By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com
Epic .. In Name Only
January 28, 2007
Weekend Estimates
Domestic Market Share
Epic Movie spoofed its way to the top of weekend movie going charts with an estimated $18.9 million in yet another pokey frame at cinemas. The session saw additional debuts of $14.2 for the gangster yarn Smokin’ Aces in second spot and the romantic-comedy Catch and Release ranked fourth with $7.9 million.
Overall business ascended roughly 14% from the prior weekend but lagged behind this time last year by 10%. While several Oscar contenders received a box office boost, the bump paled behind the sort of utz that accompanied announcements up until just a few years ago.
While not precisely a sequel Epic Movie followed on last year’s hit Date Movie and proved imitation loves flattery with superior opening numbers that topped tracking expectations. One awaits breathlessly for the ensuing pokes at film genres that are sure to be hatched.
Projections for Smokin’ Aces were pretty much bang on while the previously shelved Catch and Release performed below par. Both titles were partially financed by Relativity Media that also hasThe Pursuit of Happyness and is emerging as a much shrewder investor than such similar bankrolling entities as Legedary and Radiant.
Weekend revenues approached roughly $115 million but the new entries were a considerable distance behind last year’s $27.7 million bow of Big Momma’s House 2.
Echoing 2006 concerns that there were few beneficiaries of Oscar largesse, the current crop of contenders mostly generated fair response to re-entries and expansions. The hoped for front runner position earmarked for Dreamgirls failed to materialize and while that film added 571 playdates post announcements, it continued to lose traction.
Warner Bros. took The Departed wide and added about $2.9 million to its bounty but clearly the one picture that is thriving in the spotlight is Pan’s Labyrinth. The Spanish-Mexican co-production grossed $4.2 million the past weekend at 823 locations and appears to be playing particular well with Hispanic and upscale audiences.
Other films receiving an award assist include The Queen, Volver, Venus and Notes on a Scandalwhile both Letters from Iwo Jima and The Last King of Scotland are struggling to hold their own in the crowded field.
The session also saw a relatively wide bow for the horror romance Blood and Chocolate that generated an indifferent $2 million from 1,200 engagements while the Bollywood circuit saw strong returns of $420,000 for Salaam-E-Ishq.
Limited preems were largely disappointing including the western yarn Seraphim Falls with roughly $140,000 from 52 shoot outs and two Manhattan engagements generated a just passable near $20,000 gross for Breaking and Entering. The documentary G.I. Jesus had an OK $2,200 for an exclusive outing but it was abject catastrophe for the comedy Funny Money with an $1,100 tally from four venues.
– Leonard Klady
Weekend Estimates – January 26-28, 2007
Title |
Distributor
|
Gross (aver
|
% change
|
Theate
|
Cume
|
Epic Movie |
Fox
|
18.9 (6,750)
|
–
|
2801
|
18.9
|
Smokin’ Aces |
Uni
|
14.2 (6,390)
|
–
|
2218
|
14.2
|
Night at the Museum |
Fox
|
