By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com
The Lion in Autumn
The animated antics of Madagascar: Back 2 Africa roared to an estimated $63.3 million to corral about 45% of weekend ticket sales. Despite its dominance, there was still ample room for a potent bow for the teen comedy Role Model of $19.1 million to rank second. The third national newcomer – the urban musical comedy Soul Men – had a disappointing bow of $5.5 million.
In limited and niche debuts, occult thriller House had few bidders with $313,000 from 362 locations while the wartime dramaThe Boy in Striped Pajamas scored a sturdy $242,000 from its initial platform at 17 sites. There was also good response for the offbeat horror musical Repo! The Genetic Opera of $55,300 at eight theaters as well as the weird and oddly emotional JCVD of close to $22,000 from two screens. A number of single screen bows generated very encouraging initial numbers including the an $8,100 gross for the documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell on recent political strife in Liberia.
The opening of the Madagascar sequel expanded sales considerably from both the prior frame and from the comparable 2007 session. Domestic box office currently stands at $8.22 billion for a slim 1% improvement from last year’s pace.
Expectations were high for Madagascar: Back 2 Africa, although pundits suggested a more cautious opening between $45 million and $50 million. Regardless the sequel’s bow was more than twice as big as its inspiration. A harbinger to its success came last weekend when it got an early premiere in Russia and the Ukraine and ran up record breaking box office of $18.1 million.
Last weekend’s top international grosser – Quantum of Silence – racked up $40 million from debuts in three countries. This weekend it added 57 nations and early estimates are for a $106.5 million gross that would rank it second only to the latestIndiana Jones opening this year. The film opens domestically on Friday and all tracking has it performing significantly stronger than Casino Royale’s $40 million launch in 2006.
Role Models launched a short, concentrated marketing campaign that proved both savvy and effective. Together with High School Musical 3 and Madagascar, the trio of pictures dominated sales for the under 25s and left the field open for adults who elected Changeling as first choice with a faint 22% downward tremble.
Soul Men, a raucous yarn about a musical reunion, failed to get elected and the commercial fate of W. took on lame duck status as its real life inspiration waits out a much later January departure.
The weekend’s new primary award season candidate, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, build a solid platform. The tale of friendship between a German boy and a Jewish lad in a concentration camp has already racked up $20 million in Spain and the UK where it was a bestseller and its tragic saga will require continued vigilance and critical support to push forward in the marketplace.
Among current contenders, both Rachel Getting Married and Happy-Go-Lucky expanded; the former now present in the top 25 markets. And both films maintained healthy screen averages with hopes of establishing a beachhead prior to the onslaught of kudos competitors that begins in earnest at Thanksgiving.
Weekend Finals – November 7-9, 2008
| – | – | Title | Distrib | Weekend | % Change | Theaters | Cume | Wks |
| 1 | New | Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | Par | 63,106,589 | 4056 | 63,106,589 | 1 | |
