Posts Tagged ‘Boxoffice’

The Weekend Report: Shipwreck!

Sunday, May 20th, 2012

No one expected the trio of new national releases to unseat The Avengers … they just expected them to be more competitive. The Avengers third weekend prevailed with an estimated $55.2 million with Battleship not quite right behind with $25.3 million. Third spot went to The Dictator with $16.7 million and the third freshman, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, slotted fifth with $10.5 million.

Among niche and regional newcomers there was encouraging results for Crooked Arrows, the tale of a Native American Lacrosse team that netted $263,000 from 55 locations. Cannes preemed Laurence Always bowed softly in Quebec with a $63,700 tally at 26 venues and Bollywood entry Department was moribund with $59,700 from 60 playdates.

Best (but hardly boffo) among the new exclusive entries were Hysteria that vibrated $39,200 at five sites, French SVUish Polisse with $17,200 at three and a $9,100 solo flight for Russian import Elena.

Weekend revenues pushed to about $140 million and a 20% decline from seven days back. It was also 16% behind 2011 when the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Shores outdistanced the current crop of pictures with a $90.1 million opening salvo.

No one can quite believe The Avengers commercial momentum. It now ranks as the sixth biggest domestic grosser all-time after 17 days in cinemas while The Hunger Games (remember that one?) is not too shabby just down the list at position 14.

Battleship opened internationally last month and had a sizeable $220 million plus box office prior to arriving on these shores. Tracking had indicated decent opening momentum in the mid-to-high $30 million range and clearly things went seriously off course for the board game inspired yarn of the navy vs. hostile aliens. Exit demos showed a not unsurprising 57% male tilt but with 55% of the audience aged 30 years and older the film failed to bring out the young males that were its intended target.

Along with John Carter and Wrath of the Titans, Battleship enters the dry dock with considerable global box office that nonetheless can’t sustain mammoth production costs.

The younger than 25s that avoided the fighting machine were more receptive to the outrageous comedy of The Dictator. They comprised 56% of ticket buyers and were 65% male. The Sasha Baron Cohen comedy got a jump start on the weekend with a Wednesday debut that put $7 million in the purse pre-weekend. It also opened in line with tracking that suggested initial strength between $15 million and $18 million.

The Dictator opened simultaneously in 29 foreign territories (mainly Europe) and bettered the domestic take with an early estimate of slightly more than $30 million.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting was tracking almost identical to The Dictator and to no great surprise appeared to be the viewing choice for women. Exit reports revealed a 70% distaff audience that was 64% aged 25 years old and greater. A lot of younger women appear to have spent their weekend at other than the multiplex.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel continues to be the alternative viewing choice with the current session adding 179 engagements while maintaining a sturdy per screen. Also expanding nicely was the Jack Black sly comedy Bernie with the addition of 59 screens that placed it just outside the weekend top 10.

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Weekend Estimates:  May 18-20, 2012

