The box office numbers are coming in for the weekend and Bennett Miller's Moneyball set a record for a baseball drama by taking in $20.6 million on its opening weekend. This followed up on a $6.8 million Friday opening. The previous record was held by The Rookie, which opened with $16 million. The movie finished second over the weekend to the 3D version of The Lion King. The re-release of The Lion King has grossed $61.7 million domestically and $77.7 million worldwide. Dolphin Tale came in a close third with $20.3 million.
The Moneyball opening came in right about at expectations, which was at the $20 million range. After years of starts and stops, the movie was finally made on a $50 million budget featuring big names like Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The movie has received a lot of media buzz, but potentially just as important, the movie received an A from CinemaScore. CinemaScore is a market research firm that surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experience. A strong grade presumably means people are more likely to recommend the movie to friends and possibly even view the movie again during its run in theaters. Sony is reportedly hoping the A means the movie will gross between $80 million and $100 million during its theatrical run.