Wild Things Scares Away Kids But Still Rules The Weekend

As the US box office tea leaves are sifted, many in Hollywood are searching for a way to take the glory away from Spike Jonze. But whatever your feelings about the hipster icon, we all bow before an opening weekend victory.

• Despite threats of a hipster/anti-hipster backlash, Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are won the weekend box office, taking in $US32.5 million. Attendance patterns suggest that, however, that contrary to expectations, the drama appealed to grown-up audiences much more than kids; only 27 percent of attendees were families. Law Abiding Citizen took second place with a very respectable $US21.3 million, and the expanding Paranormal Activity grabbed the #3 slot, taking in $US20 million on a mere 760 screens, a stat which Box Office Mojo says earns it the distinction of being “the fourth highest-grossing weekend for a movie playing at under 1,000 sites.” [Box Office Mojo, Variety]

• Dan, We Hardly Knew Ye. MPAA Chairman Dan Glickman announced he will step down from his post when his contract ends in September of last year, ending the tradition of MPAA Chief serving forever established by his predecessor Jack Valenti. [Variety]

• TV mega-producers apparently don’t take “cancelled” for an answer. John Wells told members of his cast that he is searching for a new home for Southland, the cop show on which NBC recently pulled the plug. [Hollywood Reporter]

• SAG has appointed David White its new chief negotiator. Nikki Finke toldja you! Do not pretend that you knew David White was going to be SAG’s new chief negotiator before you heard it from Nikki. You knew nothing about David White. She invented the idea of reporting on David White being SAG’s chief negotiator. You never even thought to imagine such a world could exist until you heard it from her. She Toldja you and you’re gonna stay toldja’d this time Hollywood, if it kills you. [Deadline]