Title Gross (average) % change * Theaters Cume
The Avengers 55.2 (12,980) -46% 4249 457.2
Battleship 25.3 (6,850) NEW 3690 25.3
The Dictator 16.7 (5,560) NEW 3008 23.8
Dark Shadows 12.6 (3,360) -58% 3755 50.8
What to Expect When You’re Expecting 10.5 (3,470) NEW 3021 10.5
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 3.2 (9,020) 20% 357 8.2
The Hunger Games 2.9 (1,420) -35% 2064 391.6
Think Like a Man 2.6 (1,530) -55% 1722 85.8
The Lucky One 1.7 (850) -58% 2005 56.9
Pirates! Band of Misfits 1.4 (780) -55% 1840 25.3
The Five Year Engagement 1.1 (940) -67% 1175 27.1
Chimpanzee .69 (770) -61% 895 27
Bernie .51 (5,370) 133% 95 1.1
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax .46 (1,210) 6% 379 210.2
Girl in Progress .44 (1,370) -68% 322 2.1
The Three Stooges .41 (690) -62% 594 41.8
Wrath of the Titans .41 (1,130) 89% 360 82.4
Cabin in the Woods .38 (840) -61% 448 40.6
Mirror Mirror .38 (940) -36% 407 61.5
Safe .37 (730) -75% 503 16.7
John Carter .31 (2,690) -60% 114 72.1
Crooked Arrows .26 (4,780) NEW 55 0.26
American Reunion .24 (830) -44% 290 56.5
The Raven .23 (530) -83% 432 15.5
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) $134.40
% Change (Last Year) -16%
% Change (Last Week) -20%
Also debuting/expanding
Laurence Anyways 63,700 (2,450) 26 0.06
Darling Companion 61,800 (1,030) -6% 60 0.42
Department 59,700 (990) 60 0.06
Hysterical 39,200 (7,840) 5 0.04
Where Do We Go Now? 25,500 (2,130) 66% 12 0.5
Bill W. 25,700 (2,340) 11 0.03
Mansome 17,600 (880) 20 0.02
Polisse 17,200 (5,730) 3 0.02
Lovely Molly 14,500 (2,900) 5 0.01
Elena 9,170 (9,170) 1 0.01
The Samaritan 6,900 (860) 8 0.01
Virginia 6,400 (1,280) 5 0.01
American Animal 6,300 (6300) 1 0.01
Toucher le ciel 5,700 (1,140) 5 0.01
Over My Dead Body 4,900 (4,900) 1 0.01
Indie Game: The Movie 4,700 (4,700) 1 0.01
Beyond the Black Rainbow 3,200 (3,200) 1 0.01

Domestic Market Share: Jan 1 – May 17, 2012

Distributor (releases) Market Share
Buena Vista (9) 15.80%
Sony (12) 13.70%
Universal (8) 13.40%
Lions Gate (8) 13.10%
Warner Bros. (15) 12.20%
20th Century Fox (9) 8.70%
Paramount (12) 7.60%
Relativity (5) 4.20%
Weinstein Co. (7) 2.10%
Open Road (3) 1.80%
CBS (2) 1.60%
Fox Searchlight (5) 1.30%
Summit (4) 1.20%
Focus (3) 0.60%
Sony Classics (11) 0.50%
Other * (130) 2.20%
* none greater than 0.04% 100.00%

Top Global Grossers: Jan 1 – May 17, 2012

Title Gross
The Avengers 1,070,897,538
The Hunger Games 633,769,552
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol * 391,194,286
Titanic 3D (reissue) 340,733,583
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 324,955,653
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax 304,036,707
Wrath of the Titans 302,096,128
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows * 298,488,422
John Carter 280,422,579
Battleship 220,398,663
American Reunion 205,786,616
Intouchables * 202,888,295
Safe House 202,503,960
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked 197,051,758
The Vow 186,845,041
21 Jump Street 184,362,366
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo * 178,708,267
Underworld: Awakening 161,053,441
Mirror Mirror 159,537,901
This Means War 152,876,666
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance 147,252,185
War Horse * 140,044,414
The Descendants * 134,682,404
Puss in Boots * 155,785,805
The Woman in Black 130,275,654

* does not include 2011 box office

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The Weekend Report: Float Like a Butterfly … Sting Like a Bee

Sunday, January 22nd, 2012

The debut of Underworld: Awakening led weekend ticket sales with an estimated $25.2 million. Two other films bowed nationally and a fourth platformed after four weeks in Oscar-qualifying exclusives. The saga of the Second World War Tuskegee Airmen, Red Tails, ranked second with $19.1 million and the take no prisoners actioner Haywire kicked out with $8.9 million. Wedged in-between was the expansion of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close in position four with $10.4 million.

Despite patches of inclement weather box office was generally spritely and considerably more potent than last year’s weak outset.

A trio of Oscar foreign-language submissions opened strategically but, ironically, none made the short list announced last week. Of the three only Mexico’s Miss Bala showed promise with an $8,070 average from four screens. Conversely China’s The Flowers of War was un-blooming with $51,400 at 30 venues. Also of note were the non-fiction Crazy Horse with $8,700 from a single screen and the modern-day adaptation of Coriolanus that grossed $62,500 from nine engagements.

