Box office: ‘Expendables’ falters, ‘Turtles’ to cross $100 million

The third time doesn’t look to hold much charm for “The Expendables 3.” The geezer action sequel pulled in an estimated $5.9 million in the U.S. and Canada through Friday, down 44% from the 2012 opening of “The Expendables 2” and behind box-office holdovers “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

“Turtles” dropped 69% compared with a week ago, taking in an estimated $7.9 million so far in its second weekend. The modestly budgeted kiddie pic should cross the $100-million mark in the U.S. and Canada on Saturday, having already grossed more than $200 million worldwide. Yes, a sequel is already in the works.

Disney and Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” pulled in nearly $7 million Friday, putting it on target for a $24-million weekend and a three-week total of $221 million for the U.S. and Canada. The movie has grossed more than $500 million worldwide.

Critics trashed “The Expendables 3,” but its core audience gave it an A- grade with market research firm Cinemascore. Still, not enough fans turned out, and the movie could finish the weekend behind the low-budget buddy comedy “Let’s Be Cops.” That film, starring Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. as pals pretending to be police officers, opened Wednesday and already has a three-day take of $14 million. Critics hated it even more than “The Expendables 3,” and moviegoers gave it a middling B grade with Cinemascore.

The weekend’s other major debut, “The Giver,” an adaptation of Lois Lowry’s 1993 Newbery-winning young adult novel, opened Friday to an estimated $4.7 million. Given its pedigree, the movie disappointed many critics, some of whom lamented the ways that it departed from the source material. “The Giver,” which received a B+ Cinemascore rating, appears on target for a $12-million weekend.

Meanwhile, Richard Linklater’s beloved coming-of-age story, “Boyhood,” expanded into 771 theaters, giving it a chance to finish in the top 10 at the box office. The movie is looking at a three-day total of $2 million, which would put its overall total at $13.6 million.