K / 3-day Cume: $3.6 / 4-day cume: $4.5M to $4.7M / Wk 6
NOTEWORTHY: The Legend Of Hercules, (LGF/SUMMIT) 2,104 theaters (0) / $881K Fri. / 3-day Cume: $2.9M / 4-day Cume: $3.4M / Wk 2 Oscar re-issues: Not one of the reissues from the best picture nominations makes much impact:
Gravity, (WB) 944 theaters (+789) / $462K Fri. / 3-day Cume: $1.6M / 4-day Cume: $1.8M
12 Years a Slave (FSL) 761 theaters (+647) / $388K Fri. / 3-day Cume: $1.3M / 4-day Cume: $1.6M
Philomena (TWC) 505 theaters (-102) / $350K Fri. / 3-day Cume: $1.2M / 4-day Cume: $1.4M
Dallas Buyers Club (Focus) 419 theaters (+294) / $235K Fri. / 3-day Cume:$854,000 / 4-day Cume: $1M
Captain Phillips 903 theaters (+789) / $140K Fri. / 3-day Cume: $546K / 4-day Cume: 664K
PREVIOUS: Thursday night’s late-night screenings for Universal Pictures’ action comedy Ride Along, which marks the first comedic lead for stand-up performer Kevin Hart, grossed $1M. That beats the opening night of Universal’s The Best Man Holiday, which opened to $689,000 on previews (1,402 runs) on November 14 on its way to a $30.1M three-day gross; Best Man Holiday cumed out at $70.5M. Universal is also making comparisons to Pain & Gain, which starred Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson and opened on April 25, 2013 for a preview gross of $750,000 and a $20M three-day weekend (odd comparison). Hart, who stars with Ice Cube, previously more than held his own in Grudge Match and in This Is The End, but it will be Ride Along that he’ll be able to call his own (beyond his concert films). The pic opens with 2,262 runs. This is another holiday weeken d with Martin Luther King Day on Monday, so we will have three-day and four-day box office.
With Paramount’s Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit debuting in 3,387 theaters and Uni’s Lone Survivor in its second weekend in 2,989 spots, some industry pundits are predicting that the war film — with a possible high-teen gross — could outpace Paramount’s Ryan (which compared to Ride Along last night grossed just $325,000 in previews). That will be the one to watch. Regardless, Universal is on track to shine this weekend with its two films. Meanwhile, the animated The Nut Job from Ope n Road Films scampers into a loaded 3,427 theaters to nudge Disney’s Frozen in its ninth week on 2,979 runs. A new animated film for the family.
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