By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com
Fagetaboutit!
The anticipated dust up between the Jackie and Jet in Forbidden Kingdom and the naughty bits of Forgetting Sarah Marshall saw the martial artists draw in an estimated $20.8 million and the latest comedy from the Apatow corral gross $17.4 million. The opening strength of the two films left poor seconds for the Al Pacino thriller 88 Minutes that ranked fourth with $6.8 million and a better than expected $2.9 million bow for the curmudgeonly Ben Stein in the quasi-documentaryExpelled: No Intelligence Allowed.
The session’s limited freshmen were largely a commercial wash. Audiences didn’t appear to care Where is the World is Osama Bin Laden?; providing a limp $1,500 screen average from 102 darkened locales. There was proportionally more interest for the race track doc First Saturday in May with a $48,200 gross from 20 turfs and the portrait of composerPhillip Glass (in Twelve Parts) generated $5,200 from a single venue. Pathology failed to infect with a $52,300 from 46 labs and the critically heralded The Life Before Her Eyes failed to stir with a $17,600 gross from eight screens that likely to jeopardize the film’s expansion plans.
Overall box office experienced a slight b.o. bump from 2007 and while no one is going to begrudge improved results, closer inspection hardly suggests rosy rebounds or a reversal of fortune from recent viewing downturns.
In addition to the first pairing of martial art’s royalty, Forbidden Kingdom concocted an East meets West scenario with a Boston youth (and devoted genre fan) magically transported to ancient times to fulfill a legendary legacy. Reminiscent in story to The Last Action Hero, the new entry fared better artistically and commercially with superior action set pieces. It remains to be seen whether its popularity will be extended as a family picture or how Asians will respond when it opens in that arena next weekend.
The vultures swarmed around Forgetting Sarah Marshall, suspecting vulnerability in the raunchy comedy fare that’s become the staple of hyphenate Judd Apatow. While it ranked high among R-rated comedy debuts pundits are likely to see only that it ranked second and ignore that it’s apt to win the tortoise-hare race it confronts with its rival.
Revenues for the weekend edged toward $93 million and a slim 3% decline from seven days ago. They bumped up 3% from 2007 when the second weekend of Disturbia led with $13 million and the opening of Fracture followed at $11 million.
The 58% improvement for the top two respective titles obviously experienced fierce erosion as one expanded the viewing palette. Expectations were low for 88 Minutes that has already had sporadic and indifferent theatrical exposure internationally though prognosticators anticipated grosses closer to $10 million. Similarly there was no surprise in the 56% decline for Prom Night.
However, sophomore drops for Street Kings and especially Smart People were much greater than has been the trend. The latter film with its adult appeal and positive initial response is a head scratcher the industry hopes is just an anomaly. But indifferent response to the exclusive runs of The Life Before Her Eyes attest to a growing doubts and reticence among specialized audiences.
The sunnier anomaly is the surprising strength of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed in which creationism finds a surprising tour guide in Ben Stein. The film effectively targeted the converted and committed and while it’s unlikely to cross over, initial returns and subsequent ancillary activity add up to niche success.
