MCN Columnists
Leonard Klady

By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com

Ashes to Ashes, Gold to Gold …

July 15, 2007
Weekend Finals
Domestic Market Share

Hari Potter, Harry Potter

Potter, Potter, Hari, Harry

To no great surprise Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix, its fifth screen installment, went to the head of the class with an estimated $76.8 million. The only other film to venture out nationally was the oft-delayed Captivity that registered a weak fettering of $1.4 million.

The session also included excellent debuts for limited releases including the historical drama Talk to Me andInterview, based on the controversial Dutch film by Theo Van Gogh.

For no obvious reason, HP5 bowed last Wednesday and entered the weekend with $62.6 million in the bank. However, the spur for the jump start was clearly the international marketplace where many territories debut new films on Wednesday or Thursday. Warner Bros. is projecting the first seven days domestically will exceed $160 million and that would be the fastest pace for any film in the series (though admissions would trail those of chapter #4).

The latest screen edition has also served up a tremendous amount of free publicity and awareness for author J.K. Rowling‘s seventh and final (?) Harry Potter novel that hits book stands imminently.

Despite the significant chunk of change Harry transposed to the mid-week, weekend revenues climbed for the first time in more than a month. Close to $180 million was spent on movie tickets during the current session to register a modest 2% bump from seven days earlier and a more impressive 12% boost from 2006 when the second Pirates of the Caribbean entered its second frame with $62.3 million and freshmen arrivals Little Man and You, Me and Dupree followed with grosses of $21.6 million and $21.5 million.

Transformers experienced close to a 50% decline but with a domestic tally of more than $220 million the picture is well ahead of expectations and the key question to confront is when to date the sequel. In a season that’s largely been characterized by sequels and retreads not quite living up to inflated expectations, the surprises so far are the much writ about Knocked Up and 1408. The latter, adapted from the Stephen King canon, has taken the industry off guard and not simply because it was released by MGM. Scary movies are supposed to experience 50% declines and disappear from the marketplace after four weeks. Now in its seventh weekend, 1408 had as good a hold as any wide release (-31%) and at its current pace should gross about $80 million.

The true life antics and inspiration of 60s era D.C. radio personality “Petey” Greene proved unexpectedly potent forTalk to Me, generating about $398,000 from 33 venues. Still, there’s little question that the material is a difficult sell and significant care will be required as it expands nationally. One can see the strains already for Rescue Dawn that debuted on July 4 and added 32 theaters in its second weekend. While its per engagement average remained potent, a big question looms as to whether the expansion has been too cautious considering the attention its received.

The sessions other limited newcomers played well in the niches with the French import My Best Friend (Patrice Leconte venturing into Veber territory) racking up roughly $45,000 from three screens and Interview ringing up better then $40,000 in six head to heads.

