14/01/2013 - Playing for Keeps, the director’s third film to be shot in the United States, comes close to grossing €2 million and beats Cloud Atlas

The Italian public has stayed faithful to Gabriele Muccino. Playing for Keeps, the director’s third film to be shot in the United States, starring Gerard Butler, took first position at the box office over the weekend, grossing €1,939,932 euro and 287,236 sold tickets, crushing the Wachowski brothers’ new blockbuster, Cloud Atlas, which, with €1,601,496 over four days, took third position. A sigh of relief for the film being distributed by Medusa, especially if you consider the speculation and uncertainties which preceded its Italian release (read the news story). Playing for Keeps also had the best results in terms of average income by cinema: with €4,565 for 425 movie theatres.

Another Italian film took second place in the box office ranking over the weekend, according to Cinetel. The Best Offer [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Giuseppe Tornatore remained firm in second place grossing €1,735,368 over the weekend and €5 million overall since coming out on January 1. Mai Stati Uniti [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by the Vanzina brothers went down to fourth position with €1,440,533 over the weekend and €3,900,055 overall.

The rest of the top 10 include Jack Reacher, starring Tom Cruise, in fifth place, with €858,141, followed by French Asterix e Obelix: God Save Britannia [+see also:
trailer
film profile], coming in sixth with €777,966; seventh was Life of Pi by Ang Lee, with €686,138, eighth was The Master (€366,858 euro), ninth Wreck-It Ralph (€354,032 euro). The Hobbit took tenth position with €339,465.

(Translated from Italian)