By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com

The Weekend Report: May 29, 2011

The Cuddly Morning After
By Leonard Klady

Despite withering reviews The Hangover Part II lived up to industry expectations to take the crown for the three-day portion of the Memorial weekend with an estimated $86.5 million. The frame’s other national debut Kung Fu Panda 2 ranked second with a lower than anticipated tally of $48.2 million.

The only other conspicuous bow was recent Cannes award winner The Tree of Life that grossed a hefty $353,000 from a mere four screens. And adding 52 engagements in its second session Midnight in Paris maintained a torrid $32,280 screen average and a $1.9 million gross.

Overall it was a record box office for the Memorial holiday that should wind up in the neighborhood of $285 million. It’s 44% ahead of 2010 when two anticipated newcomers – Prince of Persia with $37.8 million and Sex and the City 2 at $36.8 million – failed to unseat Shrek Forever After that added $57.1 million to its larder.

Speculation was not whether The Hangover sequel would work commercially but the magnitude of its reception. The film got a huge jumpstart on the weekend with a Thursday bow of $31.6 million (including $10.4 million from Midnight sneaks). Prior to its debut some wild eyed pundits pegged its ceiling as high as $160 million for the 5-day span but the tracking that generally nudged right up to 6-figures was very close t the mark that easily set a new benchmark for an R-Rated comedy.

Exit polls saw a relatively even split between the sexes (women nosing ahead with 51%) and 54% of ticket buyers under the age of 25. The studio also provided a 13% figure for patrons under the age of 18 who presumably cajoled a parent or sibling to walk him/her into the auditorium. Early estimates are that the picture added close to $60 million from its openings in 40 international territories.

Kung Fu Panda 2 – which was always pegged as the weekend bridesmaid – on the other hand was supposed to debut at around $80 million according to pundits. Its four-day box office is at best in the area of $65 million.

As with last weekend’s opening of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean, the Panda sequel underperformed most conspicuously in its 3D engagements. Roughly 66% of its playdates were stereoscopic but only 45% of its gross came from those screens. Whether two consecutive 3D disappointments constitute an ensuing trend or not, this wrinkle was both unexpected and potentially has major implications in the digital conversion of the nation’s multiplexes. Of interest there’s no indication based on Pirates that this is occurring internationally. A Disney exec said more than 60% of that pictures international box office has come from 3D engagements.

Panda 2 tilted male with 54% and 53% of attendees were under the age of 25. A third of the opening weekend crowd was under the age of 18 and presumably couldn’t get into The Hangover … legitimately.

As with first quarter earnings, the likes of Midnight in Paris and The Tree of Life attest to the growth in plus 35s at the cinema. Summer 2010 had record box office for specialized films and early days suggest comparable strength for this season.

Weekend (estimates) May 27 – 30, 2011
Title Distributor Gross (avg) % chng Theaters Cume
The Hangover Part II WB 86.5 (23,930) NEW 3615 118.1
Kung Fu Panda 2 Par 48.2 (12,2900 NEW 3925 54
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides BV 39.7 (9,540) -56% 4164 153.3
Bridesmaids Uni 16.3 (5,500) -22% 2958 84.9
Thor Par Intl 9.4 (2,8500 -39% 3296 159.7
Fast Five Uni 6.6 (2,210) -38% 2981 196
Midnight in Paris Sony Classics 1,9 (32,280) 212% 58 2.8
Something Borrowed WB 1.8 (1,280) -48% 1440 34.7
Jumping the Broom Sony 1.8 (1,9400 -51% 939 34.1
Rio Fox 1.8 (1,060) -62% 1672 134.8
Priest Sony 1.7 (890) -64% 1918 27.3
Water for Elephants Fox 1.1 (1,340) -51% 794 54.4
Soul Surfer Sony .39 (980) -58% 401 41.3
Medea’s Big Happy Family Lions Gate .36 (1,010) -62% 359 52.3
The Tree of Life Fox Searchlight .35 (88,300) NEW 4 0.35
The Cave of Forgotten Dreams IFC .35 (2,810) -17% 123 2.5
Rango Par .33 (1,180) -16% 280 121.7
Source Code Summit .32 (1,070) -22% 299 53.4
Everything Must Go Roadside .26 (1,650) -50% 160 2.1
Born to Be Wild WB .25 (5,380) 1% 47 5.9
Hop Uni .22 (730) -15% 299 107.5
Limitless Relatvity .21 (840) -38% 254 78.5
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) $216.80
% Change (Last Year) 44%
% Change (Last Week) 35%
Also debuting/expanding
The Beaver Summit .11 (980) -43% 109 0.77
The First Grader National Geo 54,600 (1,520) 43% 36 0.13
Tuesday, After Christmas Lorber 5,200 (5,200) 1 0.01
Bobby Fischer Against the World Mongrel 3,500 (3,500) 1 0.01
Small Town Murder Songs Monterey Media 1,000 (500) 2 0.001
Untitled Red Army Lorber 900 (900) 1 0.001
Domestic Market Share (Jan. 1 – May 26, 2011)
Distributor (releases) Gross Market Share
Universal (11) 624.1 17.10%
Paramount (11) 576.9 15.80%
Sony (13) 475.3 13.00%
Buena Vista (9) 398.6 10.90%
Warner Bros. (18) 386.9 10.60%
Fox (8) 325.9 8.90%
Weinstein Co. (6) 182.6 5.00%
Lions Gate (9) 115.8 3.20%
Relativity (4) 110.1 3.00%
Fox Searchlight (5) 91.1 2.50%
Focus (4) 70.9 2.00%
Summit (5) 66.2 1.80%
CBS (3) 57.5 1.60%
Film District (10) 52.6 1.50%
Roadside Attractions (7) 19.7 0.50%
Other * (156) 94.8 2.60%
3649 100%
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One Response to “The Weekend Report: May 29, 2011”

  1. NO!! big brither kills me

Leonard Klady's Friday Estimates
Friday Screens % Chg Cume
Title Gross Thtr % Chgn Cume
Venom 33 4250 NEW 33
A Star is Born 15.7 3686 NEW 15.7
Smallfoot 3.5 4131 -46% 31.3
Night School 3.5 3019 -63% 37.9
The House Wirh a Clock in its Walls 1.8 3463 -43% 49.5
A Simple Favor 1 2408 -50% 46.6
The Nun 0.75 2264 -52% 111.5
Hell Fest 0.6 2297 -70% 7.4
Crazy Rich Asians 0.6 1466 -51% 167.6
The Predator 0.25 1643 -77% 49.3
Also Debuting
The Hate U Give 0.17 36
Shine 85,600 609
Exes Baggage 75,900 62
NOTA 71,300 138
96 61,600 62
Andhadhun 55,000 54
Afsar 45,400 33
Project Gutenberg 36,000 17
Love Yatri 22,300 41
Hello, Mrs. Money 22,200 37
Studio 54 5,300 1
Loving Pablo 4,200 15
3-Day Estimates Weekend % Chg Cume
No Good Dead 24.4 (11,230) NEW 24.4
Dolphin Tale 2 16.6 (4,540) NEW 16.6
Guardians of the Galaxy 7.9 (2,550) -23% 305.8
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4.8 (1,630) -26% 181.1
The Drop 4.4 (5,480) NEW 4.4
Let's Be Cops 4.3 (1,570) -22% 73
If I Stay 4.0 (1,320) -28% 44.9
The November Man 2.8 (1,030) -36% 22.5
The Giver 2.5 (1,120) -26% 41.2
The Hundred-Foot Journey 2.5 (1,270) -21% 49.4