By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com
The Weekend Report: June 1, 2012
Father, O Brother!
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted fended off the competition that included two high profile debuts to lead the weekend box office with an estimated $35.8 million.
The wide release debuting films both underperformed with the discordant Rock of Ages slotting third with $15.1 million and the Father’s Day surprise That’s My Boy two notches down at $12.9 million. Also new was Bollywood’s Ferrari Ki Sawaari with an OK launch of $267,000 at 99 venues and a not particular tuneful $148,000 gross for the rap profile Something for Nothing at 157 stands.
Limited and exclusive newcomers were largely undistinguished with the exception of Your Sister’s Sister that brought in $114,000 from a lucky 13 of engagements.
Overall box office pushed to close to $135 million for the frame and a 28% drop from seven days earlier. It was also off the 2011 pace by 15% when the opening of Green Lantern led the field with $55.1 million and freshman Mr. Popper’s Penguins ranked third with $18.4 million.
Industry trackers had pegged Rock of Ages to open somewhere in the mid-$20 million range and gave it a slight edge over the seemingly similarly strong That’s My Boy. However, there was a strong sense that the film was in trouble because it was difficult to identify its target audience. Previews saw scant interest from under 25s as well as the older crowd that grew up with its 1980s soundtrack.
While the tune town saga boosted its profile with the casting of Tom Cruise as a dissolute rock star, it was hardly catnip to his fans. About the only thing that was evident was a stronger response from women and opening exit demos concurred with a 62% female audience with 74% of ticket buyers aged 25 years and older. While it had some critical defenders the film was largely accorded withering reviews.
That’s My Boy was also critically ravaged but that’s par for the course for most Adam Sandler comedies. Studio insiders were still hopeful the broad, blue antics could muster a $20 million weekend just prior to opening day. Its 54% male, 52% under 25 year old audience conformed to his fan base … there simply weren’t enough of them.
Summer 2012 is fast evolving as a bloody battlefield with heavy casualties, some pyrrhic victories and a couple of genuine blockbusters. The fast faders have been a real boon for alternative pictures that have been able to secure multiplex playdates to fill in the gaps. Still most haven’t had the marketing budget to fully capitalize on the unexpected opportunities.
Weekend (estimates) June 15 – 17, 2012 | |||||
Title | Distributor | Gross (average) | % change * | Theaters | Cume |
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted | Par | 35.8 (8,400) | -41% | 4263 | 120.8 |
Prometheus | Fox | 20.3 (5,900) | -60% | 3442 | 89 |
Rock of Ages | WB | 15.1 (4,350) | NEW | 3470 | 15.1 |
Snow White and the Huntsman | Uni | 13.8 (3,720) | -40% | 3701 | 122.6 |
That’s My Boy | Sony | 12.9 (4,240) | NEW | 3030 | 12.9 |
Men in Black III | Sony | 9.9 (3,140) | -29% | 3135 | 152.5 |
The Avengers | BV | 8.8 (3,400) | -22% | 2582 | 586.7 |
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel | Fox Searchlight | 2,2 (1,860) | -32% | 1184 | 35.1 |
Moonrise Kingdom | Focus | 2.2 (12,190) | 39% | 178 | 6.8 |
