The Weekend Report

Although it took a sharp hit, American moviegoers continued to top Fifty Shades of Grey with an estimated $23.2 million. The session saw three new national releases open to fair if not-so-astounding figures headed by the inspiring (true) sport saga McFarland, USA with $11.1 million. Just a step behind was the high school comedy The Duff at $11 million with Hot Tub Time Machine 2 trailing with $5.8 million.

Best of the exclusives was Oscar-nominated Argentine black comedy Wild Tales with $84,700 from four screens.

In the niches the Hindi Badlapur had a blah start of $224,000 at 84 venues while Hong Kong’s Triumph in the Skies soared with $183,000 in 12 flights. Manilla Film Fest winner English Only, Please was a not so stellar $37,100 at 28 sites and French import Asterix: Le Domaine des dieux had an OK $229,000 gross from 77 cels.

Oscar weekend revenues pushed to better than $115 million and a 46% decline from seven days earlier. It was however 6% improved from 2014 when the third weekend of The Lego Movie dominated with a $31.3 million box office and newcomers 3 Days to Kill and Pompeii bowed respectively with $12.2 million and $10.3 million.

The want see factor for Fifty Shades of Grey proved to be palpable as second weekend grosses fell 70% domestically and 55% overseas as the sizzler approached a staggering $400 million cume in a mere 10 days.

Bolstered by strong reviews and a paucity of family fare in the marketplace McFarland, USA bested tracking that suggested high end results of $10 million. There were also unfounded studio concerns that having another Kevin Costner film (Black or White) in the marketplace might be a detriment. Exit demos provided upbeat results of a 50/50 gender split but families surprisingly comprised only 29% of the audience. And 70% of the crowd was aged 25-years and older.

Expectations were even more modest for The Duff (Designated Ugly Female Friend) but clearly young women were anxious for a movie that reflected their realm. It swung heavily female with 75% of viewers and skewed young with 68% of the audience aged 25-years and younger.

Conversely, Hot Tub Time Machine 2 whose original has become a cult classic in ancillary exposure was perceived as the leader among the newcomers with estimates ranging from $12 million to $14 million. It tilted 63% male but failed to get the youth crowd with 76% of ticket buyers aged 25-years and older.

The evanescence of awards personally is represented by an encounter with Michael Lerner who was nominated in 1991’s Barton Fink for his portrayal of fictional studio head Jack Lipnick. Several years after,  I said to him “I bet people come up to you and congratulate you on winning an Oscar (he didn’t).” He smiled and affirmed. “And you don’t correct them,” I replied. He just smiled broadly.

Good night and good luck.

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