The Weekend Report: March 18, 2012

Hop, Skip and Jump Street

Box office went undercover with 21 Jump Street scoring the top spot of the weekend with an estimated stash of $34.7 million.

The reinvention of the bygone TV show was the sole new wide release while other freshmen aimed for niche crowds in hopes of building to bigger platforms. However, the prospects for expansion weren’t bountiful for either the comedic spin on Latin machismo in Casa de mi Padre or the sophisticated slackerisms of Jeff Who Lives at Home. The former grossed $2.2 million at 382 locations while the couch potato mashed $820,000 from 254 ovens.

Also incoming was the Nic Cage programmer Seeking Justice with a $233,000 tally at 231 and the crime comedy L’Empire Bo$$e cashed in an easy to refuse $71,300 from 43 Quebec screens. Among the session’s clutch of exclusives only Cannes prized The Kid with a Bike and the non-fiction Gerhard Richter generated encouraging box office.

Weekend revenues edged toward $110 million for a 21% decline from last weekend. It was also the first downturn sized against 2011 revenues in two months with a 5% drop. A year ago newcomer Limitless top the charts with an $18.9 million bow and freshmen The Lincoln Lawyer and Paul added $13.2 million and $13 million respective openings.

Pundits eyed 21 Jump Street cautiously; suspecting another Dukes of Hazzard or Starsky and Hutch. But reviews and word of mouth were positive and the picture exceeded preliminary estimates that pegged it at $30 million. The film skewed slightly male with 53% of viewers and a 50/50 split for over/under 25s that indicated more than nostalgic interest in the venture.

Exit demos weren’t available for Casa de mi Padre that tossed the dice hoping for a combo of young, hip and Hispanic viewers for a Spanish-language spoof starring Will Ferrell. Initial response was inconclusive regarding where it scored its strongest response. And despite positive reviews Jeff Who Lives at Home looks to be confined to a limited niche crowd. That’s been the fate of this year’s high profile alternative fare including Being Flynn and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen along with the late 2011 award contenders that have underperformed in relation to expectations and kudos.

On the holdover front The Lorax continued to barrel toward a $200 million domestic gross and John Carter faltered by 55% and an eventual $75 million conclusion as Disney struggles to shake off its current doldrums. The cyclic nature of the business thrives on reversals of fortune as experienced this year with Universal going to the head of the class with Seuss and Safe House. It’s been quite some time since the likes of Disney and Warner Bros. could claim 5-year plus annual winning streaks.

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