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Leonard Klady

By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com

Posted Sunday, April 27th, 2008 - Comments Off on Poehler Opposiyuks
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Poehler Opposiyuks

Comedy was king as a rare instance of a trio of laughers led weekend movie going. At the top of the list were newcomers Baby Mama and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay that bowed to respective estimated grosses of $18.2 million and $14.5 million. The session’s third national opener – the thriller Deception – had a faint pulse of $2.2 million that just managed to edge into the top 10.

There was additional torrid activity in regional and niche sectors that included a solid bow for Bollywood entry Tashan of $400,000, an encouraging $24,600 for the French import Roman de gare in two exclusives and good response to the paternity serio-comedy Then She Found Me of $71,200 from 10 screens. There wasn’t much traction for the family outingA Plumm Summer, the latter day Cincinnati Kid card showdown of Deal or the Abu Ghraib exploration Standard Operating Procedure. Another non-fiction entry, Up the Yangtse bowed to an excellent $15,500 in a New York single following a $500,000 run in Canada.

For a change weekend revenues exceeded the 2007 tally as the industry girds for next weekend’s launch of the summer season with Iron Man. The level of nervousness surrounding the debut of the latest Marvelous superhero is palpable and though it doesn’t require a seven-figure weekend, that lofty level would assuage all box office fears.

The anticipation of an unsightly collision between the comedy contenders proved unwarranted as ratings and gender differences allowed for each to secure a sizeable portion of the movie masses. Baby Mama was the anticipated leader and didn’t disappoint as the former SNL co-anchors made merry in a yarn of surrogacy that tilted heavily toward women with exit polls pegging them as 68% of the audience. The possibilities of male crossover bode well in upcoming weeks.

The second Harold & Kumar outing saw the pendulum swing 65% male that likely translates into a sharper drop than its humorous brothers and sisters. Nonetheless the film was a testament to the power of ancillaries boosting theatrical appeal. The original opened to $5.4 million but attained a cult status from cable and DVD exposure and wound up almost trebling its initial theatrical gross in the second coming.

Among holdover titles Forgetting Sarah Marshall and 21 and several family oriented titles proved more resilient than the more graphically oriented genre fare to no one’s great surprise.

Weekend biz settled in with roughly $85 million in ticket sales to ebb back 7% from the prior frame’s tally. However, it was 15% improved from 2007 when the third weekend of Disturbia led with a $9 million gross and newcomers The Invisible and Next followed with $7.7 million and $7.1 million launches.

Much has been written about the “arrangement” involved in the studio acquisition of Deception and judging from attendance movie goers either read or were told to avoid the film … and listened. The revelation that interviewees were paid to participate in Standard Operating Procedure put the lie to the old saw about “no publicity is bad publicity.”

