By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com
The Weekend Report, November 13, 2011
Mere Immortals
The Greeks had a word for it and it certainly wasn’t lost in translation as Immortals ascended to the Olympus of weekend movie going with an estimated $31.4 million. The session featured two other national bows that ranged from the ridiculous to the sublime. The two title Adam Sandlers of Jack and Jill slotted into third with $25.1 million while G-Man J. Edgar arrived with $11.4 million.
Additionally Bollywood served up the tuneful Rockstar with $630,000 and Telugu Oh My Friend debuted with $124,000 at 31 venues. In Quebec local production Vendeur proved a soft sell with $48,700 at 10 screens.
The weekend also included a number of foreign newcomers in exclusive bows including upbeat response to Cannes-prized Melancholia of $253,000 in 19 exposures. Brazilian commercial behemoth Elite Squad: The Enemy Within went solo with $8,500 and French political comedy The Conquest came up short of the summit with $17,200 at seven U.S. locations following disappointing results in Quebec two months back. Werner Herzog’s latest doc Into the Abyss got off to a solid start with $49,800 at 12 sites.
Overall weekend revenues expanded a healthy 22% from the prior weekend as well as improved 14% from 2010. Last year the second weekend of Megamind ruled with $29.1 million while newcomers Unstoppable, Skyline and Morning Glory entered the fray with respective box office of $22.7 million, $11.7 million and $9.2 million.
Pundits predicted the weekend marketplace would be a battle between Puss in Boots and Jack and Jill with Immortals winding up with the congeniality award on an opening gross of $20 million plus. As with Clash of the Titans, the film received a major boost from 3D engagements that accounted for two-thirds of both playdates and box office. Immortals predictably drew a majority male audience of 60% and with encouraging results that 75% of ticket buyers were 35 years old and younger.
Jack and Jill’s tracking suggested an opening salvo of about $25 million that was close to its actual tally. Studio exit demos identified the film attracting a 53% family audience; 52% female and 57% aged 25 years and older.
J. Edgar also performed to expectations … though its opening tally sets a grim prospect for its ultimate rewards. The one positive glimmer for the film is that it’s one of the few films vying for award’s recognition during the upcoming Thanksgiving box office surge. The downside is that opening weekend was a staggering 94% composed of those aged 25 years and older (66% aged 50 plus) and skewed slightly female with 54% of viewers.
Next weekend’s holiday session will provide a major sea change with new editions of the Twilight Saga and Happy Feet vacuuming up the box office.
| Weekend (estimates) November 11 – 13, 2011 | |||||
| Title | Distributor | Gross (avg) | % chng | Thtrs | Cume |
| Immortals | Relativity | 31.4 (10,080) | NEW | 3112 | 31.4 |
| Puss in Boots | Par | 25.5 (6,530) | -23% | 3903 | 108.8 |
| Jack and Jill | Sony | 25.1 (7,300) | NEW | 3438 | 25.1 |
| Tower Heist | Uni | 13.1 (3,900) | -45% | 3370 | 43.8 |
| J. Edgar | WB | 11.4 (5,960) | NEW | 1910 | 11.5 |
| A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas | WB | 5.9 (2,060) | -54% | 2875 | 23.2 |
| In Time | Fox | 4.1 (1,590) | -45% | 2591 | 30.6 |
| Paranormal Activity 3 | Par | 3.6 (1,290) | -57% | 2776 | 100.8 |
| Footloose | Par | 2.7 (1,240) | -39% | 2215 | 48.8 |
| Real Steel | BV | 1.9 (1,100) | -44% | 1758 | 81.7 |
| Moneyball | Sony | 1.1 (1,340) | -39% | 813 | 71.9 |
| Courageous | Sony/Tricord | 1.0 (1,120) | -34% | 905 | 31.6 |
| The Ides of March | Sony/Alliance | 1.0 (1,410) | -49% | 696 | 38.4 |
| The Rum Diary | FilmDistrict | .77 (810) | -74% | 947 | 12.3 |
| Dolphin Tale | WB | .71 (1,010) | -31% | 705 | 69.6 |
| Rockstar | Eros | .63 (5,690) | NEW | 111 | 0.63 |
| Anonymous | Sony | .59 (1,220) | -52% | 482 | 3.8 |
| Margin Call | Roadside Attractions | .57 (2,880) | -21% | 198 | 3.3 |
| 50/50 | Summit | .52 (1,230) | -45% | 424 | 33.8 |
| Like Crazy | Par Vantage | .51 (7,300) | 91% | 70 | 1.1 |
| The Three Musketeers | Summit | .50 (750) | -71% | 669 | 19.2 |
| Martha Marcy May Marlene | Fox Searchlight | .48 (2,620) | 5% | 183 | 1.7 |
| The Way | PDA | .35 (2,030) | -4% | 171 | 2.7 |
| The Skin I Live In | Sony Classics | .31 (3,380) | -6% | 91 | 1.7 |
| Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) | $132.60 | ||||
| % Change (Last Year) | 14% | ||||
| % Change (Last Week) | 22% | ||||
| Also debuting/expanding | |||||
| Melancholia | Magnolia | .25 (13,310) | 19 | 0.25 | |
| Take Shelter | Sony Classics | .13 (1,580) | -26% | 82 | 1.2 |
| Oh My Friend | Blue Sky | .12 (4,010) | 31 | 0.12 | |
| A Mother’s Story | ABS | 51,600 (2,150) | 24 | 0.05 | |
| Into the Abyss | IFC | 49,800 (4,150) | 12 | 0.05 | |
| Le Vendeur | Seville | 48,700 (4,870) | 10 | 0.05 | |
| 11.11.11 | Big Air | 32,300 (1,790) | 18 | 0.03 | |
| The Conquest | Music Box | 17,200 (2,450) | 7 | 0.02 | |
| Ma Part du gateau | Remstar | 9,700 (1,620) | 6 | 0.01 | |
| Eliite Squad: The Enemy Within | Variance | 8,500 (8,500) | 1 | 0.01 | |
| London Boulevard | IFC | 3,300 (3,300) | 1 | 0.01 | |
| Domestic Market Share (Jan. 1 – Nov. 10, 2011) | |||||
| Distributor (releases) | Gross | Market Share | |||
| Paramount (18) | 1652.5 | 19.10% | |||
| Warner Bros. (25) | 1520.5 | 17.60% | |||
| Buena Vista (15) | 1105.3 | 12.70% | |||
| Sony (25) | 1091.7 | 12.60% | |||
| Universal (18) | 993.1 | 11.50% | |||
| 20th Century Fox (16) | 816.1 | 9.40% | |||
| Weinstein Co. (13) | 282.3 | 3.30% | |||
| Lions Gate (15) | 184.1 | 2.10% | |||
| Relativity (7) | 144.8 | 1.70% | |||
| Film District (4) | 123.7 | 1.40% | |||
| Focus (7) | 123.6 | 1.40% | |||
| Summit (8) | 121.9 | 1.40% | |||
| Fox Searchlight (11) | 108.9 | 1.20% | |||
| Sony Classics (16) | 82.9 | 1.00% | |||
| CBS (3) | 57.5 | 0.70% | |||
| Other * (311) | 250.6 | 2.90% | |||
| 8659.5 | 100.00% | ||||
| * none greater than 0.35% |