– Leonard Klady

Weekend Finals – July 13-15, 2007

Title
Distrib
Weekend
% Change
Theaters
Cume
Wks
1
New
Harry Potter & the Order of Pho
WB
77,108,414
4285
139,715,157
1
2
1
Transformers
Par
37,027,901
-47%
4050
224,009,583
2
3
2
Ratatouille
BV
18,012,196
-38%
3625
142,997,082
3
4
3
Live Free or Die Hard
Fox
11,279,135
-36%
3201
103,322,580
3
5
4
License to Wed
WB
7,311,297
-30%
2715
30,379,749
2
6
6
1408
MGM
4,934,516
-30%
2206
62,127,222
4
7
5
Evan Almighty
Uni
4,895,055
-44%
2697
87,790,505
4
8
7
Knocked Up
Uni
3,676,500
-30%
1710
138,217,270
7
9
9
Sicko
LGF/Alliance
2,604,139
-28%
756
15,830,046
4
10
10
Ocean’s Thirteen
WB
1,984,323
-44%
1244
112,506,702
6
11
8
Fantastic Four: Rise of Silver Su
Fox
1,633,612
-61%
1312
127,192,730
5
12
New
Captivity
FreeStyle
1,429,100
1061
1,429,100
1
13
11
Pirates of Caribbean: At World’
BVI
1,396,749
-54%
928
304,454,423
8
14
12
Evening
Focus
1,156,407
-51%
760
10,842,501
3
15
13
Shrek the Third
Par
662,041
-57%
644
318,079,835
9
16
24
You Kill Me
IFC
589,368
139%
247
1,514,156
4
17
17
La Vie en Rose
TVA/Picturehouse
537,399
-11%
172
6,720,304
17
18
21
Spider-Man 3
Sony
512,393
69%
447
335,002,361
11
19
New
Talk to Me
Focus
402,000
33
402,000
1
20
15
Nancy Drew
WB
390,766
-57%
425
24,183,030
5
21
29
Rescue Dawn
MGM
363,093
229%
38
591,998
2
22
18
Once
Fox Searchlight
326,664
-26%
116
5,082,298
9
23
14
Surf’s Up
Sony
308,042
-69%
403
56,869,271
6
24
20
Waitress
Fox Searchlight
271,236
-30%
190
17,896,730
11
25
19
Nitro
Alliance
223,769
-47%
98
2,404,649
3
26
39
Joshua
Fox Searchlight
214,153
318%
151
288,743
2
27
22
Disturbia
Par
200,099
-34%
232
79,654,902
14
28
16
A Mighty Heart
Par Vantage
198,755
-69%
176
8,837,910
4
29
23
Wild Hogs
BV
192,580
-23%
253
167,729,718
20
30
25
Paris je t’aime
First Look
145,543
-29%
91
4,429,608
11
31
27
Deep Sea 3-D
WB
141,243
-16%
30
29,756,966
72
32
28
Blades of Glory
Par
98,998
-30%
175
118,344,900
16
33
56
Introducing the Dwights
WIP
94,423
240%
35
148,293
2
34
33
Broken English
Magnolia
84,807
12%
28
356,705
4
35
35
Golden Door
Miramax
78,115
10%
30
708,562
8
36
59
Lady Chatterley
Kino
72,660
267%
16
192,097
4
37
30
Are We Done Yet?
Sony
72,575
-26%
141
49,956,902
15
38
26
Mr. Brooks
MGM
62,066
-57%
114
28,141,974
7
39
New
Naqaab
Tips
58,025
25
58,025
1
40
40
Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia
Sky High
52,771
14%
9
649,857
16
41
51
Magnificent Desolation
Imax
46,099
45%
5
20,132,282
94
42
32
The Invisible
BV
45,834
-43%
99
20,524,319
12
43
New
My Best Friend
IFC
45,246
3
45,246
1
44
34
Delta Farce
Lions Gate
43,203
-41%
81
8,429,343
10
45
42
Wild Safari 3-D
nWave
43,350
3%
10
13,988,904
119
46
36
Hot Fuzz
Focus
42,538
-38%
87
23,562,907
12
47
41
28 Weeks Later
Fox
42,394
-3%
58
28,611,868
10
48
New
Interview
Sony Classics
41,016
6
41,016
1
49
45
300
WB
36,813
1%
54
210,651,752
19
50
31
Apne
Shemaroo
36,491
-56%
21
391,392
3
51
RE
Bug
Lions Gate
36,111
111
7,061,921
8
52
47
Away from Her
Lions Gt/Mongrel
33,444
-4%
41
5,611,394
11
53
37
Sivaji
Ayngaran
27,203
-49%
7
664,341
5
54
52
Black Book
Sony Classics
26,477
-16%
25
4,339,526
15
55
48
The Lives of Others
Sony Classics
26,176
-21%
19
10,864,149
23
56
RE
Brooklyn Rules
Slow Hand
25,125
18
427,511
10
57
44
Paprika
Sony Classics
24,841
-39%
27
686,293
8
58
49
Ensemble, c’est tout
Christal
23,063
-29%
10
455,537
5
59
43
Fracture
New Line
21,014
-48%
63
38,975,999
13
60
55
Roving Mars
BV
17,492
-39%
9
7,671,167
77
61
46
Gypsy Caravan
Shadow
16,726
-52%
11
134,215
5
62
38
Meet the Robinsons
BV
16,152
-69%
51
96,759,204
16
Source: Nielsen EDI; MCN