Weekend Finals – April 18-20, 2008
| – | – | Title | Distrib | Weekend | % Change | Theaters | Cume | Wks |
| 1 | New | Forbidden Kingdom | Lions Gate | 21,401,121 | – | 3151 | 21,401,121 | 1 |
| 2 | New | Forgetting Sarah Marshall | Uni | 17,725,330 | – | 2798 | 17,725,330 | 1 |
| 3 | 1 | Prom Night | Sony/Alliance | 8,670,364 | -58% | 2700 | 32,133,926 | 2 |
| 4 | New | 88 Minutes | Sony | 6,957,216 | – | 2168 | 6,957,216 | 1 |
| 5 | 4 | Nim’s Island | Fox | 5,687,072 | -38% | 3277 | 32,894,115 | 3 |
| 6 | 3 | 21 | Sony | 5,520,362 | -47% | 2903 | 70,004,505 | 4 |
| 7 | 2 | Street Kings | Fox Searchlight | 4,179,505 | -66% | 2469 | 20,058,143 | 2 |
| 8 | 6 | Horton Hears a Who | Fox | 3,511,834 | -41% | 2670 | 144,418,495 | 6 |
| 9 | 5 | Leatherheads | Uni | 3,049,465 | -51% | 2798 | 26,605,235 | 3 |
| 10 | New | Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed | Rocky Mountain | 2,970,848 | – | 1052 | 2,970,848 | 1 |
| 11 | 9 | Superhero Movie | MGM | 1,608,072 | -50% | 1880 | 23,604,200 | 4 |
| 12 | 7 | Smart People | Miramax | 1,600,687 | -61% | 1119 | 6,805,392 | 2 |
| 13 | 8 | The Ruins | Par | 1,209,263 | -64% | 1857 | 15,828,143 | 3 |
| 14 | 10 | Drillbit Taylor | Par | 894,990 | -56% | 1367 | 29,782,431 | 5 |
| 15 | 11 | Meet the Browns | Lions Gate | 700,271 | -55% | 675 | 41,159,982 | 5 |
| 16 | 12 | 10,000 B.C. | WB | 603,380 | -59% | 855 | 92,826,810 | 7 |
| 17 | 17 | Under the Same Moon | Weinstein Co. | 585,132 | -39% | 454 | 11,187,306 | 6 |
| 18 | 16 | Shine a Light | Par Vantage | 567,933 | -41% | 220 | 3,755,976 | 3 |
| 19 | New | Dans une galaxie pres de chez vous 2 | TVA | 503,922 | – | 123 | 503,922 | 1 |
| 20 | 15 | The Bank Job | Lions Gate | 412,851 | -58% | 473 | 29,206,841 | 7 |
| 21 | 18 | College Road Trip | BV | 406,528 | -53% | 650 | 42,918,585 | 8 |
| 22 | 14 | Shutter | Fox | 280,285 | -74% | 433 | 25,428,675 | 5 |
| 23 | 24 | The Bucket List | WB | 260,019 | -30% | 350 | 92,589,760 | 17 |
| 24 | 22 | Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day | Focus | 254,783 | -50% | 332 | 11,767,372 | 7 |
| 25 | 25 | The Counterfeiters | Sony Classics | 240,753 | -32% | 170 | 3,742,262 | 9 |
| 26 | 21 | Vantage Point | Sony | 234,042 | -55% | 336 | 72,266,306 | 9 |
| 27 | 13 | Stop-Loss | Par | 232,112 | -79% | 534 | 10,641,262 | 4 |
| 28 | 26 | The Spiderwick Chronicles | Par | 230,635 | -30% | 370 | 70,601,440 | 10 |
| 29 | 20 | Run Fat Boy Run | Picturehouse | 191,055 | -67% | 227 | 5,796,720 | 4 |
| 30 | 19 | U, Me Aur Hum | Eros | 171,503 | -73% | 89 | 903,680 | 2 |
| 31 | 45 | The Visitor | Overture | 166,499 | 92% | 18 | 283,400 | 2 |
| 32 | 31 | Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure | nWave | 164,814 | -15% | 47 | 11,527,270 | 29 |
| 33 | 23 | Never Back Down | Summit | 160,239 | -66% | 297 | 24,212,330 | 6 |