| 2 | New | Role Models | Uni | 19,167,085 | 2792 | 19,167,085 | 1 | |
| 3 | 1 | High School Musical 3: Senior Year | BV | 9,159,523 | -40% | 3464 | 75,573,993 | 3 |
| 4 | 4 | Changeling | Uni | 7,252,940 | -22% | 1855 | 20,559,497 | 3 |
| 5 | 2 | Zack and Mira Make a Porno | Weinstein Co. | 6,274,530 | -38% | 2735 | 20,686,907 | 2 |
| 6 | New | Soul Men | MGM | 5,401,605 | 2044 | 5,401,605 | 1 | |
| 7 | 3 | Saw V | Lions Gate | 4,067,071 | -58% | 2829 | 52,187,337 | 3 |
| 8 | 5 | The Haunting of Molly Hartley | FreeStyle | 3,318,694 | -39% | 2576 | 10,063,348 | 2 |
| 9 | 7 | The Secret Life of Bees | Fox Searchlight | 3,089,467 | -23% | 1481 | 29,902,363 | 4 |
| 10 | 9 | Eagle Eye | Par | 2,541,602 | -27% | 1407 | 96,348,829 | 7 |
| 11 | 6 | Beverly Hills Chihuahua | BV | 2,518,049 | -48% | 2359 | 88,258,841 | 6 |
| 12 | 8 | Max Payne | Fox | 1,789,136 | -51% | 1476 | 38,653,498 | 4 |
| 13 | 14 | Fireproof | IDP | 1,585,555 | -8% | 872 | 28,327,659 | 7 |
| 14 | 12 | Body of Lies | WB | 1,537,219 | -33% | 850 | 36,950,974 | 5 |
| 15 | 17 | Rachel Getting Married | Sony Classics | 1,505,507 | 112% | 391 | 5,415,820 | 6 |
| 16 | 10 | Pride and Glory | WB | 1,293,389 | -61% | 1340 | 14,381,710 | 3 |
| 17 | 11 | W. | Lions Gate | 1,120,600 | -53% | 839 | 24,231,628 | 4 |
| 18 | 13 | RockNRolla | WB | 1,047,334 | -44% | 826 | 4,373,979 | 5 |
| 19 | 16 | Appaloosa | WB | 668,415 | -18% | 735 | 18,658,697 | 8 |
| 20 | 21 | Religulous | Lions Gate | 423,273 | -27% | 274 | 12,125,806 | 6 |
| 21 | 19 | The Duchess | Par Vantage | 403,984 | -35% | 323 | 13,016,496 | 8 |
| 22 | 26 | Happy-Go-Lucky | Mrmx | 402,076 | 45% | 102 | 1,248,218 | 5 |
| 23 | 22 | Burn After Reading | Focus | 376,323 | -18% | 270 | 59,513,989 | 9 |
| 24 | 23 | Passchandaele | Alliance | 357,864 | -36% | 155 | 3,192,948 | 4 |
| 25 | New | House | Roadside Attract. | 329,836 | 363 | 329,836 | 1 | |
| 26 | 20 | Nights in Rodanthe | WB | 329,346 | -43% | 402 | 40,920,857 | 7 |
| 27 | 41 | Synecdoche, New York | Sony Classics | 293,646 | 195% | 35 | 675,537 | 3 |
| 28 | 15 | Quarantine | Sony | 293,321 | -74% | 353 | 31,451,718 | 5 |
| 29 | New | The Boy in the Striped Pajamas | Miramax | 253,085 | 17 | 253,085 | 1 | |
| 30 | 18 | Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist | Sony | 234,349 | -66% | 216 | 31,286,789 | 6 |
| 31 | 27 | The Dark Knight | WB | 219,425 | -19% | 125 | 528,535,317 | 17 |
| 32 | 30 | Wall-E | BV | 208,915 | -1% | 239 | 223,003,468 | 20 |
| 33 | 35 | I’ve Loved You So Long | Sony Class/Metro | 186,821 | 54% | 22 | 711,158 | 9 |
| 34 | 29 | What Just Happened | Magnolia | 149,777 | -32% | 86 | 876,002 | 4 |
| 35 | 28 | City of Ember | Fox | 133,651 | -41% | 180 | 7,416,488 | 5 |
| 36 | 34 | Journey to the Center of the Earth | WB | 119,881 | -20% | 163 | 101,473,713 | 18 |
| 37 | 37 | The House Bunny | Sony | 116,914 | 1% | 198 | 48,646,069 | 12 |
| 38 | 39 | Mamma Mia! | Uni | 112,616 | 1% | 147 | 143,875,571 | 17 |
| 39 | 52 | Ghost Town | Par | 98,827 | 142% | 170 | 13,214,030 | 8 |
| 40 | 36 | Tropic Thunder | Par | 95,882 | -20% | 165 | 110,416,702 | 13 |
| 41 | 47 | Let the Right One In | Magnolia | 92,533 | 39% | 17 | 266,886 | 3 |
| 42 | 43 | Vicky Christina Barcelona | MGM | 92,153 | 12% | 55 | 22,249,713 | 13 |
| 43 | 33 | The Express | Uni | 87,772 | -42% | 157 | 9,731,497 | 5 |
| 44 | 96 | Traitor | Overture | 85,505 | 678% | 188 | 23,422,957 | 11 |
