Heterosexual actor Jeremy Renner is #1 at the Box Office

'Bourne Legacy' Vanquishes 'Dark Knight Rises' at Box Office August 12, 2012 Universal’s “Bourne Legacy” ended the reign of “Dark Knight Rises” with a $41.3 million opening weekend at the domestic box office, and gave franchise fans an intriguing question to ponder: Jeremy Renner, Matt Damon, or both? The super spy tale is the fourth installment in the “Bourne” franchise and the first with Renner replacing Damon as the lead. The success of the PG-13-rated action thriller “Bourne Legacy” represents a coming out party for Renner as a box-office star. Following his appearance in 2010's "The Hurt Locker," he’s been in several blockbusters including “The Avengers,” “Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol” and “Thor,” but this time he was front and center. And he could be in for another “Bourne” installment. “Bourne Legacy” didn’t match the numbers put up five years ago by “The Bourne Ultimatum,” which opened to $69 million and went on to earn $227 million domestically, but it played strongly enough to give Universal some options with the franchise. Universal could do another with Renner, it could go back to Damon -- who bowed out of the fourth film -- or it could pair the two, a pricey proposition to be sure. “That would be a dream.” Universal’s head of distribution Nikki Rocco told TheWrap Sunday. “But we’re going to consider everything when we look at things going forward.” As expected, “Bourne Legacy” played to older crowds. Sixty-nine percent of the “Bourne Legacy” audience was over 30 years of age, and 52 percent was male. It received a “B” Cinemascore. Universal debuted the film in 3,746 theaters, which means it has a $10,749 per-screen average. Renner wasn’t ’the only one stepping into the spotlight on the $125 million Bourne Legacy.” Tony Gilroy, who penned the first three screenplays with his brother Dan, was in the director’s chair for the first time since he helmed “Duplicity” in 2009. Newcomers Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton joined “Bourne” alums Albert Finney, Joan Allen and David Strathairn in the cast. The No. 2 movie was “The Campaign,” Warner Bros.’ R-rated political comedy starring Will Farrell and Zack Galifianakis. It did better than expected with a $27.4 million weekend. Galafianakis continued his habit of delivering for Warner Bros. in R-rated comedies. He's starred in the box office hits “Hangover” and ‘Hangover 2,” and was paired with Robert Downey Jr. in 2010’s “Due Date,” which made $100 million domestically. Ferrell hasn’t been in a wide release film since “The Other Guys” in 2010. That was a PG-13-rated action comedy with Mark Wahlberg and it made $119 million. He did voice work on “Megamind” but has otherwise steered clear of feature films, where his box office numbers have been uneven.

http%3A//www.thewrap.com/movies/article/bourne-legacy-vanquishes-dark-knight-rises-box-office-51686



• The use of this phrase cannot be coincidental: [quote] The success of the PG-13-rated action thriller “Bourne Legacy” represents a coming out party for Renner as a box-office star. Clearly, the press knows the truth but is winking at the reading public. We know, too, Jeremy! COME OUT, COME OUT however queer you are!

• What is that nickname he has? Some DLer always posts it in a Renner thread, and it always makes me laugh. Princess Lotus Flower, or something like that.

• [quote]represents a coming out party for Renner Double entendre?

• The thing that made the Bourne movies work so well was Damon's performance. He didn't play Bourne like a traditional action hero, but rather what he was - a robotic creature of sorts, slowly gaining glimmers of self awareness and increasingly hating himself in the process. I haven't seen the new one, but just based on clips and commercials Renner has that cheap Hollywood action-hero thing: eyes twinkling as he stares at some female he's saving with a look that says, "You're welcome." Not interested.

• The series was played out at the end of #2. The movie is getting reviewed poorly. I like Renner, but he's a second banana-type without the charisma necessary for an action hero. Better if he goes back to smaller, character roles.

• Princess Geranium!

• They're just trying to make money off Robert Ludlum. Ludlum died years ago and all the new stories are made up by other people.

• lol @ coming out party. I love when the media puts in blatant innuendo for those in the know.

• I love the Bourne Trilogy movies and have seen them all several times. I will be going to the cinema to see this before the week is out. Disappointed that Matt Damon is not continuing as Bourne. He did just a fantastic job. To the poster that said that Damon did not play the part like a typical action hero - I agree and that was what was so great about it. Damon seemed to understand that the movies were about character and plot and not just action. Hope I will not be disappointed. Renner was good in the Hurt Locker but didn't think a lot of him in Marvel the Avengers

  Lesbian

• R9, why do you want to support someone who seems to think being gay is a bad thing?

• @ R10 I'm a big fan of the previous movies and want to go see the latest one.

  Lesbian

• R10 He should come out but why shouldn't I support his career?

• I have no problem with ppl being in the closet for the sake of their career. To be honest I am not a big campaigner of gay rights. I myself and in at work. I don't think that the fact that I am a lesbian has anything to do with my ability to do my job. It is non of my colleagues or boss business. Also I don't have high hope for the Latest Bourne movie it should have been Damon or ended the franchise.

  Lesbian

• I think the reason some of us are annoyed is not just that he's in the closet like other actors, but that he got really angry in that interview last year when anyone dared asked him if he was gay.

• I find it funny that he's a 40 something old year guy who took his mother as his plus one to the Oscars and now here he is playing an action hero. An action hero played by a mummy's boy lol.