– Leonard Klady

Weekend Finals – April 25-27, 2008

Title Distrib Weekend % Change Theaters Cume Wks
1 New Baby Mama Uni 17,407,110 – 2543 17,407,110 1
2 New Harold & Kumar Escape Guantanamo WB 14,908,404 – 2510 14,908,404 1
3 1 Forbidden Kingdom Lions Gate 11,212,364 -48% 3151 38,237,498 2
4 2 Forgetting Sarah Marshall Uni 11,028,060 -38% 2799 35,090,955 2
5 5 Nim’s Island Fox 4,548,792 -20% 2977 38,977,518 4
6 3 Prom Night Sony/Alliance 4,508,122 -48% 2821 38,222,732 3
7 6 21 Sony 4,018,064 -27% 2952 75,792,625 5
8 4 88 Minutes Sony 3,593,890 -48% 2168 12,625,951 2
9 8 Horton Hears a Who Fox 2,486,903 -29% 2159 147,959,806 7
10 New Deception Fox 2,312,146 – 2001 2,312,146 1
11 7 Street Kings Fox Searchlight 2,149,063 -49% 1735 23,705,977 3
12 9 Leatherheads Uni 1,827,555 -40% 2255 29,287,855 4
13 10 Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed Rocky Mountain 1,394,940 -53% 1041 5,297,860 2
14 12 Smart People Miramax 895,175 -44% 1036 8,284,401 3
15 11 Superhero Movie MGM 869,112 -46% 1103 24,912,802 5
16 31 The Visitor Overture 477,711 187% 76 826,290 3
17 18 Shine a Light Par Vantage 425,957 -25% 218 4,406,820 4
18 13 The Ruins Par 420,262 -65% 722 16,673,890 4
19 14 Drillbit Taylor Par 395,693 -56% 702 30,364,117 6
20 17 Under the Same Moon Weinstein Co. 394,443 -33% 453 11,778,691 6
21 15 Meet the Browns Lions Gate 367,947 -47% 435 41,708,739 6
22 16 10,000 B.C. WB 358,434 -41% 450 93,393,999 8
23 19 Dans une galaxie pres de chez vous 2 TVA 310,309 -38% 125 948,509 2
24 39 Fool’s Gold WB 321,353 126% 494 69,592,615 12
25 New Tashan Yash Raj 301,226 – 75 301,226 1
26 25 The Counterfeiters Sony Classics 268,200 11% 170 4,132,459 10
27 26 Vantage Point Sony 256,221 9% 362 72,587,127 10
28 32 Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure nWave 255,584 55% 47 12,013,897 30
29 21 College Road Trip BV 253,766 -38% 408 43,300,049 8
30 35 Young@Heart Fox Searchlight 219,785 45% 56 525,272 3
31 28 The Spiderwick Chronicles Par 212,480 -8% 326 70,877,707 11
32 20 The Bank Job Lions Gate 200,601 -51% 239 29,588,080 8
33 23 The Bucket List WB 188,215 -28% 298 92,876,192 18
34 24 Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Focus 142,610 -44% 222 12,018,325 8
35 22 Shutter Fox 133,513 -52% 222 25,621,906 6
36 38 Jumper Fox 128,693 -12% 173 79,339,951 11
37 47 Dolphins and Whales 3-D 3D Entertainment 125,762 78% 14 1,235,373 11
38 33 Never Back Down Summit 115,918 -28% 212 24,382,339 7
39 40 Priceless IDP 114,662 5% 44 836,790 5
40 34 National Treasure: Book of Secrets BV 109,845 -30% 179 219,342,259 19
41 56 U2 3D nWave 100,960 -30% 22 7,636,487 14
42 45 Flawless Magnolia 91,538 92% 62 828,816 5
43 30 U, Me Aur Hum Eros 80,011 -53% 89 1,028,191 3
44 43 In Bruges Focus 77,245 -25% 87 7,399,059 12
45 44 My Blueberry Nights Weinstein Co. 74,316 -28% 60 392,226 4
46 36 Juno Fox Searchlight 73,997 -51% 158 143,380,890 21
47 New Then She Found Me Thinkfilm 72,594 – 9 72,594 1
48 77 The Life Before Her Eyes Magnolia 70,056 246% 48 100,405 2
49 41 Step Up 2 the Streets BV 67,919 -36% 130 57,842,203 11
50 27 Stop-Loss Par 62,322 -73% 186 10,796,776 5
51 37 Where in the World is Osama …? Weinstein Co. 60,056 -60% 72 264,438 2
52 29 Run Fat Boy Run Picturehouse 58,886 -69% 98 5,926,110 5
53 RE La Traviata Emerging 55,470 – 49 152,739 11
54 51 27 Dresses Fox 55,445 -12% 73 76,708,310 15
55 48 Emma Smith: My Story Candlelight 55,082 -20% 25 341,763 3
56 New A Plumm Summer FreeStyle 53,752 – 58 53,752 1
57 42 The Other Boleyn Girl Sony 53,482 -50% 112 26,923,439 9
58 50 Penelope Summit 53,449 -21% 112 9,916,560 8
59 57 Space Station 3-D Imax 49,208 -3% 10 74,748,595 314
60 46 Alvin and the Chipmunks Fox 47,593 -33% 126 217,235,428 20
61 52 The Band’s Visit Sony Classics 46,468 -22% 57 2,791,808 12
62 61 Deep Sea 3-D WB 45,087 20% 10 35,070,609 113
63 53 Married Life Sony Classics 44,263 -20% 58 1,367,499 8
64 63 Flight of the Red Balloon IFC 41,791 -1% 13 189,543 4
65 62 Definitely, Maybe Uni 36,959 -13% 73 32,190,670 11
66 64 Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Uni 36,486 -10% 62 42,412,641 12
67 67 Year My Parents Went on Vacation City Lights 36,430 23% 27 657,454 11
68 65 Magnificent Desolation Imax 35,872 -5% 6 23,585,263 135
69 49 Krazzy 4 Eros 35,282 -48% 59 487,215 3
70 New Deal MGM 35,281 – 50 35,281 1
71 58 Bella Roadsd/Maximum 31,984 -37% 28 7,997,722 27
72 66 Semi-Pro WB 29,603 -21% 55 33,472,850 9
73 60 Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus 3-D BV 28,840 -34% 10 65,256,800 13
74 72 Roving Mars BV 25,843 8% 10 8,570,633 118
75 New Roman de Gare IDP 25,484 – 2 25,484 1
76 54 First Sunday in May Truly Indie 23,157 -58% 17 96,939 2
77 93 Up the Yangtze KinoSmith/Zeit 21,915 51% 8 519,461 11
78 81 Ben X Equinoxe 18,895 9% 12 85,888 3
79 98 Jellyfish Zeitgeist 18,879 46% 8 87,918 4
80 69 Persepolis Sony Classics 18,850 -26% 23 4,401,845 18
Source: MCN/EDI