| 34 | 32 | National Treasure: Book of Secrets | BV | 157,717 | -18% | 225 | 219,191,729 | 18 |
| 35 | 55 | Young@Heart | Fox Searchlight | 151,998 | 198% | 33 | 232,912 | 2 |
| 36 | 28 | Juno | Fox Searchlight | 151,908 | -49% | 230 | 143,253,943 | 20 |
| 37 | New | Where in the World is Osama …? | Weinstein Co. | 148,698 | – | 102 | 148,698 | 1 |
| 38 | 36 | Jumper | Fox | 145,883 | 1% | 200 | 79,166,197 | 10 |
| 39 | 30 | Fool’s Gold | WB | 142,340 | -44% | 220 | 69,222,160 | 11 |
| 40 | 35 | Priceless | IDP | 109,647 | -28% | 42 | 680,024 | 4 |
| 41 | 34 | Step Up 2 the Streets | BV | 106,928 | -33% | 191 | 57,743,881 | 10 |
| 42 | 29 | The Other Boleyn Girl | Sony | 106,190 | -64% | 198 | 26,814,957 | 8 |
| 43 | 33 | In Bruges | Focus | 103,436 | -42% | 123 | 7,276,922 | 11 |
| 44 | 61 | My Blueberry Nights | Weinstein Co. | 103,137 | 136% | 59 | 267,573 | 3 |
| 45 | 37 | Flawless | Magnolia | 79,788 | -43% | 65 | 705,017 | 4 |
| 46 | 38 | Alvin and the Chipmunks | Fox | 71,469 | -49% | 176 | 217,172,612 | 19 |
| 47 | 48 | Dolphins and Whales 3-D | 3D Entertainment | 70,713 | 3% | 13 | 1,067,183 | 10 |
| 48 | 44 | Emma Smith: My Story | Candlelight | 68,760 | -27% | 37 | 234,901 | 2 |
| 49 | 27 | Krazzy 4 | Eros | 68,248 | -79% | 59 | 433,472 | 2 |
| 50 | 47 | Penelope | Summit | 67,694 | -9% | 142 | 9,841,968 | 7 |
| 51 | 43 | 27 Dresses | Fox | 63,202 | -36% | 102 | 76,624,274 | 14 |
| 52 | 42 | The Band’s Visit | Sony Classics | 59,796 | -43% | 85 | 2,709,751 | 11 |
| 53 | 39 | Married Life | Sony Classics | 55,592 | -57% | 76 | 1,297,066 | 7 |
| 54 | New | First Sunday in May | Truly Indie | 54,553 | – | 20 | 54,553 | 1 |
| 55 | New | Pathology | MGM | 54,244 | – | 46 | 54,244 | 1 |
| 56 | 49 | U2 3D | nWave | 52,659 | -20% | 19 | 7,503,609 | 13 |
| 57 | 51 | Space Station 3-D | Imax | 50,560 | -12% | 10 | 74,613,329 | 313 |
| 58 | 41 | Bella | Roadsd/Maximum | 50,348 | -53% | 31 | 7,937,783 | 26 |
| 59 | New | Madame Butterfly | Bigger Picture | 48,111 | – | 120 | 48,111 | 1 |
| 60 | 40 | Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus 3-D | BV | 43,765 | -60% | 11 | 65,220,019 | 12 |
| 61 | 63 | Deep Sea 3-D | WB | 42,812 | 20% | 10 | 34,976,753 | 112 |
| 62 | 50 | Definitely, Maybe | Uni | 42,305 | -27% | 100 | 32,135,032 | 10 |
| 63 | 70 | Flight of the Red Balloon | IFC | 42,001 | 76% | 11 | 127,416 | 3 |
| 64 | 66 | Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins | Uni | 40,411 | 15% | 66 | 42,271,830 | 11 |
| 65 | 58 | Magnificent Desolation | Imax | 37,814 | -19% | 8 | 23,496,777 | 134 |
| 66 | 52 | Semi-Pro | WB | 37,677 | -29% | 110 | 33,429,169 | 8 |
| 67 | 53 | Year My Parents Went on Vacation | City Lights | 29,676 | -43% | 28 | 604,367 | 10 |
| 68 | 67 | The Hammer | Intl Film Circuit | 27,753 | -17% | 23 | 413,218 | 5 |