Overall box office generated roughly $135 million that was flat with last weekend’s three-day portion of the MLK holiday. However, it was 31% improved from 2011 when the debut of No Strings Attached led with $19.6 million and Green Hornet’s sophomore weekend added $17.7 million.

The fourth installment of the Underworld franchise was expected to top weekend charts and managed to exceed the previous edition’s $20.8 million bow. It played largely to loyal fans with exit polls indicating an audience composed 55% of males and 60% of viewers aged 25-years and older.

For many the weekend surprise was Red Tails, the chronicle of the African American flying aces that George Lucas financed when all the majors took a pass. Pundits predicted opening day interest followed by steep drops. But Friday to Saturday posted a sizeable 44% boost. Exit demos showed a crowd composed 51% male and 66% aged 25 years and older but ethnic breakdowns were unavailable. Fingers are crossed that the picture will skew younger in the coming weeks.

With the Oscar slate announcement just days away Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close launched nationally in hopes of capitalizing on Academy attention. So far the yarn hasn’t been a significant award’s contender but Oscar favor is particular difficult to predict this year. The film drew a not unexpected 59% female audience and a whopping 82% aged 25 plus.

Haywire tilted 55% male with 64% of the audience 35 years old and younger. Notwithstanding its results, the movie going crowd is definitely aging and the majors are both mulling a shift toward more mature content and pictures that will ease the erosion of that younger demographic that had dominated ticket sales for decades.

Weekend Estimates

Title Gross (average) % change * Theaters Cume
Underworld: Awakening 25.2 (8,190) NEW 3078 25.2
Red Tails 19.1 (7,620) NEW 2512 19.1
Contraband 12.2 (4,250) -50% 2870 46.1
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close 10.4 (3,960) 11350% 2630 11.1
Haywire 8.9 (3,640) NEW 2439 8.9
Beauty and the Beast 8.6 (3,290) -51% 2625 33.4
Joyful Noise 6.0 (2,200) -46% 2735 21.9
Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol 5.5 (2,190) -53% 2519 197.3
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 4.7 (1,880) -46% 2485 178.5
The Iron Lady 3.7 (3,470) -31% 1076 12
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 3.7 (1,930) -45% 1907 94.7
War Horse 3.0 (1,200) -49% 2525 72.2
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked 2.9 (1,410) -50% 2070 124.5
We Bought a Zoo 2.7 (1,320) -51% 2065 69.5
The Devil Inside 2.5 (1,140) -69% 2207 51.1
The Artist 2.4 (3,590) 99% 662 12.1
The Descendants 2.4 (4,340) 16% 560 51.3
The Adventures of Tintin 2.2 (1,630) -46% 1340 72.3
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy 1.8 (2,420) -45% 730 18.3
Hugo .90 (1,380) -14% 650 55.8
Happy Feet Two .42 (1,270) -13% 331 62.6
A Dangerous Method .41 (3,890) -18% 105 3.4
Puss in Boots .34 (1,160) -18% 292 147.7
My Week with Marilyn .32 (1,430) -32% 225 12.1
Carnage .31 (1,250) -55% 248 2
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn .30 (820) -61% 370 280.2
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) $128.80
% Change (Last Year) 31%
% Change (Last Week) 0%
Also debuting/expanding
Shame .23 (2,440) 61% 95 3
A Separation .18 (13,650) 147% 13 0.55
We Need to Talk About Kevin 72,800 (10,400) 72% 7 0.18
Pariah 63,200 (3,010) -37% 21 0.49
Coriolanus 62,500 (6,940) 9 0.06
The Viral Factor 61,700 (2,800) 22 0.06
Fullmetal Alchemist 59,600 (1,320) 45 0.06
The Flowers of War 51,400 (1,710) 30 0.05
Miss Bala 32,300 (8,070) 4 0.03
16-Love 10,200 (780) 13 0.01
Crazy Horse 8,700 (8,700) 1 0.01
The Front Line 6,800 (1,130) 6 0.01
Carol Channing: Larger Than Life 5,100 (2,550) 2 0.01
The Pruitt-Igoe Myth 4,400 (4,400) 1 0.01
The City Dark 2,900 (2,900) 1 0.01

