By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com
Subterranean Mallsick Blues … Greens
You can keep a bad man down … but not by much. The bow of Underworld: Rise of the Lycans was top of the pops on its opening day but lost ground as the weekend progressed; finishing with an estimated $20.5 million. But bragging rights went to the second-weekend gross of Paul Blart: Mall Cop, who shopped ’til he dropped $21.3 million.
In a frame informed by a lot of Oscar maneuvering, the only other national newcomer was the family targeted fantasyInkheart, which opened seventh overall with $7.7 million. There were also a handful of niche and exclusive premieres including the oft-delayed Elmore Leonard adaptation Killshot and the Viking saga Overlander but none provided an opening salvo of commercial significance.
Whether the third installment of Underworld spawns a fourth chapter will come down to its cost to return. The saga has now shifted its focus to secondary characters and while budgets have been kept in line, its debut gross is slightly lower than the prior two editions.
As for Inkheart — a holdover New Line production — the domestic returns are less significant than business already generated overseas in the likes of Britain and Germany.
Weekend revenues rang in with slightly more than $157 million, which was 19% lower than the three-day portion of last week’s Martin Luther King holiday frame. They were a not insignificant 9% improved from 2008 when the opening of Meet the Spartans edged out another newcomer — the revived Rambo — with $18.5 million to $18.2 million.
In a new day for America, the Academy realized late in the game that its traditional Tuesday announcement of the final Oscar ballot happened to fall on Inauguration Obama Day and pushed back to Thursday. That made expansion plans for quite a number of films a bigger roll of the dice than usual. It’s fair to say that no one had quite anticipated the Oscar love forThe Reader, which lost 104 engagements. Conversely pundits anticipated several locked nominations for Gran Torino that failed to materialize. However, that film has the sizeable consolation prize of becoming actor-director’s highest grossing domestic release ever.
Also absent was a picture nomination for The Dark Knight which, despite a holiday debut on DVD, re-launched at 350 theaters including 350 large format engagements. Disney held back on a WALL-E reissue and though it garnered several nods, it came up short on the all important top category. Milk simply decided to wait a week rather than go head-to-head with so many expanding titles.
Among the best picture nominees, Slumdog Millionaire finally went wide and given its media status as frontrunner could well wind up with a domestic gross of more than $100 million. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, already in wide release, got a slight box office bump while Frost/Nixon went wide to good but not outstanding returns. The latter film continues to suffer from the fact that the masses perceive that they already know the story.
Other films that wound up on the Oscar ballot ranged from receiving no bounce (Doubt) to ripping returns (The Wrestler).Revolutionary Road also went wide effectively but its boost has more to do with marquee value than kudo recognition.
Weekend Finals – January 23-25, 2009
Title | Distrib | Weekend | % Change | Theaters | Cume | Wks | ||
1 | 1 | Paul Blart: Mall Cop | Sony | 21,623,182 | -32% | 3144 | 64,923,380 | 2 |
2 | New | Underworld: Rise of the Lycans | Sony | 20,828,511 | – | 2942 | 20,828,511 | 1 |
3 | 2 | Gran Torino | WB | 16,244,462 | -26% | 3045 | 97,819,975 | 7 |
4 | 5 | Hotel for Dogs | Par | 12,860,944 | -24% | 3271 | 37,455,759 | 2 |
