Sony’s “American Hustle” turned its awards heat into a box office spark this weekend, and saw the biggest boost of any of the Oscar Best Picture nominees.
Director David O. Russell’s quirky con man tale is on pace to take in $12.7 million over the four-day Martin Luther King Day weekend. That’s 28 percent up from last week, and is all the more impressive given that it was in 2,204 theaters — 425 less than last week. Screens were at a premium this weekend, with four wide openers and several Oscar contenders returning to the market in re-release.
“We expect a solid base of theaters will continue all the way to through the Academy Awards,” Sony distribution chief Rory Bruer told TheWrap.