By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com
The Weekend Report
They expected big … but not huuuge. Deadpool bowed to a record-breaking estimated $135.3 million for the three-day portion (all figures reflect three day figures) of the Presidents holiday session. Two other films launched nationally with upbeat response to How to Be Single at $18.2 million and a disappointing $14.3 million for Zoolander No. 2.
Michael Moore’s Where to Invade Next had a good start of $894,000 at 308 embarcations. Newcomers in exclusive release were dull, including Dheepan with $18,300 from eight screens in Québec, and Denmark’s Oscar shortlisted A War grossing $7,700 at five venues.
In the niches, Telugu Krishna Gaadi Veera Prema Gadh was solid with $475,000 while Hindi Fitoor teetered to $313,000. In Québec, the animated version of the venerable The Little Prince bowed to $153,000. It’s been in international release for six months and grossed $105 million and opens next month in the U.S.
Revenues for the frame were eyeing a record $240 million plus box office that translated into a jaw-dropping 160% boost from last weekend and an impressive 10% improvement from 2015. A year ago Fifty Shades of Grey set a new benchmark for Presidents weekend of $74.9 million with Kingsman rattling the cage with a $31.4 million debut.
The X-Men’s Deadpool repped the cynical side of the comic franchise and an unlikely character to carry a full movie. But early previews indicated he had a larger than anticipated fan base and the picture’s opening generated the sort of numbers that suggest he was “the” super hero audiences were waiting to arrive. Despite an R-rating, the opening audience was 47% aged 25-years and younger.
Early tracking suggested a potent bow in the $60 million range but that shot up to $80 million ($100 million for four-days) as opening day loomed. The film easily smashed the box office record for Presidents holiday releases and also set a new bench mark for an R-Rated movie (previously Matrix: Reloaded at $91.7 million) along with some more arcane records. It was also the studio’s best ever debut that had been held by Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith with $108.4 million.
Deadpool opened a few days earlier in several international and through its opening weekend grossed an estimated $125 million from 61 territories. Only a handful of major territories have yet to open, including Japan, Italy, South Korea and an as yet undated China.
The expectation for How to Be Single and Zoolander No. 2 was for a heated battle with each expected to gross in the high teens to the low 20s. In the end the adaptation of Liz Tuccillo’s YA book trumped the long-gestating sequel to the 2001 fashion statement. Single exit demos were unavailable but Zoolander 2 was 51% female with 62% aged 25-years and older.
Internationally the Zoolander sequel had a 20-territory launch including the UK, Australia and Italy for $8.5 million. How to Be Single also dipped its toe into international waters including Russia, Taiwan and Italy for a comparable initial take of $8.1 million.
With tonight’s BAFTAs and Oscar only two Sundays away, the prime contenders continued to hold their own. Still, the prospect of significant post-award theatrical boosts dissipated long ago with ancillaries now the main beneficiary.
Weekend (estimates) February 12 – 14, 2016 | |||||
Title | Distributor | Gross (average) | % chng | Thtrs | Cume |
Deadpool | Fox | 135.3 (38,030) | NEW | 3558 | 135.3 |
Kung Fu Panda 3 | Fox | 19.2 (5,000) | -10% | 3844 | 93.5 |
How to Be Single | WB | 18.2 (5,450) | NEW | 3343 | 18.2 |
