BREAKING NEWS (HA!): Punisher: War Zone flops

Lots of news sources covering box office tallies relayed the story on Sunday, but I think Comics Continuum by Rob Allstetter reports it best. My only question is: Is ANYONE really surprised??



PUNISHER: WAR ZONE OPENING WEEKEND -- $4.0 MILLION

Punisher: War Zone placed eighth at the box office over the weekend with an estimated $4.0 million.

The weekend performance of Punisher: War Zone is the worst of the 19 modern-era Marvel films starting with Blade's premiere on August 21, 1998.

The film, produced by Lionsgate and starring Ray Stevenson, screened in 2,508 theaters as the only major wide opening over the weekend.

By comparison, 2004's Punisher had $13.8 million in its opening weekend. Howard the Duck opened with a $5.0 million weekend in 1986.

Four Christmases topped the box office in its second weekend with $18.1 million. It was followed by Twilight with $13.2 million, Bolt with $9.6 million and Australia with $7.0 million.

The post-Thanksgiving weekend is considered a lull weekend in the holiday box-office season.

Lionsgate has another comics-inspired movie, The Spirit, opening on Dec. 25.