  Lesbian

• Won't bother seeing it. I go to the movies to see people better looking than I, not homely.

• To me he looks like a shorter, dark haired Eminem. So yeah, gay.

• I don't see Renner as a leading man.

  Lesbian

• Well he can act so that must count for something. In The Hurt Locker he reminded me of Sean Penn who isn't exactly Adonis material either but it hardly matters. I love when character actors cross over to get leading parts, Philip Seymour Hoffman being an even more extreme example. There should be room for different relatable actors who aren't just eye candy.

  Meryl%20%22Queen%20of%20the%20leading%20ladies%22%20Streep

• The movie was horrendous. During one endless conversation about science the guy in front of me actually fell asleep. There are so many things wrong with it it is hard to start. Here's one: plot

  MD

• Considering how much movie prices have gone up in 5 years, the 41 million dollar opening compared to the 69 million dollar opening is a lot less. The Bourne Ultimatum did a good job wrapping up the story, I can see why Damon was reluctant to continue the franchise. Also, the original trilogy tried to be somewhat more realistic, less special effects with the action sequences (there was one scene at the end of identity that went against this). From the trailer, the new movie seemed to be straying away from this.

• [quote]Princess Geranium! Thank you, R6! I knew it involved princesses and flowers!

  R2

• There was no need for a new Bourne series. But then there wasn't a need for a new Batman or Spiderman either. They just keep doing the same things over and over again.

• R14 I get your point and even agree.

• HE'S not #1, the movie is. People don't go to movies anymore based upon who's starring in them. There are no real movie stars anymore, OP. Haven't you figured that out yet?

• I found him strangely attractive when he was first making a splash on the movie world a few years ago. He lost most of his attractiveness for me last year when he said the gay rumors made him want to throw up. But even in the off chance that he's straight, he didn't need to insult his gay fans with that remark. There are ways of denying you're gay without offending everyone who is gay. He looks as gay as a $3 bill and has had a male roommate for years, Kristopher, who he calls his "brother" instead of his "lover."

• Yep r14, there's a great George Clooney quote about how he won't go out of his way to deny the rumors because he's not going to be forced into acting like it's a bad thing to be gay. He said 50 yrs from now people will still be saying was gay and he doesn't care. I also remember Janeane Garofalo saying she takes people mistaking her for a lesbian as a compliment. It's homophobic to act like it's an insult, I have no sympathy for that.

• Renner is a character actor who can play leads, so for H'wood, he's suddenly become golden. I loved his character in The Town. There was something James Cagney-ish or John Garfield-ish about him. He doesn't need to be attractive. He does need to avoid the Marvel Comics/ Avenger crap and go for the substantive roles. Hurt Locker, The Town, now Bourne. He's been knocking around for a long time. It was his turn. He's in his 40's right? I don't care about his sexuality,that's something he has to live with and deal with, but I do care that he got so outraged and pissed off about being called gay. That was low and ugly. His explanation about the bar fight in Thailand was stupid, dishonest and very transparent. He should shut up and make movies.

• Ugly, stupid, homophobic, next.

• I liked it *slightly* more than r20 but agree it wasn't a promising continuation of the Damon films. Half an hour into it I kept wondering if ANYTHING was ever going to happen. The idea of there being multiple "Bourne" agents was actually good but instead of exploring a world full of rogue operatives the government ends the program and kills off everyone but Renner. They could have had an endless series featuring different operatives but they threw that away. And I didn't take to Renner at all. He's so ugly and devoid of charisma I don't know why anyone would want him to be gay.

• Thanks for spoiling it, R30.

• How much pussy do you think heterosexual actor Jeremy Renner gets?

• I'm glad Renner is not doing as well as Matt Damon.

• lol Why does the media not allow him to be closeted? Is he just too obvious or are they pissed about his angry denial too? Between that Blind Item accidentally using his real name, the last article posted here that went into detail about his good friend Krisstopher tending to his puppy for no apparent reason and this "coming out party". He must have gone wrong somewhere.

• [quote]Why does the media not allow him to be closeted? Why does the media allow, and in fact actively help, anyone to be closeted?

  It%27s%202012

• Because midwestern hausfraus wouldn't go see his movies if he was gay. But are hausfraus even interested in him in the first place?

• This misogyny is so pointless regarding this topic. It's clearly the male audience who is the bigger problem when it comes to acceptance of gay actors, especially the male action fans, whom Jeremy hopes to appeal to.

• Does anyone have the actual link to the interview in which Jeremy became angry about the gay thing? It seems like nobody has it and this is just another urban legend. Jeremy deserves better than that.

• Fellow Dataloungers, relax. Movies are just pretend games. Meryl Streep is not Margaret Thatcher, however effectively she played her, and neither is Jeremy Lee Renner the macho superhero he appeared as, in The Bourne Legacy. He never claims to be. And we all know who he really is, so let's leave him be, and let him continue making a living by pretending to be what he's not. On another note, he'll be in an upcoming fairy tale movie, Hansel n Gretel. I think he'll be playing Gretel.

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  Dale Steve

• Can somebody please change the topic? "Jeremy Renner" is beginning to read like "Kim Kardashian." Let's stop making him more important than he is.

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  Dale

• He is seriously one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen. I loved Bourne Legacy, and think he is much better than Matt Damon. Talented, gorgeous, and maybe gay. So what? Leave the poor guy alone.

  Curtis