| 69 | 46 | Persepolis | Sony Classics | 25,505 | -69% | 46 | 4,364,662 | 17 |
| 70 | 59 | Be Kind Rewind | WB | 24,593 | -46% | 56 | 11,144,965 | 9 |
| 71 | 65 | Doomsday | Uni | 24,428 | -34% | 56 | 11,086,106 | 6 |
| 72 | 78 | Roving Mars | BV | 23,910 | 38% | 10 | 8,527,875 | 117 |
| 73 | 73 | The Eye | Lions Gate | 21,621 | -4% | 25 | 31,469,619 | 12 |
| 74 | 107 | The Singing Revolution | Abramorama | 21,236 | 288% | 3 | 110,018 | 9 |
| 75 | 54 | Caramel | Roadside Attract. | 21,136 | -59% | 24 | 913,265 | 12 |
| 76 | 62 | Untraceable | Sony | 19,738 | -53% | 51 | 29,154,625 | 13 |
| 77 | New | The Life Before Her Eyes | Magnolia | 20,220 | – | 8 | 20,220 | 1 |
| 78 | 64 | Snow Angels | WIP | 17,737 | -53% | 40 | 349,133 | 7 |
| Source: MCN/EDI | ||||||||
Estimates – April 18-20, 2008
| Title | Distributor | Gross (averag | % change * | Theaters | Cume |
| Forbidden Kingdom | Lions Gate | 20.8 (6,610) | – | 3151 | 20.8 |
| Forgetting Sarah Marshall | Uni | 17.4 (6,220) | – | 2798 | 17.4 |
| Prom Night | Sony/Alliance | 9.2 (3,390) | -56% | 2700 | 32.6 |
| 88 Minutes | Sony | 6.8 (3,150) | – | 2168 | 6.8 |
| Nim’s Island | Fox | 5.6 (1,733) | -39% | 3277 | 32.8 |
| 21 | Sony | 5.5 (1,900) | -47% | 2903 | 70 |
| Street Kings | Fox Searchlight | 4.0 (1,620) | -68% | 2469 | 19.9 |
| Horton Hears a Who | Fox | 3.4 (1,290) | -42% | 2670 | 144.4 |
| Leatherheads | Uni | 3.0 (1,070) | -52% | 2798 | 26.6 |
| Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed | Rocky Mountai | 2.9 (2,790) | – | 1027 | 2.9 |
| Smart People | Miramax | 1.6 (1,400) | -62% | 1119 | 6.8 |
| Superhero Movie | MGM | 1.5 (790) | -54% | 1880 | 23.5 |
| The Ruins | Par | 1.2 (620) | -66% | 1857 | 15.8 |
| Drillbit Taylor | Par | .89 (650) | -56% | 1367 | 29.8 |
| Meet the Browns | Lions Gate | .66 (980) | -58% | 675 | 41.1 |
| 10,000 B.C. | WB | .61 (710) | -59% | 856 | 92.8 |
| Shine a Light | Par Vantage | .58 (2,640) | -40% | 220 | 3.8 |
| Under the Same Moon | Weinstein Co. | .56 (1,230) | -41% | 454 | 11.1 |
| The Bank Job | Lions Gate | .41 (870) | -59% | 473 | 29.2 |
| Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) | – | $86.20 | – | – | – |
| % Change (Last Year) | – | 3% | – | – | – |
| % Change (Last Week) | – | -3% | – | – | – |
| Also debuting/expanding- | |||||
| The Visitor | Overture | .16 (8,850) | 89% | 18 | 0.28 |
| Where in World is Osama? | Weinstein Co. | .15 (1,500) | – | 102 | 0.15 |
| Young@Heart | Fox Searchlight | .14 (4,280) | 177% | 33 | 0.22 |
| Pathology | MGM | 52,300 (1,140) | – | 46 | 0.05 |
| First Saturday in May | Truly Indie | 48,200 (2,410) | – | 20 | 0.05 |
| The Life Before Her Eyes | Magnolia | 17,600 (2,200) | – | 8 | 0.02 |
| Constantine’s Sword | First Run | 10,500 (5,250) | – | 2 | 0.01 |
| Kiss the Bride | Regent | 9,100 (1,820) | – | 5 | 0.01 |
