Tropic Thunder executed the hat trick as its estimated $14.5 million holiday weekend tally emerged as the top viewing choice. As the season came to a close a quartet of new national releases sought some late breaking coin. The sci-fi opus Babylon A.D. was ranked second with $12.1 million while the spy thriller Traitor slipped into fifth position on a $9.6 million gross. The spoof Disaster Movie had a $7.2 million bow but there was scant hijinx for College that sputtered to a $2.6 million debut.

Niche and regional openers were also rife but largely commercially tepid. There was limited soccer fever for Goal! 2 of $191,000 from 102 scrums and just OK response for Bollywood entry Rock On of $152,000 from 47 mosh pits. Limited and exclusives fared better with Czech import I Served the King of England generating $58,300 from seven tables and Quebec drama Le Banquet serving up $42,800 in 13 exposures. Another Gay Sequel did $26,200 at three venues and the JapaneseSukiyaki Western Django scored $12,400 in a single Manhattan draw down.

Overall business experienced downturns with the three-day portion of the long weekend ebbing back 8% from seven days earlier. Box office was 17% behind Labor Day 2007 when the reincarnated Halloween led with a $30.6 million opening salvo.

Initial figures indicate a summer season finish of $4.15 billion that translates into a 3% decline from the 2007 session. There was an even sharper admissions decline of 9%.

However, closer examination reveals it was definitely a time of the haves and the have nots. The former was dominated by the six Hollywood majors whose pictures collectively accounted for a 6% improvement from the prior year. Still, their admissions were basically flat with the immediate prior summer session.

Four of the majors recorded double digit expansion including market share leader Warner Bros. with overall revenues in excess of $1 billion domestically. Warners received an assist from the shuttered New Line; incorporating that company’s Sex and the City and Journey to the Center of the Earthinto its release schedule.

Disney largely stayed out of the fray with just three releases over the four month span but Fox experienced a catastrophic case of the commercial yips that translated into a 43% plunge from its 2007 record. (full summer charts will be posted following actual reporting Tuesday).

The flip side of the season was experienced by studio specialized divisions and the legions of independent distributors. Their box office declined by approximately 56% and not all of the slippage to be credited to quality or commerciality. The relative potency of such films as The Visitor, Mongol and Brideshead Revisited wasn’t up to earlier summer standards in large part to a decrease in the number of accessible screens and the continuing dilemma of getting attention in a marketplace dominated by seasonal blockbusters.

Another significant factor was the competition from mainstream releases; particularly Sex and the City and Mamma Mia! that siphoned off viewers in search of alternative fare. The latter film received a boost this past weekend with the introduction of a sing-a-long edition that accounted for about 30% of its weekend box office from 16% of its current playdates.

– Leonard Klady

Domestic Market Share – To August 28, 2008

Top Domestic Releases – To August 28, 2008

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