Domestic Market Share:  January 1 – 19, 2012

Distributor (releases) Gross Market Share
Paramount (8) 157.8 30.90%
Warner Bros. (9) 78.8 15.40%
20th Century Fox (4) 68.1 13.30%
Buena Vista (5) 63.4 12.40%
Sony (6) 43.7 8.50%
Universal (2) 34.9 6.80%
Weinstein Co. (3) 17 3.30%
Summit (2) 14.3 2.80%
Focus (2) 13.3 2.60%
Fox Searchlight (3) 11.2 2.20%
Sony Classics (5) 2.8 0.60%
Other * (22) 6.1 1.20%
511.4 100.00%

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Weekend Estimates: October 9, 2011

Sunday, October 9th, 2011

Real Steel|26.8||26.8
The Ides of March|10.4||10.4
Dolphin Tale|9.1|-35%|49.0
Moneyball|7.3|-39%|49.1
50/50|5.6|-35%|17.4
Courageous|4.5|-50%|15.8
Dream House|4.4|-46%|14.4
Lion King 3D|4.4|-58%|85.8
Whats Your Number|3.1|-43%|10.3
Abduction|2.9|-49%|23.4

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The Weekend Report: May 8

Sunday, May 8th, 2011

Oh, God! Book XXIV

The god of thunder  –  Thor – hammered an estimated $65.8 million to handily reign at the top of the weekend box office charts. The session also saw a pair of counter-programmers bow nationally with the sweetly romantic Something Borrowed slotting third with $13.2 million and Jumping the Broom a breath behind at $13 million.

In limited wide was the political drama There Be Dragons with $660,000 from 259 playdates and once again it was a Telegu film from India  –  100% Love –  that dominated in that niche with an impressive $203,000 at a mere 23 screens.

Among the exclusive bows the focus was unquestionably on the highly acclaimed The Beaver. Audiences however failed to concur with the film grossing roughly $102,000 in its first blush at 22 venues.

In what’s become the kickoff for the summer season of blockbusters, you’d have to say that 2011 came in like a lamb with revenues of just north of $160 million. It was a sliver better than last weekend and an 11% depression from last year when Iron Man 2 debuted to $128.1 million.

Thor wasn’t expected to debut to jaw dropping numbers with pundits predicting opening power between $70 million and $80 million. Exit polls not surprisingly pegged ticket buyers at 63% male but, more surprisingly, it was according to the studio a crowd that was 72% over the age of 25 years.

Add to that a decidedly older crowd for Jumping the Broom. Only Something Borrowed skewed younger and again predictably female.

So, where are the young males that have historically been at the vanguard (and head of the line) of movie going? That’s the industry’s biggest question and so far no one has a definitive answer (it’s unlikely they were buying $30 passes to the recently launched premiere VOD). Though not personally a betting man, I wouldn’t want to take the side _ regardless of long odds _ that the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean would turn the tide back.

The other puzzler of the frame was the limpid debut of The Beaver. The film’s subject matter _ abject depression _ was never likely to be an audience magnet. But its prestige elements should have at least drawn an upscale crowd regardless of such barriers and an opening salvo twice as large as what’s been recorded.

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Weekend Estimates: May 6-8, 2011