| Glass: A Portrait in Twelve Parts | Koch Lorber | 5,200 (5,200) | – | 1 | 0.01 |
| Anamorph | IFC | 2,870 (2,870) | – | 1 | 0.01 |
Domestic Market Share – To April 17, 2008
| Distributor (releases) | Gross | Market Share |
| Fox (10) | 472.1 | 19.00% |
| Warner Bros. (12) | 379.4 | 15.20% |
| Sony (12) | 282.1 | 11.30% |
| Buena Vista (8) | 269.9 | 10.80% |
| Paramount (8) | 232.9 | 9.40% |
| Universal (7) | 151.3 | 6.10% |
| Lions Gate (7) | 147.9 | 5.90% |
| Fox Searchlight (5) | 136.1 | 5.50% |
| Par Vantage (7) | 67.7 | 2.70% |
| New Line (4) | 61.6 | 2.50% |
| Focus (4) | 58.5 | 2.40% |
| Miramax (4) | 43.3 | 1.70% |
| MGM (7) | 42.4 | 1.70% |
| Summit (2) | 33.8 | 1.40% |
| Overture (3) | 20.9 | 0.80% |
| Other * (106) | 90.1 | 3.60% |
| – | 2490 | 100.00% |
Global Grossers – To March 30, 2008
| Title | Distributor | Gross |
| I Am Legend | WB | 270,214,778 |
| National Treasure: Book of Secrets | BVI | 258,452,003 |
| 10,000 B.C. | WB | 230,668,896 |
| Jumper | Fox | 198,747,514 |
| Horton Hears a Who | Fox | 197,609,863 |
| Juno | Fox/Mandate | 185,142,982 |
| Alvin and the Chipmunks | Fox | 168,679,687 |
| Cloverfield | Paramount | 157,903,442 |
| Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis | Pathe | 157,314,114 |
| The Bucket List | WB | 148,939,032 |
| 27 Dresses | Fox/Spyglass | 134,783,157 |
| Asterix aux jeux Olympiques | Pathe | 130,521,428 |
| Vantage Point | Sony | 126,507,378 |
| The Spiderwick Chronicles | Paramount | 118,422,878 |
| Sweeney Todd | Paramount/WB | 125,045,246 |
| Step Up 2 | BV/Summit | 110,504,896 |
| No Country for Old Men | Miramax/Para | 110,232,834 |
| P.S. I Love You | WB/Summit | 109,635,887 |
| Enchanted | BV | 107,450,510 |
| The Golden Compass | New Line | 106,921,784 |
| Rambo | Lions Gate/NuI | 103,202,282 |
| * does not include 2007 box office | ||
Top Domestic Grossers – To March 27, 2008
| Title | Distributor | Gross |
| Juno * | Fox Searchlight | 113,564,674 |
| Horton Hears a Who | Fox | 99,849,148 |
| The Bucket List * | WB | 90,378,651 |
| National Treasure: Book of Secret | BV | 84,668,814 |
| 10,000 B.C. | WB | 80,045,351 |
| Cloverfield | Par | 79,868,530 |
| Jumper | Fox | 77,984,874 |
| 27 Dresses | Fox | 75,941,603 |
| Alvin and the Chipmunks * | Fox | 68,973,565 |
| The Spiderwick Chronicles | Par | 68,646,009 |
| Fool’s Gold | WB | 67,524,778 |
| Vantage Point | Sony | 66,948,480 |
| Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Co | BV | 64,547,158 |
| Step Up 2: The Streets | BV | 57,001,753 |
| I Am Legend * | WB | 56,933,914 |
| Rambo | Lions Gate | 42,754,105 |
| Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins | Uni | 42,093,210 |
| Atonement * | Focus | 39,617,946 |
| There Will Be Blood * | Par Vantage | 39,438,070 |
| First Sunday | Sony | 38,182,387 |
