The Weekend Report

Ever try to put a stake through a turtle’s heart? Just when you thought the franchise had gone moribund, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stunned with an estimated $65.1 million debut that led session moviegoing. Three other films opened nationally to varying results. including predictable returns of $17.8 million for the tornado commandos of Into the Storm, a soupçon better than expected $11.2 million for The Hundred-Foot Journey and a franchise-killing $6.2 million for Step Up: All In.

Best of the exclusive freshmen were  rom-com What If, which generated $134,000 from 20 engagements and a $41,400 tidal wave for the single screen bow of The Admiral: Roaring Currents the sixteenth century epic naval battle that set box-office records last week in its native Korea.

In the niches, Hindi Entertainment generated a dullish $241,000 at 108 venues while Punjabi Aa Gaye Munde UK De was off to a good start of $132,000 from 29 screens. Coming-of-ager 1987 saw OK returns of $252,000 in Québec but James Cameron’s Deepsea Challenge sank to the depths with a $148,000 tally from 304 playdates, returning $486 per screen to the King Of The World. Japanese anime stalwart Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods was good returns, grossing $730,000 following a midweek opening that boosted its cume to $2.9 million.

Weekend biz came close to $190 million and was flat with the immediate prior frame. It was 17% improved from 2013 when newcomers Elysium, We Are the Millers and Planes bowed respectively to $29.8 million, $26.4 million and $22.2 million.

It was no April Fools joke when Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bowed theatrically in 1990 and forever changed the fortunes of New Line Cinema. Despite its implacable shell, the franchise proved malleable with myriad sequels and re-inventions. This latest venture goes back to the original spirit and was anticipated to bow in the range of $42 million to $45 million. Studio exit polls identified an audience that was 61% male and 55% aged 25-years and older … the majority barely out of the cradle when the first film debuted. TMNT grossed an additional $29 million from day-and-date openings in 19 territories including a Russian debut of $11 million and $7 million in Mexico.

Both The Hundred-Foot Journey and Step Up: All In were expected to open to roughly $10 million. The former enlisted testimonials from Oprah and Spielberg and their shilling appeared to help in the yarn of dueling restaurateurs in the lap of gastronomy. It also skewed female by 59% with 87% of the finer palettes aged 25-years and older.

Conversely the Step Up routine was looking pretty much all out. The fifth installment of the series is in its third weekend internationally where it’s historically outdone domestic box office and has generated about $38 million. It also skewed female with a 59% tilt with 41% of the audience aged 25-years and more senior.

Into the Storm was seen as a road how retread of Twister and pundits predicted box office of $16-18 million. It too saw a majority female audience of 58% with 71% of viewers aged 25-years and beyond. International results were not available.

On the alternative side, Boyhood and Magic in the Moonlight saw significant expansions with the former starting to experience the limits of its reach. Nonetheless it’s grossed more than $10 million and remains one of the most lauded films of the year.

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