5 | 10 | Slumdog Millionaire | Fox Searchlight | 10,699,629 | 83% | 1411 | 56,065,245 | 11 |
6 | 3 | My Bloody Valentine 3D | Lions Gate | 10,012,658 | -53% | 2534 | 37,687,394 | 2 |
7 | New | Inkheart | WB | 7,601,379 | – | 2655 | 7,601,379 | 1 |
8 | 6 | Bride Wars | Fox | 6,868,664 | -41% | 2621 | 48,570,928 | 3 |
9 | 11 | Curious Case of Benjamin Button | Par | 6,085,919 | 9% | 2263 | 111,129,482 | 5 |
10 | 4 | Notorious | Fox Searchlight | 5,779,692 | -72% | 1641 | 31,874,538 | 3 |
11 | 8 | Defiance | Par Vantage | 5,666,785 | -36% | 1793 | 18,564,544 | 4 |
12 | 17 | Revolutionary Road | Par Vantage | 5,185,146 | 191% | 1058 | 11,784,049 | 5 |
13 | 7 | The Unborn | Uni | 4,359,865 | -53% | 2107 | 39,230,025 | 3 |
14 | 19 | The Wrestler | Fox Searchlight | 3,745,643 | 120% | 566 | 9,557,610 | 6 |
15 | 9 | Marley and Me | Fox | 3,031,969 | -51% | 2036 | 138,092,165 | 5 |
16 | 25 | Frost/Nixon | Uni | 3,022,250 | 351% | 1099 | 12,005,811 | 8 |
17 | 13 | Last Chance Harvey | Overture | 2,865,298 | -33% | 1108 | 9,529,976 | 5 |
18 | 12 | Bedtime Stories | BV | 1,955,408 | -59% | 1660 | 107,600,474 | 5 |
19 | 14 | Valkyrie | MGM | 1,509,786 | -60% | 1110 | 80,740,385 | 5 |
20 | 20 | The Reader | Weinstein Co. | 1,403,410 | 9% | 367 | 9,661,121 | 7 |
21 | 18 | Twilight | Summit | 978,618 | -44% | 552 | 186,027,660 | 10 |
22 | 16 | Not Easily Broken | Sony | 960,618 | -51% | 483 | 9,750,971 | 3 |
23 | 23 | Milk | Focus | 884,715 | 14% | 250 | 21,637,349 | 9 |
24 | 21 | Doubt | Miramax | 847,855 | -31% | 404 | 26,753,136 | 7 |
25 | 15 | Yes Man | WB | 803,019 | -69% | 704 | 95,383,486 | 6 |
26 | RE | The Dark Knight | WB | 667,397 | – | 350 | 531,706,809 | 28 |
27 | 27 | Madagascar: Escape to Africa | Par | 509,443 | -4% | 303 | 178,853,694 | 12 |
28 | 35 | Rachel Getting Married | Sony Classics | 459,641 | 348% | 370 | 11,252,249 | 17 |
29 | 22 | Seven Pounds | Sony | 298,514 | -82% | 319 | 69,951,824 | 6 |
30 | 24 | The Tale of Despereaux | Uni | 288,540 | -60% | 380 | 49,604,065 | 6 |
31 | 30 | Quantum of Silence | Sony | 225,161 | -33% | 272 | 168,368,427 | 11 |
32 | 31 | Australia | Fox | 211,154 | -29% | 241 | 48,687,600 | 9 |
33 | 32 | Four Christmases | WB | 208,689 | -21% | 310 | 119,924,307 | 9 |
34 | 29 | Bolt | BVI | 182,603 | -48% | 181 | 112,818,114 | 10 |
35 | 33 | Che | IFC | 164,142 | -30% | 35 | 852,607 | 7 |
36 | New | Arundhati | Ficus | 158,136 | – | 11 | 158,136 | 1 |
37 | 37 | Waltz with Bashir | Sony Class/E1 | 150,458 | 91% | 25 | 754,796 | 5 |
38 | 28 | The Day the Earth Stood Still | Fox | 138,222 | -70% | 185 | 78,609,083 | 7 |
39 | 26 | Chandni Chowk to China | WB | 125,392 | -80% | 130 | 869,611 | 2 |
40 | 34 | Beverly Hills Chihuahua | BV | 100,858 | -23% | 158 | 94,408,857 | 17 |
41 | 64 | Transporter 3 | Lions Gate | 97,638 | 438% | 188 | 32,017,834 | 9 |
42 | 38 | Vicky Christina Barcelona | Weinstein Co. | 77,453 | -9% | 53 | 23,118,152 | 24 |
43 | New | Raaz: The Mystery Continues | Vishesh | 76,648 | – | 44 | 76,648 | 1 |
44 | 36 | Role Models | Uni | 75,705 | -28% | 147 | 67,266,300 | 12 |
45 | 42 | Happy-Go-Lucky | Miramax | 65,368 | -9% | 44 | 3,577,384 | 16 |
46 | New | Outlander | Weinstein Co. | 59,581 | – | 81 | 59,581 | 1 |
47 | New | Entre les murs (The Class) | Metropole | 56,205 | – | 11 | 56,205 | 1 |
48 | 44 | Let the Right One In | Magnolia | 52,304 | -11% | 40 | 1,763,900 | 14 |
49 | 40 | Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure | NatGeo | 50,350 | -35% | 16 | 20,691,842 | 69 |
50 | 47 | Synedoche, New York | Sony Classics | 47,581 | 20% | 28 | 2,921,090 | 14 |
51 | 46 | I’ve Loved You So Long | Sony Classics | 39,719 | -6% | 28 | 2,599,472 | 19 |
52 | 45 | Fireproof | IDP | 26,350 | -42% | 62 | 33,451,479 | 18 |
