The box office was stirred not snakin’ as Snakes on a Plane nudged its way to top weekend viewing choice with an estimated $15.3 million gross. Overall box office dipped for the frame with good to fair response for national debuts of teen oriented pics Accepted and Material Girls. The action was more intense in specialized sectors where The Illusionist had a potent limited platform and Factotum played well in exclusives and Little Miss Sunshine continued to have impressive response as it expanded nationally.

The anticipation of rich rewards was fierce as the bow of Snakes on a Plane crept closer last week. Unquestionably one of the most clever and innovative marketing campaigns of recent note, its buzz level was off the charts in terms of internet activity. While the novel approach suggested conventional industry tracking would provide lowball estimates, it proved to be uncharacteristically accurate with reports that estimated a $20 million top end.

The film received a mild head start with 10 p.m. Thursday showings estimated at between $1 million and $1.5 million that were incorporated into Friday figures. So, charitably, the film experienced a 6% box office dip on Saturday. However, dreams of a $30 million debut quickly evaporated and translating effort vs. gross on an unprecedented web push will be intensely dissected and analyzed for at least several weeks.

The incoming alternatives were curious as they targeted a similar audience but offered a less restrictive rating. Accepted, a latter-day Animal House, hit close to its crunch number a $9.7 million opener that ranked it fifth in the lineup. Belying the rule of women making the viewing choices, Material Girl was four titles behind with a $4.4 million gross that will rely on subsequent ancillary activity to cover investment.

Overall box office receipts were approaching close to $110 million and slipped by 17% from the prior weekend. It also lagged behind 2005 by 7% freshmen entries The 40 Year Old Virgin and Red Eye led the field with respective tallies of $21.4 million and $16.2 million.

Talladega Nights nipped at the “heels” of Snakes as it entered the frame with a $100 million cume on Thursday. Last weekend’s leader Step Up experienced a not untypical 52% decline and World Trade Center had a less intense but not quite sturdy 43% erosion.

Receiving a major critical assist, The Illusionist rang up an impressive $910,000 from 51 locations. The period drama bowed at Sundance to mixed response that ultimately fell short of a significant bidding war. There’s little question it’s connected in niche play and now has earn additional theatrical interest.

Following close to a year in release internationally, Factotum generated very good initial response in six theaters of $56,600. Based on stories by Charles Bukowski it still has a long road to equal Barfly also based on his life and writing. Other limited bows of American independents included an OK launch of Trust the Man of $181,000 from 38 screens and a passable $18,300 gross for 10th & Wolf from six engagements.

Little Miss Sunshine upped the ante from 153 to 691 playdates and finally ranked in the top 10 with a $5.4 million tally while maintaining a sturdy overall theater average close to $8,000. Plans are for significant expansions in the next two weekends.

The bilingual thriller Bon Cop Bad Cop added English Canadian theaters following two weeks of record business in Quebec. The result was definitely upbeat with the new locations providing about 40% of its $1.1 million weekend gross.

– by Leonard Klady

Domestic Market Share: January 1 – July 27, 2006

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