| 45 | 46 | Righteous Kill | Overture | 81,622 | 19% | 129 | 39,618,049 | 9 |
| 46 | 32 | Lakeview Terrace | Sony | 78,912 | -57% | 109 | 39,399,316 | 8 |
| 47 | 24 | Sex Drive | Summit | 75,920 | -80% | 111 | 8,234,346 | 4 |
| 48 | 42 | Igor | MGM | 75,434 | -11% | 116 | 18,969,088 | 8 |
| 49 | 45 | Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom | Open Door | 75,034 | 1% | 9 | 389,184 | 3 |
| 50 | 57 | Kung Fu Panda | Par | 71,394 | 99% | 77 | 215,855,605 | 23 |
| 51 | 25 | Nightmare Before Christmas 3D (re) | BV | 65,334 | -78% | 62 | 1,027,711 | 3 |
| 52 | 31 | Golmaal Returns | Studio 18 | 64,502 | -74% | 54 | 313,102 | 2 |
| 53 | New | Repo! The Genetic Opera | Lions Gate | 53,684 | 8 | 53,684 | 1 | |
| 54 | 90 | Fly Me to the Moon | Summit | 48,832 | 235% | 29 | 12,207,728 | 13 |
| 55 | 48 | Le Deserteur | TVA | 48,395 | -20% | 38 | 270,139 | 3 |
| 56 | 40 | Fashion | UTV | 44,158 | -58% | 37 | 173,551 | 2 |
| 57 | 55 | Deep Sea 3-D | WB | 42,769 | 23% | 10 | 36,826,307 | 141 |
| 58 | 67 | Forever Strong | Crane | 33,821 | 39% | 17 | 719,556 | 7 |
| 59 | 51 | Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure | nWave | 32,916 | -37% | 21 | 19,663,058 | 58 |
| 60 | 38 | Heroes | Eros | 30,832 | -73% | 55 | 686,370 | 3 |
| 61 | 54 | Death Race | Uni | 29,066 | -23% | 58 | 36,276,305 | 12 |
| 62 | 59 | The Mummy: Tomb of Dragon Emperor | Uni | 27,262 | -21% | 55 | 103,152,219 | 15 |
| 63 | 63 | A Secret | Strand | 27,572 | -6% | 8 | 451,586 | 10 |
| 64 | 58 | Tell No One | Music Box | 27,266 | -23% | 21 | 6,024,900 | 19 |
| 65 | 44 | The Family That Preys | Lions Gate | 26,191 | -67% | 45 | 37,404,511 | 9 |
| 66 | 56 | Dolphins and Whales 3-D | 3D Entertainment | 25,892 | -28% | 11 | 5,022,718 | 39 |
| 67 | 49 | The Women | Picturehouse | 24,984 | -58% | 70 | 26,872,727 | 9 |
| 68 | 75 | Man on Wire | Magnolia | 24,649 | 22% | 18 | 2,812,485 | 16 |
| 69 | 76 | Magnificent Desolation | Imax | 24,366 | 21% | 7 | 26,302,783 | 164 |
| 70 | 60 | The Longshots | MGM | 22,351 | -31% | 38 | 11,467,696 | 12 |
| 71 | 78 | One Day You’ll Understand | Kino | 22,249 | 16% | 7 | 50,028 | 2 |
| 72 | 84 | My Name is Bruce | Image | 21,694 | 32% | 4 | 43,462 | 2 |
| 73 | 61 | Pineapple Express | Sony | 21,145 | -31% | 44 | 88,109,151 | 14 |
| 74 | 79 | Le Premier jour de reste de ta vie | Seville | 21,016 | 15% | 8 | 51,328 | 2 |
| 75 | 85 | Space Station 3D | Imax | 20,394 | 25% | 4 | 76,852,730 | 343 |
| 76 | New | JCVD | Peace Arch | 20,119 | 2 | 20,119 | 1 | |
| 77 | 66 | Frozen River | Sony Classics | 19,793 | -24% | 30 | 2,230,237 | 15 |
| 78 | 62 | Heaven on Earth | Mongrel | 19,215 | -36% | 8 | 107,775 | 2 |
| 79 | 73 | Flash of Genius | Uni | 18,038 | -13% | 43 | 4,406,797 | 6 |
| 80 | 69 | Step Brothers | Sony | 17,107 | -25% | 33 | 101,283,759 | 16 |
| Source: MCN/EDI | ||||||||
Estimates – November 3- November 9, 2008
| Title | Distributor | Gross (average) | % change | Theaters | Cume |
| Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | Par | 63.3 (15,620) | – | 4056 | 63.3 |
| Role Models | Uni | 19.1 (8,840) | – | 2792 | 19.1 |
| High School Musical 3 | BV | 9.3 (2,690) | –39% | 3464 | 75.7 |
| Changeling | Uni | 7.3 (3,920) | -22% | 1855 | 20.6 |
| Zack and Miri Make a Porno | Weinstein Co. | 6.5 (2,370) | –36% | 2735 | 20.9 |
| Soul Men | MGM | 5.5 (2,710) | – | 2044 | 5.5 |
| Saw V | Lionsgate | 4.1 (1,440) | -58% | 2829 | 52.2 |
| The Haunting of Molly Hartley | Freestyle | 3.1 (1,210) | -43% | 2576 | 9.9 |