Title Distributor Gross (average) % change * Theaters Cume
Thor Par Intl 65.8 (16,640) NEW 3955 65.8
Fast Five Uni 32.3 (8,830) -62% 3662 139.7
Something Borrowed WB 13.2 (4,540) NEW 2904 13.2
Jumping the Broom Sony 13.0 (6,370) NEW 2035 13
Rio Fox 8.3 (2,560) -44% 3258 115
Water for Elephants Fox 5.6 (2,150) -40% 2614 41.6
Medea’s Big Happy Family Lions Gate 3.5 (1,850) -65% 1881 46.4
Prom BV 2.4 (880) -48% 2730 7.8
Soul Surfer Sony 2.1 (1,170) -38% 1781 36.7
Hoodwinked Too! Weinstein Co. 1.9 (770) -53% 2505 6.8
Insidious Film District 1.3 (1,340) -50% 1001 50.3
Source Code Summit 1.2 (1,300) -52% 930 50.9
Hanna Focus 2.2 (1,410) -58% 748 36.79
African Cats BV .87 (840) -64% 1035 12.7
Scream 4 Weinstein Co. .71 (530) -67% 1333 36.9
The Conspirator Roadside Attractions .68 (1,480) -38% 460 9.8
There Be Dragons IDP .66 (2,550) NEW 259 0.66
Hop Uni .50 (550) -81% 902 106.4
Win Win Fox Searchlight .46 (1,730) -30% 268 8.3
The Lincoln Lawyer Lions Gate .45 (1,030) -43% 440 55.5
Limitless Relativity .43 (1,1300 -61% 379 76.9
Rango Par .41 (1,480) 31% 277 120.4
Jane Eyre Focus .37 (1,500) -27% 248 9.4
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) $154.80
% Change (Last Year) -11%
% Change (Last Week) 1%
Also debuting/expanding
100% Love Blue Sky .20 (8,840) 23 0.2
The Beaver Summit .10 (4,650) 22 0.1
In a Better World Sony Classics 82,300 (1,710) 15% 48 0.52
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold Sony Classics 65,700 (1,430) -27% 46 0.34
Engeyum Kadhal Sun 38,500 (2,960) 13 0.04
Forks Over Knives Monica Beach 26,600 (4,430) 6 0.03
Last Night TriBeCa 25,300 (2,810) 9 0.03
Battle of the Brides Variance 20,200 (4,040) 5 0.02
Octubre New Yorker 6,900 (3,450) 2 0.01
Haunted 3D Big Pictures 6,100 (550) 11 0.01
Caterpillar Lorber 2,100 (2,100) 1 0.01
Passion Play Image Entertainment 1,800 (900) 2 0.01

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Weekend Box Office Report – November 14

Sunday, November 14th, 2010

Take the A Train

The animated Megamind with an estimated gross of $29.9 million again topped the weekend viewing charts despite a trio of new contenders in the marketplace. Second on the rails was the kinetic Unstoppable with $23.2 million while the District 9 homage Skyline slotted fourth with $11.5 million and echoes of Broadcast News in Morning Glory netted $9.4 million.

However, rather than a juggernaut weekend revenues experienced a dip both from last weekend and 2009 box office.

Unstoppable, loosely based on a less spectacular true life incident of a runaway train, hewed more closely to celluloid antecedents including Speed and Bullet Train and arrived at the station pretty much on commercial schedule. It curiously appeared to lack the momentum to truly engage an audience … at least to turn out in droves for opening weekend.

Similarly Skyline, returning to the well of a hostile alien invasion, fell between the cracks of a B movie programmer and a studio effects extravaganza. Industry trackers predicted a $20 million opening that proved overly optimistic.

Also overvalued was Morning Glory, a gentle send up of morning news shows with Amy Adams stepping into Holly Hunter’s well-worn pumps that was expected to gross in the mid-teens. It jump started the weekend with a Wednesday opening that provided a $2.6 million head start. But tepid reviewers and the presence of old vets in supporting roles failed to pump up the volume.

Weekend revenues pushed toward $125 million and a 20% slide from seven days earlier. It was also 13% off last year’s pace when the opening of the animated A Christmas Carol led the field with a commanding $65.2 million.

The session was light on new niche releases with the non-fiction Cool It rather frigid with a $640 average at 41 venues. More encouraging was the solo screen bow of mumble core comedy Tiny Furniture that rendered $20,500.

Bucking the trend of fast fading awards contenders, 127 Hours boosted it sophomore session by upping its theater count from four to 22 venues and maintained close to a $21,000 screen average. Fair Game also expanded with appropriately adverbial results of almost a $5,900 average from 175 screens.

The frame posted few sunny returns with many of the marketplace stalwarts taking sharp hits and new entries lacking the stamina to make up the difference. The industry is collectively crossing its fingers that the Harry Potter finale (Part I) and Thanksgiving entrees will provide a reversal of fortunes.