53 | 50 | Fly Me to the Moon | Summit | 35,577 | -10% | 13 | 12,734,551 | 24 |
54 | 66 | Wendy and Lucy | Oscilloscope | 32,672 | 185% | 8 | 193,690 | 7 |
55 | New | Love Me Again | ABS | 28,464 | – | 3 | 31,723 | 1 |
56 | 43 | High School Musical 3 | BV | 25,629 | -51% | 83 | 90,535,406 | 14 |
57 | 41 | Maska | KAD Entertain. | 24,347 | -69% | 11 | 115,594 | 1 |
58 | 53 | Magnificent Desolation | Imax | 24,228 | -15% | 6 | 27,299,331 | 175 |
59 | 55 | Space Station 3D | Imax | 20,740 | -23% | 7 | 77,431,654 | 254 |
60 | 59 | Roving Mars | BV | 19,291 | -1% | 7 | 9,932,920 | 157 |
61 | 48 | The Secret Life of Bees | Fox Searchlight | 19,282 | -45% | 39 | 37,704,599 | 15 |
62 | 61 | Changeling | Uni | 18,858 | -11% | 44 | 35,888,165 | 14 |
Source: EDI/MCN |
Estimates
Title | Distributor | Gross (avg) | % chg* | Theas | Cume |
Paul Blart: Mall Cop | Sony | 21.3 (6,780) | –33% | 3144 | 64.6 |
Underworld 3 | Sony | 20.5 (6,980) | – | 2942 | 20.5 |
Gran Torino | WB | 15.4 (5,070) | -30% | 3045 | 97.0 |
Hotel for Dogs | Par | 12.4 (3,790) | -27% | 3271 | 37.0 |
Slumdog Millionaire | Fox Searchlight | 10.4 (7,350) | 86% | 1411 | 55.7 |
My Blood Valentine 3D | Lions Gate | 9.9 (3,900) | -53% | 2534 | 37.6 |
Inkheart | WB | 7.7 (2,890) | – | 2655 | 7.7 |
Bride Wars | Fox | 6.9 (2,640) | -41% | 2621 | 48.6 |
Curious Case of Benjamin Button | Par | 5.8 (2,580) | 5% | 2263 | 110.9 |
Notorious | Fox Searchlight | 5.6 (3,440) | -72% | 1641 | 31.7 |
Revolutionary Road | Par Vantage | 5.3 (5,020) | 198% | 1058 | 11.9 |
Defiance | Par Vantage | 5.2 (2,910) | -41% | 1793 | 18.1 |
The Unborn | Uni | 4.5 (2,130) | -52% | 2107 | 39.4 |
The Wrestler | Fox Searchlight | 3.6 (6,340) | 111% | 566 | 9.4 |
Frost/Nixon | Uni | 3.0 (2,730) | 347% | 1099 | 12.0 |
Marley and Me | Fox | 2.9 (1,410) | -53% | 2036 | 137.9 |
Last Chance Harvey | Overture | 2.8 (2,550) | -34% | 1108 | 9.5 |
Bedtime Stories | BV | 1.8 (1,080) | -62% | 1660 | 107.4 |
Valkyrie | MGM | 1.4 (1,230) | -64% | 1110 | 80.6 |
The Reader | Weinstein Co. | 1.2 (3,350) | -4% | 367 | 9.5 |
Not Easily Broken | Sony | 1.0 (2,010) | -50% | 483 | 9.8 |
Twilight | Summit | .94 (1,700) | -46% | 552 | 186.0 |
Yes Man | WB | .86 (1,220) | -67% | 704 | 95.4 |
Milk | Focus | .83 (3,320) | 7% | 250 | 21.6 |
Doubt | Miramax | .81 (2,000) | -34% | 404 | 26.7 |
The Dark Knight | WB | .65 (1,860) | – | 350 | 531.7 |
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | Par | .51 (1,640) | -3% | 310 | 178.8 |
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) | $153.20 | – | – | – | |
% Change (Last Year) | 9% | – | – | – | |
% Change (Last Week) | -19% | – | – | – | |
Also debuting/expanding | |||||
Waltz with Bashir | Sony Class/E1 | .15 (5,320) | 89% | 28 | 0.84 |
Che | IFC | .11 (5,090) | -54% | 21 | 0.69 |
Outlander | Weinstein Co. | 56,300 (700) | – | 81 | 0.06 |
Killshot | Weinstein Co. | 10,200 (2,040) | – | 5 | 0.01 |
Of Time and the City | No Logic | 4,300 (4,300) | – | 1 | 0.01 |
Donkey Punch | Magnolia | 4,100 (4,100) | – | 1 | 0.01 |
The Lodger | Stage 6 | 3,800 (760) | – | 5 | 0.01 |
Domestic Market Share – January 1 – 22, 2009
Distributor (releases) | Gross | Mrkt Share |
Fox ( 4) | 118.8 | 16.70% |
Warner Bros. (10) | 117.3 | 16.50% |
Paramount (4) | 80 | 11.30% |
Sony (5) | 79.2 | 11.10% |
Buena Vista (5) | 57.8 | 8.10% |
Universal (5) | 55.9 | 7.70% |
Fox Searchlight (4) | 54.1 | 7.60% |
MGM (3) | 38.5 | 5.40% |
Lions Gate (3) | 34.7 | 4.90% |
Paramount Vantage (2) | 19.2 | 2.70% |
Miramax (3) | 14.7 | 2.10% |
Summit (2) | 14.6 | 2.10% |
Weinstein Co. (3) | 7.1 | 1.00% |
Focus (1) | 6.8 | 1.00% |
Overture (2) | 6.2 | 0.90% |
Other * (23) | 6.1 | 0.90% |
* none greater than 0.5% | 711 | 100.00% |