White Chicks to Lick Michael Moore

Variety — ‘White Chicks’ likely to lick ‘Fahrenheit’


Courtesy Drudge Report

Will the flood of attention given to “Fahrenheit 9/11,” which Lions Gate and IFC Films will bow in 868 venues, translate into boffo B.O.? While Michael Moore’s pic has dominated headlines this week, it’s not the top dog going into the weekend box office race. Continuing the summer’s trend of midweek bows, Sony/Revolution’s “White Chicks” opened on Wednesday, taking in $4.2 million from 2,412 locations. Opening day results put pic, which stars Marlon and Shawn Wayans as undercover white girls, on a pace to dethrone Fox’s “DodgeBall” at the top of the box office chart this weekend.

Revolution partner Tom Sherak sees a tight race between the two laffers. “We should have a pretty good weekend,” he said. “It’s going to be close.”

Considering that both films are aimed at the same IQ demographic, dividing the take as it were, this is impressive indeed.

And sorry about the mental imagery from that headline. I just couldn’t resist.

UPDATE: My parents’ hometown paper, the Anniston (Alabama) Star, reports ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ not scheduled for showing here: “Local folks who want to see Michael Moore’s inflaming documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 will have to go elsewhere.” No word on whether “White Chicks” is playing, although I’m guessing Yes.

UPDATE (6/26): The early returns show Moore’s film easily beating “White Chicks” through Saturday.

UPDATE (6/27): YahooNews — ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ Tops $8M in First Day

“Fahrenheit 9/11,” Michael Moore’s assault on President Bush, took in $8.2 million to $8.4 million in its first day, positioning it as the weekend’s No. 1 film, its distributors said Saturday.

Based on Friday’s numbers, “Fahrenheit 9/11” was on track for an opening weekend that would surpass the $21.6 million total gross of Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine,” his 2002 film that earned him an Academy Award for best documentary. “Bowling for Columbine” holds the record for highest domestic gross among documentaries, excluding concert films and movies made for huge-screen IMAX theaters.

Friday grosses for “Fahrenheit 9/11” ran about $1.5 million ahead of its closest competitor, the Wayans brothers comedy “White Chicks.” The performance of “Fahrenheit 9/11” was even more remarkable considering it played in just 868 theaters, fewer than a third the number for “White Chicks.”

“Fahrenheit 9/11” benefited from a flurry of praise and condemnation. Supporters mobilized liberal-minded audiences to see it over opening weekend to counter efforts by some right-wing groups to discredit the film.
“It always helps when there’s a group out there that says, ‘Don’t go see this movie. It’s bad for you,'” said Jonathan Sehring, president of IFC Films, one of the film’s distributors.

No joke. Some incredibly bad movies, such as Last Temptation of Christ, has become modest hits by virtue of major controversy. Recently, Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ” vastly exceeded all expectations, again helped significantly by the firestorm surrounding its release.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Alex Knapp says:

    Box Office Mojo has 9/11 beating out White Chicks. They’re pretty good predictors, too. Personally, I hope to god White Chicks doesn’t do very well, because I’m cynical enough as it is.

  2. Rodney Dill says:

    Well I s’spose they would if he paid the going rate.
    Wait a minute, what is this post about? 😉

  3. Sgt Fluffy says:

    Who wants to see a depessing documentary filled with lies and made by an America hating white guy other that ALGORE? I’m rooting for White Chicks

  4. Attila Girl says:

    Go, White Chicks! Go! Go!

    (I would have gone for “White Girls Beat Michael Moore,” because there are two images it brings to mind. The one that is not obscene is fairly satisfying.)

  5. Chris says:

    There’s a lot of liberals in major cities (NY and DC, esp.) who will see this movie, who bought Hillary’s book and who buy Bill’s book. So, for folks who’s political knowledge is shallow but knee jerk, this is the easiest way to show dissatisfaction with the Bushies. Many work and won’t attend rallies so this is a way they can feel good about themselves and commiserate with those who are also against Bush.

    Will they read the scores of stuff out there condemning Moore’s playing fast and loose with the facts? Probably not. Do they care? No. It just helps the path to voting for Kerry, or perhaps Nader.

    Could the studios pick a worse movie to go against Moore’s crap? I mean, come on. I guess we’ll save Spidey-2 for next weekend.

  6. Unfettered says:

    Michael Moore
    —-
    Michael Moore,
    he ain’t so wise
    he makes a living
    telling lies.

    “Regulate this,
    regulate that!”
    Clinging to the gub’ment
    like a spoiled little brat.

    Rigid thinking
    masked with rage
    is a backward method
    like minimum wage.

    Fourteen an Hour,
    don’t fail HIS test!
    Anything less
    and your under arrest.

    Obnoxious and loud,
    so filled with hate.
    He really can’t help it
    he’s a ward of the state.

    “I’ll poke my camera
    into your face
    make you look guilty
    and berate you in place!”

    “Those greedy corporations,”
    Ewwwww, they’re so bad!
    I’ll teach them a lesson.
    Conform! or be sad!”

    Like a union thug
    he’ll get in your face.
    Show you who’s boss
    and dump on your race.

    Don’t “cross the line”
    you know what you’ll get,
    a busted lip
    and a lawn full of shit.

    Demean, intimidate,
    berate and ridicule;
    these are the methods
    that Michael finds cool.

  7. dw says:

    Friday’s estimates: $8.2M for f911, $6.76M for White Chicks. F911 opened on 868 screens, White Chicks on 2726.

    If this holds, F911 will win the weekend, though White Chicks should have more money thanks to its Wednesday.

    Of course, all will be laid to waste next week by an arachnid.

  8. Attila Girl says:

    Turns out the box office numbers for F911 represent the same ten Bush-hating liberals–watching the movie over and over, so they can stick it to The Man.