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Weekend Estimates – November 12-14, 2010

Title Distributor Gross (average) % change * Theas Cume
Megamind Par 29.9 (7,580) 3949 -35% 89.6
Unstoppable Fox 23.2 (7,230) 3207 NEW 23.2
Due Date WB 15.6 (4,630) 3365 -52% 59.1
Skyline Uni 11.5 (4,010) 2880 NEW 11.5
Morning Glory Par 9.4 (3,750) 2518 NEW 12.1
For Colored Girls …  Lions Gate 6.6 (3,110) 2127 -64% 30.8
Red  Summit 5.1 (1,780) 2878 -41% 79.8
Paranormal Activity 2 Par 3.0 (1,260) 2403 -57% 82
Saw 3D Lions Gate 2.8 (1,420) 1976 -64% 43.5
Jackass 3D Par 2.3 (1,420) 1607 -54% 114.7
Secretariat BV 2.2 (1,050) -45% 2109 54.8
The Social Network Sony 1.7 (1,590) -50% 1088 87.8
Hereafter WB 1.3 (790) -67% 1691 31.5
Life As We Know It WB 1.3 (1,030) -59% 1239 50.7
Fair Game Summit 1.0 (5,880) 58% 175 1.9
Conviction Fox Searchlight .59 (1,200) -64% 493 6
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest Music Box/Alliance .52 (2,570) -30% 202 2.8
127 Hours Searchlight .46 (20,980) 75% 22 0.8
The Town WB .44 (1,170) -62% 375 90.6
Inside Job Sony Classics .42 (1,670) 58% 252 1.5
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films)   $118.00      
% Change (Last Year)   -13%      
% Change (Last Week)   -20%      
Also debuting/expanding
Cool It Roadside Attract. 26,300 (640)   41 0.03
Tiny Furniture IFC 20,500 (20,500)   1 0.02
Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi) Cohen Media 8,200 (4,100) 2% 2 0.02

 

Domestic Market Share – January 1 – November 11, 2010

Distributor (releases) Gross Market Share
Warner Bros. (26) 1513.7 16.70%
Paramount (18) 1502.4 16.50%
Fox (16) 1291.6 14.20%
Buena Vista (15) 1170.2 12.90%
Sony (23) 1156.9 12.70%
Universal (17) 776.8 8.50%
Summit (11) 500.8 5.50%
Lions Gate (14) 478.8 5.30%
Overture (7) 81.5 0.90%
Fox Searchlight (6) 78.8 0.90%
Focus (7) 75.1 0.80%
Weinstein Co. (7) 62.4 0.70%
Sony Classics (21) 56.4 0.60%
MGM (1) 51.2 0.60%
CBS (2) 50 0.60%
Other * (287) 237.1 2.60%
* none greater than .04% 9083.7 100.00%

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Weekend Estimates – November 14

Sunday, November 14th, 2010

Megamind|29.9|-35%|89.6
Unstoppable|23.2||23.2
Due Date|15.6|-52%|59.1
Skyline|11.5||11.5
Morning Glory|9.4||12.1
For Colored Girls|6.6|-64%|30.8
Red|5.1|-41% |79.8
Paranormal Activity 2|3.0|-57%|82.0
Saw 3D|2.8|-64%|43.5
Jackass 3D|2.3|-54%|114.7

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Friday Estimates – November 13

Saturday, November 13th, 2010

Unstoppable|8|3207||8
Megamind|7.9|3949|-37%|67.6
Due Date|5.5|3365|-55%|49
Skyline|4.7|2880||4.7
Morning Glory|3.1|2518||5.7
For Colored Girls |2|2127|-73%|26.2
Red |1.6|2878|-39%|76.3
Paranormal Activity 2|1|2403|-56%|80
Saw 3D|0.95|1976|-63%|41.7
Jackass 3D|0.8|1607|-52%|113.2
Also Debuting
Cool It|8500|41||8500
Tiny Furniture|6700|1||6700
* in millions

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The Weekend Box Office Report

Monday, September 13th, 2010

 