Zoolander No. 2 | Par | 14.3 (4,220) | NEW | 3394 | 14.3 |
Hail, Caesar! | Uni | 6.6 (2,920) | -42% | 2248 | 21.3 |
The Revenant | Fox | 6.5 (2,890) | -6% | 2266 | 158.8 |
Star Wars: The Force Awakens | BV | 6.2 (3,410) | -12% | 1810 | 914.8 |
The Choice | Lionsgate | 5.3 (2,010) | -13% | 2631 | 12.8 |
Ride Along 2 | Uni | 4.1 (2,640) | -10% | 1562 | 82.6 |
The Boy | STX/eOne | 2.8 (1,950) | -31% | 1450 | 30.7 |
The Finest Hours | BV | 2.8 (1,600) | -43% | 1734 | 23.3 |
The 5th Wave | Sony | 2.5 (1,760) | -33% | 1444 | 29.4 |
Pride + Prejudice + Zombies | Sony/eOne | 2.4 (830) | -54% | 2931 | 9.3 |
Dirty Grandpa | Lionsgate/VVS | 2.0 (1,240) | -50% | 1612 | 32.6 |
13 Hours: Secret Soldiers of Benghazi | Par | 1.6 (1,700) | -45% | 932 | 50.5 |
The Big Short | Par | 1.4 (2,580) | -19% | 535 | 65.7 |
Brooklyn | Fox Searchlight/Mongrel | 1.1 (2,240) | -6% | 495 | 34.1 |
Daddy’s Home | Par | .97 (1,830) | -34% | 532 | 146.6 |
Where to Invade Next | Drafthouse | .89 (2,900) | NEW | 308 | 0.89 |
Spotlight | Open Road/eOne | .71 (1,570) | -15% | 455 | 37.2 |
The Lady in the Van | Sony Classics | .53 (4,090) | 51% | 130 | 1.9 |
45 Years | IFC/Mongrel | .49 (2,070) | -6% | 237 | 2.9 |
Fifty Shades of Black | Open Road/D Films | .48 (990) | -77% | 485 | 10.6 |
Krisha Gaadi Veera Prema Gadh | Pixel Dreams | .47 (4,060) | NEW | 117 | 0.52 |
The Good Dinosaur | BV | .47 (1,690) | 151% | 277 | 121.2 |
Room | 424/Elevation | .41 (1,290) | -44% | 316 | 12 |
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) | $235.90 | ||||
% Change (Last Year) | 10% | ||||
% Change (Last Week) | 160% | ||||
Also debuting/expanding | |||||
Fitoor | UTV | .31 (2,130) | 147 | 0.31 | |
2016 Oscar Shorts | Magnolia | .29 (1,700) | -31% | 173 | 1.7 |
Le Petit prince | Seville | .15 (2,840) | 54 | 0.15 | |
The Monkey King 2 | China Lion | .14 (4,270) | -15% | 33 | 0.45 |
Carol | Weinstein Co. | .14 (1,020) | -35% | 141 | 12.1 |
Ip Man 3 | Well Go | .13 (2,710) | -52% | 49 | 2.4 |
Son of Saul | Sony Classics | 69,400 (1,390) | -23% | 50 | 0.98 |
Anomalisa | Par | 68,200 (950) | -57% | 72 | 2.4 |
From Vegas to Macau III | Media Asia | 67,800 (4,840) | -46% | 14 | 0.29 |
Trumbo | Bleecker/eOne | 55,700 (980) | 43% | 57 | 7.8 |
Mustang | Cohen/Mongrel | 49,200 (1,410) | -26% | 35 | 0.8 |
Dough | Menemsha | 44,700 (4,970) | 9 | 0.04 | |
Un + une | TVA | 37,500 (3,120) | 12 | 0.04 | |
Jil Jung Juk | Praneeth | 37,100 (840) | 44 | 0.04 | |
Dheepan | Metropole | 18,300 (2,290) | 8 | 0.02 | |
Touched with Fire | Roadside Attractions | 14,600 (2,430) | 6 | 0.01 | |
Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong | Gravitas | 14,200 (1,580) | 9 | 0.01 | |
The New Year’s Eve of Old Lee | China Lion | 10,300 (1,720) | 6 | 0.01 | |
Until Forever | Gateway | 7,900 (2,630) | 3 | 0.01 | |
A War | Magnolia | 7,700 (1,540) | 5 | 0.01 | |
Providence | Faith Flix | 6,100 (870) | 7 | 0.01 | |
Mountains May Depart | Kino | 4,600 (4,600) | 1 | 0.01 | |
Bad Hurt | Screen Media | 4,200 (840) | 5 | 0.01 | |
Domestic Market Share (January 1 – February 11, 2016) | |||||
Distributor (releases) | Box Office | Market Share | |||
20th Century Fox (8) | 298.8 | 24.40% | |||
Buena Vista (4) | 288.8 | 23.60% | |||
Paramount (5) | 173.2 | 14.10% | |||
Universal (5) | 132.3 | 10.80% | |||
Lionsgate (6) | 62.9 | 5.10% | |||
Sony (7) | 54.8 | 4.50% | |||
Weinstein Co. (6) | 49.7 | 4.10% | |||
Focus (2) | 32.4 | 2.70% | |||
STX (2) | 26.2 | 2.10% | |||
Warner Bros. (6) | 26.1 | 2.10% | |||
Open Road (2) | 19.5 | 1.60% | |||
Fox Searchlight (2) | 11.1 | 0.90% | |||
Other * (54) | 48.5 | 4.00% | |||
1224.3 | 100% | ||||
* none greater than 0.45% |