| The Secret Life of Bees | Fox Searchlight | 3.0 (2,040) | -25% | 1481 | 29.8 |
| Eagle Eye | Par | 2.4 (1,730) | -30% | 1407 | 96.2 |
| Beverly Hills Chihuahua | BV | 2.4 (1,010) | -51% | 2359 | 88.1 |
| Max Payne | Fox | 1.7 (1,180) | -53% | 1476 | 38.6 |
| Fireproof | IDP | 1.5 (1,690) | -15% | 872 | 28.2 |
| Body of Lies | WB | 1.4 (1,680) | -38% | 850 | 36.8 |
| Rachel Getting Married | Sony Classics | 1.4 (3,730) | 94% | 370 | 5.3 |
| Pride and Glory | WB | 1.2 (890) | -65% | 1340 | 14.3 |
| RockNRolla | WB | 1.0 (1,250) | -45% | 826 | 4.4 |
| W. | Lionsgate | 1.0 (1,170) | -59% | 839 | 24.1 |
| Appaloosa | WB | .63 (860) | -23% | 735 | 18,6 |
| Happy-Go-Lucky | Miramax | .43 (4,220) | 56% | 102 | 1.3 |
| Passchendaele | Alliance | .42 (2,610) | 10% | 161 | 3.3 |
| Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) | $135.83 | – | – | – | |
| % Change (Last Year) | – | 24% | – | – | – |
| % Change (Last Week) | – | 64% | – | – | – |
| Also debuting/expanding | |||||
| The Duchess | Par Vantage | .38 (1,180) | -39% | 323 | 13 |
| House | Roadside | .31 (860) | – | 362 | 0.31 |
| Synecdoche, New York | Sony Classics | .27 (8,060) | 177%- | 34 | 0.65 |
| The Boy in the Striped Pajamas | Miramax | .24 (14,230) | – | 17 | 0.24 |
| Repo! The Genetic Opera | Lionsgate | 55,300 (6,910) | – | 8 | 0.06 |
| JCVD | Peace Arch | 21,800 (10,900) | – | 2 | 0.02 |
| The Guitar | Lightning | 11,400 (11,400) | – | 1 | 0.01 |
| The Alphabet Killer | Anchor Bay | 9,800 (9,800) | – | 1 | 0.01 |
| Pray the Devil Back to Hell | Balcony | 8,100 (8,100) | – | 1 | 0.01 |
| Real Time |
|
4,500 (750) | – | 6 | 0.01 |
| The World Unseen | Regent | 3,800 (1,900) | – | 2 | 0.01 |
| Otto: Up with Dead People | Strand | 3,400 (3,400) | – | 1 | 0.01 |
Domestic Market Share – To November 6, 2008
| Distributor (releases) | Gross | Mrkt Share |
| Warner Bros. (26) | 1571.1 | 19.50% |
| Paramount (15) | 1342.2 | 16.60% |
| Sony (23) | 1055.1 | 13.10% |
| Universal (19) | 987.5 | 12.20% |
| Fox (21) | 824.9 | 10.20% |
| Buena Vista (16) | 817,9 | 10.10% |
| Lions Gate (17) | 373.7 | 4.60% |
| Fox Searchlight (7) | 180.7 | 2.20% |
| Focus (6) | 124.1 | 1.50% |
| MGM (15) | 106.5 | 1.30% |
| Overture (6) | 94.9 | 1.20% |
| Paramount Vantage (11) | 85.6 | 1.10% |
| Picturehouse (7) | 63.2 | 0.80% |
| New Line (4) | 61.8 | 0.80% |
| Miramax (8) | 58.8 | 0.70% |
| Summit (4) | 55.2 | 0.70% |
| Other * (288) | 274.8 | 3.40% |
| * none greater than 0.4% | 8078 | 100.00% |
Top Domestic Grossers – To November 6, 2008
| Title | Distributor | Gross |
| The Dark Knight | WB | 528,315,892 |
| Iron Man | Par/Marvel | 318,338,993 |
| Indiana Jones & Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | Par | 317,023,851 |
| Hancock | Sony | 229,408,948 |
| Wall-E | BV | 222,794,553 |
| Kung Fu Panda | Par | 215,784,211 |
| Horton Hears a Who | Fox | 154,529,439 |
| Sex and the City | WB | 152,647,258 |
| Mamma Mia! | Uni | 143,762,955 |
| The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian | BV | 141,682,713 |
| The Incredible Hulk | Uni | 134,617,678 |
| Wanted | Uni | 134,512,024 |
| Get Smart | WB | 130,319,208 |
| Juno * | Fox Searchlight | 115,568,583 |
| Tropic Thunder | Par | 110,320,820 |
| The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor | Uni | 103,124,957 |
| Journey to the Center of the Earth | WB | 101,353,832 |
| Step Brothers | Sony | 101,266,652 |
| You Don’t Mess with the Zohan | Sony | 100,112,110 |
| 10,000 B.C. | WB | 94,819,450 |