Weekend Estimates – September 10-12, 2010

Title Distributor Gross (average) change Theaters Cume
Resident Evil: Afterlife Sony 26.9 (8,390) New 3203 26.9
Takers Sony 5.9 (2,710) -45% 2191 47.9
The American Focus 5.7 (2,020) -57% 2833 28.2
Machete Fox 4.1 (1,520) -64% 2678 20.7
Going the Distance WB 3.8 (1,260) -45% 3030 14
The Other Guys Sony 3.4 (1,530) -35% 2246 112.5
The Last Exorcism Lions Gate 3.4 (1,230) -54% 2731 38.1
The Expendables Lions Gate 3.2 (1,050) -51% 3058 98.5
Inception WB 3.0 (1,870) -35% 1583 282.4
Eat Pray Love Sony 2.9 (1,230) -40% 2339 74.6
Nanny McPhee Returns Uni 2.0 (850) -43% 2364 26.2
The Switch BV 1.9 (1,210) -38% 1595 24.9
Despicable Me Uni 1.5 (1,120) -48% 1375 243.4
Vampires Suck Fox 1.4 (830) -57% 1670 24
Lottery Ticket WB 1.3 (1,390) -41% 905 22.7
Get Low Sony Classics .85 (1,690) -29% 504 6.9
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Uni .79 (1,280) -49% 619 30.4
Twilight: Eclipse Summit .73 (610) 68% 1187 299.6
Avatar (reissue) Fox .69 (1,580) -69% 436 759.5
Toy Story 3 BV .67 (940) -66% 712 409.9
Piranha 3D Weinstein Co. .63 (760) -74% 825 24.3
Salt Sony .62 (1,370) -51% 451 116.4
Debangg Eros .61 (9,100) New 67 0.61
Dinner for Schmucks Par .51 (950) -51% 536 71.9
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films)   $76.50      
% Change (Last Year) -12%
% Change (Last Week) -23%
Also debuting/expanding
L’Arnacouer/Heartbreaker Alliance/IFC .17 (3,690)   47 0.17
Legendary IDP .12 (690)   178 0.12
I’m Still Here Magnolia 93,600 (4,930)   19 0.09
The Romantics Par 43,700 (21,850)   2 0.04
De Mai Tinh (Fool for Love) Wave 40,400 (5,050)   8 0.04
Expecting Mary Rocky Mtn 32,500 (580)   56 0.03
A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop Sony Classics 28,300 (2,360) 3% 12 0.06
Bran Nue Dae FreeStyle 23,600 (1,470)   16 0.02
Ahead of Time  Vitagrapaph 11,100 (11,100)   1 0.01
Le Refuge Strand 10,700 (2,680)   4 0.01
Who is Harry Nilsson Lorber 6,200 (6,200)   1 0.01

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The Weekend Box Office Report

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

Ooops!

The final weekend of the 2010 crawled to roughly $105 million excluding the Monday portion that could add an additional $30 million.

A trio of new national releases did little to bolster the overall picture with The American topping the charts with an estimated $13.1 million (all figures are for the 3-day portion of the holiday). It entered the weekend with an additional $3.1 million from a Wednesday pre-weekend launch. Additionally the actioner Machete hacked away to $11.2 million and the rom-com Going the Distance lacked cheek with $6.8 million.

New niche entries were largely tepid including Bollywood entry We Are Family that garnered $228,000 from 67 venues. There was a small surprise with the exclusive debut of the animated entry My Dog Tulip that grossed $11,500.

Overall the current weekend box office appears to be about 5% improved from last year’s tally.

But the nettlesome issue is the performance of summer 2010 top to bottom. The answer is complicated because what we’ve come to identify as the summer season _ oh, that ever shifting calendar _ works out to be one week less than normal. By that yardstick box office is down from 2009 and the lowest of the past decade.

Even when an additional week’s box office is added to the mix, initial calculations put the current season down about 2% from the prior year’s tally. And it goes without saying that admissions are lagging; likely off by 8% to 10% from one year ago.

Some pundits have pointed to the fact that this year’s schedule has two fewer films that grossed in excess of $100 million and that certainly reflects the tip of the iceberg. That aside, it’s fair to say there were a comparable number of surprises and disappointments. In the former area, one can point to a record number of alternative titles that grossed in excess of $4 million (at least 10 on a quick scan).

