There are lots of folks who’d say there really is no such thing as an original story, and that all of our books and movies essentially rework tales we’ve been telling around the campfire since obsidian was considered cutting-edge technology. But still, it’s interesting that the week’s top three films all drew inspiration from work done decades ago.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (based on C.S. Lewis’ book of the same name, written in 1952) sunk to third place with $12.4 million, losing nearly 50% of its audience and bringing its total take to just a shade under $43 million. It hasmade a much more impressive $124 million overseas, giving Narnia fans reason to hope that the little franchise won’t just sail off the edge of the world, never to be heard from again.
The Fighter, based on real-life boxer Micky Ward, punched its way into fourth with $12.2 million, while holdover The Tourist slumped to fifth with $8.7 million.
Expect more new takes on old stories next week when Little Fockers (the sequel of a sequel) tangles with True Grit (rooted in a 1968 book and 1969 film). Oh, and then you’ve got Jack Black’s updated version of Gulliver’s Travels, of course … originally written in 1726.
Recent Comments