On opening weekend, Sparkle took in an estimated $12 million at the box office, according to estimates of weekend ticket sales from Hollywood.com. The movie was no. 5 for the weekend box office and was beaten out by The Expendables 2 at no. 1, followed by The Bourne Legacy, ParaNorman and The Campaign.
In the past, a star’s death has helped boost box office returns, but that did not appear to be the case for Sparkle, which, of course, was the final film Whitney Houston appeared in.
Still, the movie has gotten good reviews. Leonard Maltin said that while Sparkle is predicitable, “It’s also highly watchable and a good showcase for its principal cast members.”
See what celebrities had to say about Sparkle by clicking here.
Though ticket sales were not robust for Sparkle, the movie was made for a $15 million budget, according to CNN, and is still expected to make money for parent studio Sony.
Movie ticket sales are typically slow in August as the summer season winds down, industry insiders say.
Weekend box office for Aug. 17-19 (estimated)
1. The Expendables 2, $28.8 million
2. The Bourne Legacy, $17 million
3. ParaNorman, $14 million
4. The Campaign, $13.4 million.
5. Sparkle, $12 million.
6. The Dark Knight Rises, $11.1 million
7. The Odd Life of Timothy Green, $10.9 million.
8. Hope Springs, $9.1 million
9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, $3.9 million
10. Total Recall, $3.5 million
