By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com
The Weekend Report, February 26, 2012
Valor and Velour
Oscar went bump in the night as the mockuventure Act of Valor ascended to the top of the weekend ticket charts with an estimated $24.7 million. Runnerup was another freshman _ Good News from Tyler Perry _ with $15.6 million. Further done the list the comedic Wanderlust bowed to a disappointing $6.6 million and the thriller Gone went missing with $4.8 million.
In the niches the hockey antics of Goon grossed a solid $1.1 million in Canada while a trio of Indian imports failed to shake up that sector of domestic box office. Exclusive starter were largely inert save for the controversial Albanian drama The Forgiveness of Blood that opened to $29,700 at three venues.
Weekend revenues rang up roughly $135 million and a 17% decline for the three-day portion of last weekend’s President’s holiday session. However it was the eighth consecutive weekend improvement from 2011 with a 23% spike. Last year the opening salvo of Hall Pass led the field with a $13.5 million tally.
Act of Valor, a fictional yarn of Navy SEAL exploits cast with real life members of the elite squad, improved upon tracking studies that pegged its bow between $18 million and $20 million. Just like its inspiration it was pegged for success and close to target with viewership composed 71% male and 60% older than 25 years of age.
Good Deeds also pretty much played to its usual posse but on the low end of estimates projected at $14 million to $18 million. The loyal fans were 76% female and decidedly older with 85% on the plus side of 25 years old. His core remains African American with close to 80% of opening weekend ticket sales.
Pundits and tracking polls didn’t identify much chemistry or Wanderlust between Jennifer Anniston and Paul Rudd with projections of $8 million to $10 million. Despite generally positive reviews it still under-performed and Gone simply lived up to its prophetic title.
Also gone was the historic Oscar bump that in truth hasn’t been much in evidence for a decade. The Artist and foreign-language favorite A Separation both received box office boosts and unquestionably, should the former win top honors, one can expect a massive expansion next weekend. And judging from recent years experience it will wow ‘em with one good week at the multiplex.
| Weekend (estimates) February 24 – 26, 2012 | |||||
| Title | Distributor | Gross (avg) | % chng | Thtrs | Cume |
| Act of Valor | Relativity | 24.7 (8,130) | NEW | 3039 | 24.7 |
| Good Deeds | Lions Gate | 15,6 (7,320) | NEW | 2132 | 15.6 |
| Journey 2: The Mysterious Island | WB | 13.5 (4,040) | -32% | 3350 | 76.9 |
| Safe House | Uni | 11.3 (3,710) | -52% | 3052 | 98 |
| The Vow | Sony | 10.1 (3,330) | -56% | 3038 | 103.1 |
| Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance | Sony | 8.6 (2,720) | -61% | 3174 | 37.6 |
| This Means War | Fox | 8.5 (2,670) | -51% | 3189 | 33.6 |
| Wanderlust | Uni | 6.6 (3,290) | NEW | 2002 | 6.6 |
| Gone | Summit | 4.8 (2,200) | NEW | 2186 | 4.8 |
| The Secret of Arrietty | BV | 4.4 (2,920) | -31% | 1522 | 14.6 |
| Chronicle | Fox | 3.7 (2,040) | -52% | 1797 | 58 |
| Star Wars, Episode 1 – 3D | Fox | 3.1 (1,940) | -61% | 1618 | 40.4 |
| The Artist | Weinstein Co. | 3.0 (3,070) | 22% | 966 | 31.8 |
| The Woman in Black | CBS | 2.7 (1,580) | -59% | 1727 | 50.5 |
| The Descendants | Fox Searchlight | 2.2 (2,460) | -25% | 889 | 78.5 |
| Hugo | Par | 1.6 (3,210) | -3% | 501 | 69.4 |
| Goon | Alliance | 1.1 (4,660) | NEW | 232 | 1.1 |
| The Grey | Open Road/eOne | .77 (840) | -75% | 917 | 50.1 |
| The Iron Lady | Weinstein Co. | .69 (1,320) | -35% | 522 | 25.7 |
| Big Miracle | Uni | .64 (1,020) | -72% | 628 | 18.9 |
| Red Tails | Fox | .45 (920) | -69% | 489 | 48.8 |
| A Separation | Sony Classics | .42 (5,100) | 37% | 83 | 2.6 |
| My Weekend with Marilyn | Weinstein Co. | .39 (1,250) | 98% | 313 | 14.2 |
| Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked | Fox | .36 (1,710) | -27% | 211 | 130.6 |
| Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy | Focus | .35 (2,130) | -29% | 164 | 23.3 |
| Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close | WB | .25 (900) | -60% | 280 | 31.2 |
| Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) | $127.60 | ||||
| % Change (Last Year) | 23% | ||||
| % Change (Last Week) | -17% | ||||
| Also debuting/expanding | |||||
| Albert Nobbs | Roadside/eOne | 13 (1,330) | -32% | 101 | 2.6 |
| Rampart | Millennium | .10 (2,270) | -19% | 45 | 0.38 |
| Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya | UTV | .10 (2,010) | 49 | 0.1 | |
| In Darkness | Sony Classics | 88,400 (4,020) | 7% | 22 | 0.28 |
| Bodi Breakers | Yash Raj | 55,400 (1,230) | 45 | 0.06 | |
| Un Monstre a Paris | Alliance | 50,100 (1,470) | 34 | 0.05 | |
| Ishq | Blue Sky | 39,200 (3,920) | 10 | 0.04 | |
| We Need to Talk About Kevin | Oscilloscope | 38,500 (2,410) | -46% | 16 | 0.67 |
| Bullhead | Drafthouse | 34,700 (1,020) | 7% | 34 | 0.09 |
| The Forgiveness of Blood | IFC | 29,700 (9,900) | 3 | 0.03 | |
| Undefeated | Weinstein | 19,800 (3,960) | -40% | 5 | 0.07 |
| Donovan’s Echo | Union Pictures | 8,200 (1,370) | 6 | 0.01 | |
| Tomorrow, When the War Began | FreeStyle | 2,800 (310) | 9 | 0.01 | |
| The Fairy | Lorber | 2,100 (2,100) | 1 | 0.01 | |
| Domestic Market Share (Jan. 1 – Feb. 23, 2012) | |||||
| Distributor (releases) | Gross | Market Share | |||
| 20th Century Fox (8) | 249.1 | 16.70% | |||
| Sony (9) | 240.2 | 16.10% | |||
| Warner Bros. (10) | 202.1 | 13.50% | |||
| Paramount (8) | 199.7 | 13.40% | |||
| Universal (4) | 172.5 | 11.60% | |||
| Buena Vista (6) | 107.5 | 7.20% | |||
| Weinstein Co. (6) | 54.9 | 3.70% | |||
| CBS (1) | 47.7 | 3.20% | |||
| Open Road (1) | 45.1 | 3.00% | |||
| Fox Searchlight (3) | 39.6 | 2.70% | |||
| Summit (3) | 34.7 | 2.30% | |||
| Lions Gate (1) | 25.8 | 1.70% | |||
| Focus (2) | 19.9 | 1.30% | |||
| Relativity (2) | 19.7 | 1.30% | |||
| Sony Classics (6) | 7.3 | 0.50% | |||
| Other * (52) | 26.8 | 1.80% | |||
| 1492.6 | 100.00% |