Estimates – April 25-27, 2008

Title Distributor Gross (average) % chang Theaters Cume
Baby Mama Uni 18.2 (7,170) — 2543 18.2
Harold & Kumar Escape Guantana WB 14.5 (5,770) — 2510 14.5
Forgetting Sarah Marshall Uni 10.9 (3,910) -38% 2799 35
Forbidden Kingdom Lions Gate 10.8 (3,430) -49% 3151 37.8
Prom Night Sony/Alliance 4.5 (1,620) -48% 2799 38.2
Nim’s Island Fox 4.4 (1,480) -22% 2977 38.8
21 Sony 3.9 (1,340) -30% 2952 75.7
88 Minutes Sony 3.3 (1,540) -52% 2168 12.4
Horton Hears a Who Fox 2.3 (1,070) -34% 2159 147.8
Deception Fox 2.2 (1,090) — 2001 2.2
Street Kings Fox Searchlight 2.0 (1,170) -51% 1735 23.6
Leatherheads Uni 1.7 (770) -43% 2255 29.2
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed Rocky Mountain 1.3 (1,240) -57% 1041 5.2
Smart People Miramax .88 (850) -45% 1036 8.3
Superhero Movie MGM .82 (740) -45% 1103 24.9
The Visitor Overture .49 (6,410) 193% 76 0.84
Shine a Light Par Vantage .46 (2,110) -19% 218 4.4
The Ruins Par .41 (570) -66% 722 16.7
Tashan Yash Raj .40 (4,120) — 97 0.4
Under the Same Moon Weinstein Co. .38 (840) -35% 453 11.8
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) $82.20 — — —
% Change (Last Year) — 15% — — —
% Change (Last Week) — -7% — — —
Also debuting/expanding
Young@Heart Fox Searchlight .21 (3,800) 40% 56 0.52
Then She Found Me Thinkfilm 71,200 (7,120) — 10 0.07
A Plumm Summer FreeStyle 58,300 (1,005) — 58 0.06
Deal MGM 33,700 (670) — 50 0.03
Up the Yangtse * Zeitgeist/Kinosmith 25,800 (3,650) 121% 7 0.51
Roman de gare IDP 24,600 (12,300) — 2 0.02
Standard Operating Procedure Sony Classics 14,300 (7,150) — 2 0.01
Rogue Weinstein Co. 6,500 (6,500) — 10 0.01

Domestic Market Share – To April 24, 2008

Domestic Market Share (Jan. 1 – April 24, 2008)
Distributor (releases) Gross Market Share
Fox (10) 484.7 18.50%
Warner Bros. (12) 380.8 14.60%
Sony (13) 308.3 11.80%
Buena Vista (8) 270.9 10.40%
Paramount (8) 236.3 9.00%
Universal (8) 179.4 6.90%
Lions Gate (8) 176.5 6.80%
Fox Searchlight (5) 142.2 5.40%
Par Vantage (7) 68.5 2.60%
New Line (4) 61.7 2.40%
Focus (4) 58.9 2.30%
Miramax (4) 45.4 1.70%
MGM (8) 44.6 1.70%
Summit (2) 34.1 1.30%
Overture (3) 21.2 0.80%
Other * (116) 100.2 3.80%
2613.7 100.00%

Domestic Grossers – To April 24, 2008

Title Distributor Gross
Horton Hears a Who Fox 145,472,903
Juno * Fox Searchlight 115,380,441
10,000 B.C. WB 93,035,565
The Bucket List * WB 91,940,616
National Treasure: Book of Secrets BV 85,968,732
Cloverfield Par 80,048,433
Jumper Fox 79,211,258
27 Dresses Fox 76,652,865
Vantage Point Sony 72,330,906
21 Sony 71,774,561
The Spiderwick Chronicles Par 70,665,227
Alvin and the Chipmunks * Fox 70,110,520
Fool’s Gold WB 69,271,262
Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Con BV 65,227,960
Step Up 2: The Streets BV 57,774,284
I Am Legend * WB 57,047,856
College Road Trip BV 43,046,283
Rambo Lions Gate 42,818,465
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Uni 42,376,155
Meet the Browns Lions Gate 41,340,792

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
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