‘The Departed’ Better Then Expected
The Departed a crime drama directed by Martin Scorsese brought in almost $27 million and dominated the weekend box office. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg in a tale of subterfuge and betrayal between Boston cops and Irish mobsters, The Departed represents a new personal milestone for Scorsese.
The loose remake of the Hong Kong action film Infernal Affairs took in $26.9 million from Friday to Sunday to eclipse the director’s previous best, 1991’s Cape Fear, which debuted at number one in November 1991 with $10.2 million and ended up grossing $79.1 million. At 3,017 sites, the R-rated Warner Bros. film averaged $8,912 per screen, best among all movies in wide release.
Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations, credited studio marketers who placed “the pedigree of the movie front and center” for the film’s success. “It’s a well-deserved number one,” he said, noting the movie is powered by the talents of “four major stars and a legendary director,” has garnered generally good reviews and is positioned for an Oscar run.