Stallone Is Early Box Office Champ With ‘Rocky Balboa’

LOS ANGELES (December 21, 2006) — Sylvester Stallone?s ?Rocky Balboa? became the early leader in the Christmas Box Office race, opening Wednesday to a cool $6.2 million in ticket sales.

?Rocky Balboa? opened in the Number 1 slot for the day, millions above it?s nearest competitor — the Will Smith vehicle, ?The Pursuit of Happyness? which netted just $2.9 million.

The movie was released early by MGM Studios, allowing it to get a jump on Friday?s competition which comes in the form of ?The Good Shepherd,? ?Night At The Museum? and ?We Are Marshall.? It also helps the film nab an early lead over Monday?s Christmas releases ?Children of Men,? and the highly anticipated ?Dreamgirls.?

?Spider-Man 2,? ?Superman Returns? and all three ?Lord of the Rings? also employed the Wednesday release tactic. It is one that could help Stallone?s latest ?Rocky? installment net $30 million by the end of the Christmas box office week, estimates Access Hollywood movie expert Scott Mantz. But, Mantz said, the jump won?t be the only thing to get this film attention, it is ?Rocky?s? comeback kid theme.

?Stylistically it?s a return to form,? Mantz said. ?Stallone got back to basics with the character and why people loved this big guy in the first place. He?s this charming, big-hearted, loving guy. That character is infectious. When he gets back in the ring you want to cheer.?

The early success of the movie is likely to mean big things for Stallone himself. After becoming one of the leading box office bruisers in the 1980s alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, in one of Stallone?s last starring roles in 2002s ?Avenging Angelo? went straight to video. Now, Mantz said, Stallone has upped his game.

?When people heard Sylvester Stallone was doing a sixth ?Rocky? at 60, everyone said, you?re kidding me! It?s going to be an embarrassment?, but its gotten really good reviews. It?s a good film,? Mantz said. ?[The box office success] reestablishes him. Don?t count him out just yet. Just like Rocky, Stallone?s still got some power in his punch.?