Estimates – July 13-15, 2007

Title
Distributor
Gross (averag
% change
Theater
Cume
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoe
WB
76.8 (17,920)
4285
139.4
Transformers
Par
35.7 (8,820)
-49%
4050
222.7
Ratatouille
BV
18.2 (5,020)
-37%
3625
143.2
Live Free or Die Hard
Fox
10.8 (3,380)
-39%
3201
102.9
License to Wed
WB
7.3 (2,710)
-29%
2715
30.4
1408
MGM
4.9 (2,230)
-31%
2206
62.1
Evan Almighty
Uni
4.8 (1,780)
-45%
2702
87.7
Knocked Up
Uni
3.6 (2,080)
-32%
1715
138.1
Sicko
LGF/Alliance
2.5 (3,270)
-31%
756
15.7
Ocean’s Thirteen
WB
1.8 (1,490)
-48%
1244
112.4
Fantastic Four: Rise of Silver Surfer
Fox
1.5 (1,150)
-64%
1312
127.1
Captivity
Lions Gate
1.4 (1,360)
1050
1.4
Pirates of Caribbean: At World’s End
BV
1.4 (1,490)
-54%
928
304.4
Evening
Focus
1.1 (1,410)
-55%
760
10.8
Shrek the Third
Par
.61 (950)
-52%
644
318
You Kill Me
IFC
.56 (2,260)
58%
248
1.5
La Vie en Rose
TVA/Picturehou
.53 (2,990)
-12%
177
6.7
Talk to Me
Focus
.40 (12,060)
33
0.4
Nancy Drew
WB
.37 (870)
-59%
425
24.2
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films)
$173.50
% Change (Last Year)
12%
% Change (Last Week)
2%
Also debuting/expanding
Rescue Dawn
MGM
.35 (9,160)
216%
38
0.58
Joshua
Fox Searchlight
.21 (1,380)
310%
151
0.28
Introducing the Dwights
WIP
.09 (2,540)
219%
35
0.14
My Best Friend
IFC
45,100 (15,030)
3
0.05
Interview
Sony Classics
40,400 (6,730)
6
0.04
Shortcut to Happiness
FreeStyle
31,700 (1,440)
22
0.03

Worldwide Grossers: To July 12, 2007

Distributor (Releases)
Gross
Market Share
Paramount (14) 1035.2
20.00%
Sony (17) 878.8
17.00%
Buena Vista (14) 820.4
15.80%
Warner Bros. (21) 686.3
13.20%
Fox (15) 498.5
9.60%
Universal (11) 438.9
8.50%
MGM (14) 167.5
3.20%
Lions Gate (12) 114.4
2.20%
New Line (6) 108.9
2.10%
Fox Searchlight (10) 80.9
1.60%
Focus (3) 49.7
1.00%
Picturehouse (3) 44.4
0.90%
Miramax (6) 44.1
0.80%
Par Vantage (4) 34.1
0.70%
Sony Classics (10) 32.4
0.60%
Other * (147) 144.5
2.40%
* none greater than 0.5% 5179
100.00%

Domestic Market Share: To July 12, 2007

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
BV
930,191,022
Spider-Man 3
Sony
884,655,591
Shrek the Third
Par
661,559,858
300
WB
455,939,040
Night at the Museum *
Fox
394,150,863
Transformers
Par
307,286,567
Ocean’s Thirteen
WB
255,293,981
Wild Hogs
BV
251,339,214
Ghost Rider
Sony
229,847,486
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fox
224,107,459
The Pursuit of Happyness *
Sony
209,581,987
Live Free or Die Hard
Fox
192,841,363
Mr. Bean’s Holiday
Uni/Wk Title
185,344,309
Norbit
Par
159,206,376
Meet the Robinsons
BV
151,216,199
Ratatouille
BV
147,555,891
Music and Lyrics
WB
147,009,007
Blades of Glory
Par
142,827,967
Knocked Up
Uni
139,629,343
Bridge to Terabithia
BV/Summit
128,404,156
* does not include 2006 box office
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Klady

Quote Unquotesee all »

It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?

So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.

And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.

There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.

I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.

So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.

But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”

My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher

“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.

~ David Simon