9.1 (2,820)
|
-24%
|
3241
|
216.4
|
Catch and Release |
Sony
|
7.9 (4,890)
|
–
|
1622
|
7.9
|
Stomp the Yard |
Sony
|
7.7 (3,630)
|
-38%
|
2115
|
50.5
|
Dreamgirls |
Par
|
6.4 (2,300)
|
-20%
|
2785
|
86.4
|
The Pursuit of Happyness |
Sony
|
4.7 (1,760)
|
-25%
|
2688
|
152.7
|
Pan’s Labyrinth |
Picturehouse
|
4.2 (5,140)
|
-6%
|
823
|
16
|
The Queen |
Miramax
|
3.9 (2,120)
|
14%
|
1830
|
41.1
|
The Hitcher |
Focus
|
3.4 (1,200)
|
-56%
|
2836
|
13.2
|
Freedom Writers |
Par
|
3.4 (1,500)
|
-35%
|
2273
|
31.2
|
The Departed |
WB
|
2.9 (1,980)
|
857%
|
1453
|
124.8
|
Notes on a Scandal |
Fox Searchligh
|
2.5 (3,860)
|
111%
|
640
|
9
|
Babel |
Par Vantage
|
2.5 (2,270)
|
6%
|
1090
|
27.1
|
Children of Men |
Uni
|
2.0 (1,540)
|
-47%
|
1276
|
30.7
|
Blood and Chocolate |
MGM
|
2.0 (1,650)
|
–
|
1200
|
2
|
Letter from Iwo Jima |
WB
|
1.6 (3,950)
|
21%
|
415
|
4.8
|
Arthur and the Invisibles |
MGM
|
1.5 (880)
|
-51%
|
1718
|
11.3
|
The Last King of Scotland |
Fox Searchligh
|
1.5 (3,070)
|
-4%
|
501
|
7.6
|
Charlotte’s Web |
Par
|
1.4 (1,820)
|
-40%
|
1345
|
78.8
|
Blood Diamond |
WB
|
1.2 (1,670)
|
-34%
|
690
|
52.6
|
Volver |
Sony Class/Se
|
1.1 (1,530)
|
86%
|
691
|
9.5
|
Alpha Dog |
Uni
|
1.0 (980)
|
-66%
|
1005
|
13.9
|
Happy Feet |
WB
|
.88 (1,350)
|
-33%
|
650
|
191.9
|
We Are Marshall |
WB
|
.79 (840)
|
-46%
|
940
|
42.2
|
The Good Shepherd |
Uni
|
.68 (940)
|
-67%
|
723
|
58.9
|
The Painted Veil |
WIP
|
.66 (2,300)
|
-27%
|
287
|
4.8
|
Rocky Balboa |
MGM
|
.59 (730)
|
-63%
|
811
|
68.7
|
Casino Royale |
Sony
|
.57 (1,560)
|
-52%
|
364
|
165.3
|
Happily Never After |
Lions Gate
|
.53 (800)
|
-66%
|
660
|
14.8
|
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) |
$109.70
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
|
% Change (Last Year) |
–
|
-10%
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
% Change (Last Week) |
–
|
14%
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Also debuting/expanding | |||||
Salaam -E-Ishq |
Eros
|
.42 (4,870)
|
–
|
86
|
0.42
|
Venus |
Miramax
|
.33 (5,640)
|
230%
|
59
|
0.7
|
Seraphim Falls |
IDP
|
.14 (2,670)
|
–
|
52
|
0.14
|
Breaking and Entering |
Weinstein Co.
|
19,840 (9,920)
|
–
|
2
|
0.02
|
G.I. Jesus |
Wildcat
|
2,120 (2,120)
|
–
|
1
|
0.01
|
Funny Money |
Thinkfilm
|
1,100 (275)
|
–
|
4
|
0.01
|
Domestic Market Share: Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2006
Distributor (releases) |
Gross
|
Percentage
|
% Chang
|
Rank ’05
|
Sony (33) |
1718.1
|
18.60%
|
87%
|
5
|
Buena Vista (25) |
1474.4
|
16.00%
|
60%
|
4
|
Fox (28) |
1398.6
|
15.20%
|
3%
|
2
|
Warner Bros. (25) |
1065.9
|
11.60%
|
-23%
|
1
|
Paramount (18) |
949.9
|
10.30%
|
15%
|
6
|
Universal (21) |
816.6
|
8.90%
|
-19%
|
3
|
Lions Gate (18) |
333.8
|
3.60%
|
17%
|
10
|
New Line (13) |
253.2
|
2.70%
|
-40%
|
7
|
Weinstein Co. (14) |
226.5
|
2.40%
|
383%
|
17
|
Focus (13) |
184.8
|
2.00%
|
15%
|
12
|
MGM (11) |
166.8
|
1.80%
|
-9%
|
11
|
Fox Searchlight (14) |
165.6
|
1.80%
|
62%
|
14
|
Sony Classics (23) |
59.3
|
0.60%
|
-6%
|
15
|
FreeStyle (9) |
56
|
0.60%
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Other * (290) |
361.6
|
3.90%
|
-9%
|
–
|
– |
9231.1
|
100.00%
|
3.80%
|
–
|
* DreamWorks ranked seventh; Miramax ninth in 2005 |