By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com
Thirteen … The Hard Way
June 10, 2007
Weekend Estimates
Domestic Market Share
Ocean’s Thirteen walked away from the table with an estimated $36.2 million to take top spot in the weekend movie derby. Commercially it out stayed its welcome and audiences didn’t appear to be waddling with happy feet to Surf’s Up’s celluloid penguins that grossed $17.9 million to rank fourth or a second Hostel with a $7.9 million box office.
The frame’s best debut was extended to the French musical biopic La Vie en Rose that trilled to $168,000 from eight locations.
Overall business pushed to slightly more than $135 million that translated to a slim 1% improvement from the prior weekend’s tally. However, box office paled by 11% from 2006 when Cars bowed to $60.1 million.
Expectations for Ocean’s Thirteen had been hovering around $45 million though a studio spokesman said weekend business was only slightly lower than internal tracking. It’s expecting strong mid-weeks that will exceed first week grosses of $50 million that each of the prior two installments recorded. Outside sources maintained the result was disappointing considering its summer berth and industry tracking.
The high rollers also stepped out internationally to good but not outstanding returns that included first place finishes in the United Kingdom ($4 million) and Spain ($1 million) but its $2.8 million total in Germany ranked second to Pirates of the Caribbean.
Anticipation for Surf’s Up was more in line with its soft results and the contempo grindhouse Hostel 2 sliced up average genre grosses. One can palpably feel audience malaise as week after week serves up retreads of past cinematic glories. The current session includes five sequels in the top 10 money earners with the new Fantastic Four in the wings next week.
The desire for novelty was best expressed by the prior weekend’s freshman Knocked Up. Its 35% erosion is the best hold of the season with mid-week ticket sales that exceeded Pirates. The summer tentpoles have largely played to under-25s and Knocked Up, Waitress and Oceans mark a significant departure to that trend among wide releases.
France’s Little Sparrow Edith Piaf made a triumphant return with La Vie en Rose. The combination of emotion and music has translated well internationally where it’s earned close to $60 million. It’s also done about $1.6 million in Quebec where it debuted in March.
Also of note was the single screen launch of 12:08 East of Bucharest, the wry Romanian yarn that’s been a favorite on the festival circuit.
Weekend Estimates – June 1-3, 2007
Title |
Distributor
|
Gross (avera
|
% chang
|
Theat
|
Cume
|
Ocean’s Thirteen |
WB
|
36.2 (10,160)
|
–
|
3565
|
36.2
|
Pirates of Caribbean: At World’s End |
BV
|
21.8 (5,440)
|
-51%
|
4002
|
254.1
|
Knocked Up |
Uni
|
20.1 (6,990)
|
-35%
|
2876
|
66.3
|
Surf’s Up |
Sony
|
17.9 (5,080)
|
–
|
3528
|
17.9
|
Shrek the Third |
Par
|
15.3 (3,910)
|
-45%
|
3925
|
281.5
|
Hostel 2 |
Lions Gate
|
7.9 (3,370)
|
–
|
2350
|
7.9
|
Mr. Brooks |
MGM
|
4.5 (1,830)
|
-55%
|
2453
|
18.2
|
Spider-Man 2 |
Sony
|
4.4 (1,710)
|
-42%
|
2570
|
325.7
|
Waitress |
Searchlight
|
1.6 (2,290)
|
-20%
|
708
|
12
|
Gracie |
Picturehouse
|
.57 (520)
|
-58%
|
1093
|
2.5
|
Disturbia |
Par
|
.52 (920)
|
-53%
|
568
|
77.8
|
Once |
Fox Searchlig
|
.51 (5,380)
|
17%
|
95
|
1.8
|
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) |
–
|
$131.30
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
% Change (Last Year) |
–
|
-11%
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
% Change (Last Week) |
–
|
1%
|
–
|
–
|
—
|
Also debuting/expanding – | |||||
Away from Her |
Mongrel/Lions
|
.22 (690)
|
-56%
|
316
|
4.4
|
La Vie en Rose * |
Picturehouse
|
.17 (21,020)
|
–
|
8
|
0.17
|
12:08 East of Bucharest |
Tartan
|
10,800
|
–
|
1
|
0.01
|
Belle Toujours |
New Yorker
|
5,300
|
–
|
1
|
0.01
|
Domestic Grosses: To June 7, 2007
Title |
Distrubutor
|
Gross
|
Spider-Man 3 |
Sony
|
321,280,163
|
Shrek the Third |
Par
|
266,142,451
|
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worl |
BV
|
232,297,818
|
300 |
WB
|
209,716,307
|
Wild Hogs |
BV
|
164,730,071
|
Night at the Museum * |
Fox
|
135,004,732
|
Ghost Rider |
Sony
|
117,153,808
|
Blades of Glory |
Par
|
116,867,043
|
Meet the Robinsons |
BV
|
96,096,976
|
Norbit |
Par
|
95,846,693
|
Bridge to Terabithia |
BV
|
81,944,676
|
Disturbia |
Par
|
77,245,463
|
Dreamgirls * |
Par
|
66,370,036
|
The Pursuit of Happyness * |
Sony
|
65,771,807
|
Stomp the Yard |
Sony
|
61,591,536
|
TMNT |
WB
|
54,036,715
|
Music and Lyrics |
WB
|
50,572,589
|
Premonition |
Sony
|
48,857,992
|
Are We Done Yet? |
Sony
|
48,797,218
|
Shooter |
Par
|
46,918,941
|
Domestic Market Share: To June 8, 2007
Distributor (Releases) |
Gross
|
Market Shar
|
Sony (16) |
808
|
20.70%
|
Paramount (13) |
792.6
|
20.30%
|
Buena Vista (13) |
620
|
15.90%
|
Warner Bros. (17) |
463.5
|
11.90%
|
Fox (13) |
288.7
|
7.40%
|
Universal (10) |
267.2
|
6.80%
|
New Line (6) |
108.2
|
2.80%
|
MGM (12) |
95.6
|
2.40%
|
Lions Gate (10) |
82.9
|
2.10%
|
Fox Searchlight (9) |
69.5
|
1.80%
|
Miramax (5) |
43.4
|
1.10%
|
Focus (2) |
39.3
|
1.00%
|
Picturehouse (3) |
39.2
|
1.00%
|
Sony Classics (10) |
30.4
|
0.80%
|
Weinstein Co. (5) |
26.4
|
0.70%
|
Par Vantage (3) |
25.4
|
0.70%
|
IDP (6) |
22.1
|
0.60%
|
Other * (113) |
80.3
|
2.00%
|
* none greater than 0.45% |
3902.7
|
100.00%
|