Underworld: Evolution sent a chill through the domestic marketplace with a potent debut estimated at $27.1 million. The vampire yarn far out-distanced all competition including no better than fair launches of the family values End of the Spear and the national bow of The New World.Nonetheless, it was a sufficient lead to send grosses soaring above 2005 levels and bear out the old industry saw about it being a “product driven” marketplace.

Sony’s Screen Gems division has been a consistent profit center mining horror fare that’s includedAnaconda and The Exorcism of Emily Rose. The sequel to 2003’s Underworld arrived about 25% stronger than its inspiration and once again underlined the on-going commercial appeal of the horror genre and its profitability when it hits an audience nerve. The sheer shock value has sustained such venerable titles as Halloween, Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street well beyond the norm.

The frame was largely dominated by holdover fare with new entries carving up a very small niche. The independently produced and distributed End of the Spear grossed roughly $4.4 million from 1,163 locations for a result that might be encouraging for the nascent Rocky Mountain Pictures to make further inspirational tales.

Weekend box office clocked in with close to $122 million to register a slight 4% decline from the 3-day portion of last weekend’s holiday span. However, its 25% boost from one year ago when the opening of Are We There Yet? Led with $18.6 million put a great big smile across all industry sectors.

Following into Oscar qualifying run in December, The New World stepped out in an abbreviated version that grossed $3.9 million and theater averages just shy of $5,000. The historical saga will have to tough out another weekend before the Jan. 31 announcement of Oscar nominees.

In a year in which there’s a paucity of certainties and front runners only by process of elimination, niche pictures including Brokeback Mountain and Capote are reaping the benefit. Brokeback added about 500 playdates and moved up to fifth position and a gross of more than $41 million. As with last year’s Million Dollar Baby, the cowboy yarn is on track to gross $100 million should it wind up with the Academy’s top prize.

Capote added more than 200 screens and saw it’s gross better than double with its box office potential in sync with such past indie contenders as Monster’s Ball and better than Monster. The two films and Walk the Line (that also saw revenues increase and pass $100 million) appear to be likely best picture nominees with the rest of the short list culled from such prospects as Munich, Syriana, Good Night, and Good Luck and possibly King Kong. The shorter Oscar schedule will nonetheless benefit the first two films that have yet to open overseas and Good Night expand from it’s current exposure in seven overseas territories.

In limited and regional exposure, Albert Brooks’ droll Looking for Comedy in the Arab Worldelicited no better than a commercial chuckle with $440,000 from 161 venues. In Canada, the controversial portrait of serial killer Karla generated a tepid $260,000 from 89 locations and the documentary The Real Dirt on Farmer John sullied almost $14,000 from three theaters.

The liveliest alternative title proved to be another non-fiction entry Why We Fight. It received primarily positive reviews though some critics griped that the subject demanded a longer film. It grossed about $60,000 at six sites.

– by Leonard Klady

Title	Distributor	Gross (average	% change	Theaters	Cume
Underworld: Evolution	Sony	27.1 (8,460)	–	3207	27.1
Hoodwinked	Weinstein Co	16.7 (6,960)	–	2394	16.6
Glory Road	BV	16.4 (7,400)	–	2222	16.4
Last Holiday	Par	14.9 (5,940)	–	2514	14.9
The Chronicles of Narnia	BV	13.1 (4,050)	-35%	3224	264.3
Hostel	Lions Gate	11.7 (5,010)	-40%	2337	36.9
Fun with Dick and Jane	Sony	10.4 (3,220)	-27%	3239	94.3
King Kong	Uni	9.2 (3,280)	-40%	2814	204.7
Tristan & Isolde	Fox	7.9 (4,260)	–	1845	7.9
Brokeback Mountain	Focus	7.1 (10,380)	3%	683	32.1
Cheaper by the Dozen	Fox	6.8 (2,450)	-40%	2773	74.7
Munich	Uni	6.1 (4,080)	-33%	1498	34
Memoirs of a Geisha	Sony	5.4 (3,250)	-30%	1654	47.6
The Ringer	Fox	3.3 (2,360)	-35%	1388	32
Rumor Has It	WB	3.2 (1,650)	-53%	1955	40.1
Casanova	BV	2.8 (2,780)	-38%	1011	9.1
The Family Stone	Fox	2.8 (1,920)	-50%	1441	57.3
Match Point	DreamWorks	2.5 (7.950)	-25%	312	6.9
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire	WB	2.4 (2,360)	-39%	1003	284.6
Walk the Line	Fox	2.2 (2,530)	-14%	864	98.4
The Producers	Uni	1.6 (2,000)	-43%	785	17.5
Grandma’s Boys	Fox	1.5 (730)	-60%	2016	5.6
Syriana	WB	1.4 (2,010)	-45%	706	44.2
Pride and Prejudice	Focus	.67 (1,790)	-34%	375	26.2
The Matador	Weinstein Co	.53 (9,460)	91%	56	1
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films)		$150.50	–	–	–
% Change (Last Year) *		-8%	–	–	–
% Change (Last Week)		-10%	–	–	–
Also Debuting/Expanding
Mortuary	Echo Bridge	15,500 (2,210)	–	7	0.02
When the Sea Rises	New Yorker	10,400 (5,200)	–	2	0.01
Henri Cartier-Bresson	Palm	8,100 (8,100)	–	1	0.01

Domestic Market Share: January 1 – 19, 2006

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