The more telling factor in the decline is the medium-range performers that had box office of less than $40 million. The decade-long trend is one of haves and have nots. The chasm between films that work to those that are rejected continues to expand and despite claims that the future will foster fewer films in the marketplace, to date the difference is both infinitesimal and unlikely to shift (based on production starts and announcements) in the upcoming 18 months.

There is no definitive answer, rather a series of developments that include alternative ways of viewing movies and a continuing stasis in the economy that’s made the public both more selective and less avid in their movie going habits. The downturn might best be summed up as a slow, painful death by a million small cuts.

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Weekend Estimates:  September 3 – 5, 2010

Title Distributor Gross (average) % change Theas Cume
The American Focus 13.1 (4,810) New 2721 16.2
Takers Sony 11.3 (5,130) -45% 2206 37.8
Machete Fox 11.2 (4,210) New 2670 11.2
The Last Exorcism Lions Gate 7.6 (2,650) -63% 2874 32.4
Going the Distance WB 6.8 (2,250) New 3030 6.8
The Expendables Lions Gate 6.6 (1,950) -31% 3398 92.2
The Other Guys Sony 5.3 (2,020) -16% 2607 106.7
Eat Drink Pray Sony 4.8 (1,700) -29% 2663 68.9
Inception WB 4.6 (2,690) -6% 1704 277.2
Nanny McPhee Returns Uni 3.6 (1,310) -24% 2708 22.4
The Switch BV 3.1 (1,650) -32% 1885 21.5
Despicable Me Uni 2.8 (1,740) -2% 1600 240.2
Vampires Suck Fox 3.0 (1,,220) -43% 2434 32.3
Avatar (reissue) Fox 2.3 (2,800) -43% 811 757.6
Piranha 3D Weinstein Co. 2.3 (1,300) -46% 1789 22.4
Lottery Ticket WB 2.3 (1,740) -41% 1310 20.6
Toy Story 3 BV 1.9 (1,260) 89% 1520 408.1
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Uni 1.6 (1,930) -38% 807 28.8
Get Low Sony Classics 1.2 (2,300) -26% 526 5.4
Salt Sony 1.2 (1,760) -34% 705 115.2
Dinner for Schmucks Par 1.0 (1,220) -45% 804 70.9
Step Up 3D BV .70 (1,600) -44% 434 40.9
Grown Ups Sony .44 (1,321) 65% 333 159.9
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice BV .43 (1,200) 63% 357 61.6
Twilight: Eclipse Summit .42 (1,060) -18% 396 298.7
The Kids Are All Right Focus .41 (1,720) -22% 239 19.8
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) $98.30
% Change (Last Year) 5%
% Change (Last Week) -10%
Also debuting/expanding
We Are Family UTV .23 (3,400) 67 0.23
Cairo Time IFC .16 (2,940) -11% 55 0.84
Mesrine: Killer Instinct Alliance/Music Box .13 (2,480) -38% 52 0.75
Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 Alliance/Music Box .11 (2,080) 112% 51 0.19
A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop Sony Classics 25,200 (5,040) 5 0.03
My Dog Tulip New Yorker 11,500 (11,500) 1 0.01
Prince of Broadway Elephant 8,600 (8,600) 1 0.01
White Wedding Mitropoulos 5,900 (1,480) 4 0.01
The Winning Season Roadside At. 4,900 (1,630) 3 0.01
16 to Life Water Dog 1,900 (950) 2 0.01

Domestic Market Share:  January 1 – September 2, 2010

Distributor (releases) Gross Market Share
Paramount (11) 1224.2 16.10%
Fox (14) 1198.3 15.70%
Warner Bros. (20) 1196.1 15.70%
Buena Vista (13) 1079.9 14.20%
Sony (19) 886.4 11.60%
Universal (14) 700.4 9.20%
Summit (9) 422.9 5.50%
Lions Gate (10) 354.1 4.70%
Fox Searchlight (4) 70.6 0.90%
Overture (4) 67.4 0.90%
Weinstein Co. (6) 55.4 0.70%
MGM (1) 50.4 0.70%
CBS (2) 50 0.70%
Sony Classics (17) 46.2 0.60%
Other * (228) 215.7 2.80%
* none greater than 0.4% 7618 100.00%

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