RED RIDING HOOD top grosses in first weekend!

Warner Bros.’ romantic fantasy thriller “Red Riding Hood” -- about a medieval lass haunted by a werewolf -- howled at the Philippine box-office over the March 11 to 13 weekend for a three-day gross of P16.6-million nationwide. This was announced today by Francis Soliven, general manager of Warner Bros. (F.E.), Inc., the movie’s local distributor.

Directed by “Twilight’s” Catherine Hardwicke, the film marks the first No. 1 opening of the year for Warner. “`Red Riding Hood’s’ successful launch is a great start for us in 2011,” says Soliven. “This certainly augurs well for the rest of the year.”

Warner’s line-up of potential blockbusters still include “Sucker Punch” later this month, “Green Lantern” in June, the penultimate “Harry Potter” movie in July, “Final Destination 5 3D” in August, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 2” in September, “Contagion” in October and “Happy Feet 2” in November.

Trinoma (P1.37-M) posted the biggest opening among theatres overall, followed (in descending order) by SM Mall of Asia (P771,339), Greenbelt 3 (P735,102), Glrorietta 4 (P721,754), Power Plant (P594,461), Eastwood (P558,333), SM Megamall (P519,588), Alabang Town Center (P489,527), SM North EDSA (P458,796) and Gateway Cineplex (P455,722).

Completing the Top 20 cinemas are Shang Cineplex (448,0040), Ayala Cebu (P443,432), SM Cebu (P443,124), Greehills Theatremall (P370,720), Robinsons Ermita (P339,150), Robinsons Galleria (281,038), SM Baguio (P266,384), Gaisano Davao (P244,337), SM Bacolod (P244,056) and Market Market (P239,264).

“Red Riding Hood” features an ensemble cast, led by Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, Oscar® nominee Virgina Madsen, and Oscar® winner Julie Christie.

In “Red Riding Hood,” Seyfried plays Valerie, a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider, Peter (Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Irons). Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie’s older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village.

As the death toll rises with each moon, Valerie begins to suspect that the werewolf could be someone she loves. As panic grips the town, Valerie discovers that she has a unique connection to the beast—one that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect…and bait.

Still showing across the Philippines, “Red Riding Hood” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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