Photo: DreamWorks II Distribution Co.
Despite languishing outside the top ten on Vulture’s Anticipation Index as it opened nationwide yesterday, Real Steel’s robot fighters still came out swinging, knocking out all the other box office competition. The movie took in $8.7 million, well over twice what No. 2 The Ides of March earned, setting it up for a healthy $27 million opening weekend. But Deadline’s Nikke Finke warns that may not be enough. “Hollywood will only be impressed if the result is mid-$30sM because this action pic has a family overlay and its budget was $110+M.†That’s compared to the Clooney-Rosling Ides of March, which, with just a $12.5 million post-rebate budget, will likely break even real, real soon. [Deadline]