What to Expect When You’re Expecting | Lions Gate | 1.3 (1,100) | -52% | 1216 | 38.8 |
Battleship | Uni | 1.2 (1,310) | -46% | 942 | 62.1 |
The Dictator | Par | 1.1 (970) | -51% | 1119 | 57.7 |
The Hunger Games | Lions Gate | .87 (1,470) | -19% | 593 | 401.8 |
Dark Shadows | WB | .64 (940) | -55% | 680 | 75.2 |
Bernie | Millennium | .58 (1,930) | -29% | 300 | 5.8 |
For Greater Glory | Arc Entertainment | .51 (1,340) | -45% | 380 | 4.5 |
Intouchables | Alliance/Weinstein | .41 (3,700) | -12% | 111 | 4.2 |
Hysteria | Sony Classics | .31 (1,410) | 107% | 218 | 1.1 |
Safety Not Guaranteed | Film District | .29 (6,110) | 193% | 47 | 0.43 |
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax | Uni | .28 (1,010) | -17% | 277 | 212.5 |
Ferrari Ki Sawaari | Eros | .27 (2,700) | NEW | 99 | 0.27 |
Mirror Mirror | Relativity | .23 (830) | -32% | 278 | 63.9 |
The Lucky One | WB | .21 (600) | -41% | 350 | 59.9 |
Think Like a Man | Sony | .21 (900) | -38% | 231 | 90.7 |
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) | $127.20 | ||||
% Change (Last Year) | -15% | ||||
% Change (Last Week) | -28% | ||||
Also debuting/expanding | |||||
Something for Nothing | Indomina | .15 (940) | 157 | 0.15 | |
Your Sister’s Sister | IFC | ,11 (8,770) | 13 | 0.11 | |
Lola Versus | Fox Searchlight | 58,200 (1,120) | 83% | 52 | 0.11 |
Desi Romeos | Maan | 40,300 (3,100) | 13 | 0.04 | |
The Woman in the Fifth | ATO | 31,800 (3,530) | 9 | 0.03 | |
Marina Abramovic | Music Box | 12,200 (4,070) | 3 | 0.01 | |
The Girl from the Naked Eye | Naedomi | 9,750 (510) | 19 | 0.01 | |
Patang | Khushi | 8,700 (2,180) | 4 | 0.01 | |
Domestic Market Share (Jan. 1 – June 14, 2012) | |||||
Distributor (releases) | Gross | Market Share | |||
Buena Vista (9) | 797.7 | 16.60% | |||
Universal (10) | 700.1 | 14.50% | |||
Sony (13) | 697.8 | 14.50% | |||
Lions Gate (9) | 566.9 | 11.80% | |||
Warner Bros. (16) | 541.7 | 11.20% | |||
Paramount (13) | 431.5 | 8.90% | |||
20th Century Fox (10) | 413.8 | 8.60% | |||
Relativity (5) | 169.4 | 3.50% | |||
Weinstein Co. (8) | 82.8 | 1.70% | |||
Fox Searchlight (5) | 79.4 | 1.70% | |||
Open Road (3) | 72.2 | 1.50% | |||
CBS (2) | 63.5 | 1.30% | |||
Summit (4) | 47.1 | 1.00% | |||
Focus (4) | 26.6 | 0.50% | |||
Sony Classics (13) | 21.8 | 0.50% | |||
Other * (157) | 106.1 | 2.20% | |||
4818.4 | 100.00% | ||||
* none greater than 0.04% | |||||
Top Domestic Grossers (Jan. 1 – June 14, 2012) * | |||||
Title | Distributor | Gross | |||
The Avengers | BV | 577,888,904 | |||
The Hunger Games | Lions Gate | 400,913,620 | |||
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax | Uni | 212,229,870 | |||
Men in Black III | Sony | 142,678,983 | |||
21 Jump Street | Sony | 137,634,849 | |||
Safe House | Uni | 126,367,263 | |||
The Vow | Sony | 125,074,813 | |||
Snow White and the Huntsman | Uni | 108,797,035 | |||
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island | WB | 103,617,522 | |||
Think Like a Man | Sony | 90,476,146 | |||
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol * | Par | 87,174,082 | |||
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted | Par | 84,950,532 | |||
Wrath of the Titans | WB | 83,472,818 | |||
Dark Shadows | WB | 74,532,628 | |||
John Carter | BV | 72,939,964 | |||
Act of Valor | Relativity | 70,012,847 | |||
Prometheus | Fox | 68,658,127 | |||
Contraband | Uni | 66,703,339 | |||
Chronicle | Fox | 64,575,175 | |||
Mirror Mirror | Relativity | 63,679,632 |