Da Doo Tron Tron
TRON: Legacy commanded the multiplex with an opening salvo estimated at $43.4 million. The movie stocking was stuffed with two other new releases plus a couple of platform films that went wide to significant response.
Yogi Bear filched $16.6 million to rank second in the marketplace while the star-laden romantic comedy How Do You Know struggled to position eight with $7.5 million.
The Fighter proved itself a contender with a $12.1 gross and Black Swan spread its wings with an impressive $7.9 million. Meanwhile there were two freshmen titles tossing their hat into the ring for award season. The starkly dramatic Rabbit Hole had an encouraging $51,700 from five venues while Casino Jack failed to beat bank with $32,100 at seven tables. In Quebec, local action comedy L’Appat had a soft debut of close to $170,000.
Overall weekend revenues saw a significant boost from the early December doldrums, but couldn’t quite overtake 2009 box office when Avatar arrived at the multiplex. Friday domestic box office inched past $10 billion (4 days faster than last year) and through the weekend it stands just 1% better than at this point last year.
The current session promised an even better result than transpired with new entries appealing to different demographics. Only TRON: Legacy conformed to tracking that predicted a result between $40 million and $45 million. The 28-year hiatus from the original has allowed the 1982 movie to accrue a cult status and brought out an avid young male audience. Stereoscopic engagements accounted for an unusually strong 80% plus, though their numbers accounted for 55% of its screen count. Its ultimate potency will be determined by building a wider audience.
The animated-live action Yogi Bear was expected to gross in the low $20 million but came up short several pic-a-nic baskets. It won’t expand beyond the family market and should limp through the holiday season. How Do You Know is already hobbled and while there were low expectations of $10 million to $12 million it failed to meet an already low bar.
The session generated roughly $135 million for a 47% bump from the prior weekend but dipped 4% from 2009. Last year’s Avatar bow of $77 million led the frame with The Princess and the Frog trailing behind with $12.2 million and Did You Hear About the Morgans? limping into theaters with $6.6 million.
Black Swan shows early signs of becoming the season’s adult hit. Though the film has divided critics and the public, it has generated fierce debate that’s translated into sales … an asset in short supply for the likes of such films as 127 Hours and Fair Game. The Fighter, while not a knockout, looks likely to get traction from awards season recognition in a race that seems — despite already announced critics awards and the Golden Globe announcement — a bit amorphous.
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Weekend Estimates – December 17-19, 2010
Title | Distributor | Gross (average) | % change * | Theaters | Cume | |
Tron: Legacy | BV | 43.4 (12,580) | NEW | 3451 | 43.4 | |
Yogi Bear | WB | 16.6 (4,710) | NEW | 3515 | 16.6 | |
The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader | Fox | 12.5 (3,530) | -48% | 3555 | 42.9 | |
The Fighter | Par | 12.1 (4,850) | 2503 | 12.6 | ||
Tangled | BV | 8.7 (2,720) | -39% | 3201 | 127.9 | |
The Tourist | Sony | 8.4 (3,040) | -49% | 2756 | 30.5 | |
Black Swan | Fox Searchlight | 7.9 (8,260) | 140% | 959 | 15.3 | |
How Do You Know | Sony | 7.5 (3,030) | NEW | 2483 | 7.5 | |
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Part 1* | WB | 4.8 (1,690) | -43% | 2860 | 265.5 | |
Unstoppable | Fox | 1.8 (980) | -51% | 1874 | 77.4 | |
Burlesque | Sony | 1.3 (880) | -58% | 1510 | 35.4 | |
Due Date | WB | 1.2 (1,060) | -52% | 1157 | 97.3 | |
Love and Other Drugs | Fox | 1.1 (970) | -64% | 1093 | 30.2 | |
The King’s Speech | Weinstein Co. | 1.1 (24,880) | 81% | 43 | 2.9 | |
Megamind | Par | .69 (680) | -73% | 1025 | 141.6 | |
127 Hours | Fox Searchlight | .51 (1,660) | -49% | 307 | 9.3 | |
Faster | CBS | .41 (620) | -76% | 660 | 22.5 | |
Red | Summit | .31 (710) | -28% | 439 | 88.4 | |
The Social Network | Sony | .29 (1,270) | 2% | 228 | 91.9 | |
Fair Game | Summit | .23 (860) | -59% | 268 | 8.7 | |
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) | $129.60 | |||||
% Change (Last Year) | -4% | |||||
% Change (Last Week) | 47% | |||||
Also debuting/expanding | ||||||
L’Appat | Alliance | .17 (2,350) | 72 | 0.17 | ||
I Love You Phillip Morris | Roadside | .14 (2,830) | -10% | 49 | 0.51 | |
The Tempest | Miramax/Maple | 52,400 (2,490) | 22% | 21 | 0.12 | |
Rabbit Hole | Lionsgate | 51,700 (10,320) | 5 | 0.05 | ||
Casino Jack | IDP | 32,100 (4,440) | 7 | 0.03 | ||
La Rafle | Seville | 28,200 (2,170) | 13 | 0.03 |
Domestic Market Share (Jan. 1 – Dec. 16, 2010)
Distributor (releases) | Gross | Market Share |
Warner Bros. (29) | 1837.8 | 18.40% |
Paramount (19) | 1622.6 | 16.20% |
Fox (19) | 1427.1 | 14.30% |
Buena Vista (16) | 1296.2 | 13.00% |
Sony (25) | 1221.2 | 12.20% |
Universal (18) | 798.5 | 8.00% |
Summit (11) | 521.7 | 5.20% |
Lionsgate (15) | 518.9 | 5.20% |
Fox Searchlight (8) | 96.1 | 1.00% |
Overture (8) | 87.3 | 0.90% |
Focus (7) | 75.2 | 0.70% |
CBS (3) | 72.1 | 0.70% |
Weinstein Co. (9) | 64.5 | 0.60% |
Sony Classics (22) | 59.4 | 0.60% |
MGM (1) | 50.4 | 0.50% |
Other * (315) | 251.4 | 2.50% |
10000.4 | 100.00% | |
* none greater than .04% |
Top Domestic Grossers * (Jan. 1 – Dec. 16, 2010)
Title | Distributor | Gross |
Avatar * | Fox | 476,899,300 |
Toy Story 3 | BV | 415,071,937 |
Alice in Wonderland | BV | 334,191,110 |
Iron Man 2 | Par | 312,445,596 |
Twilight: Eclipse | Summit | 300,551,386 |
Inception | WB | 292,485,544 |
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 | WB | 260,701,257 |
Despicable Me | Uni | 250,322,315 |
Shrek Forever After | Par | 238,667,087 |
How to Train Your Dragon | Par | 218,685,707 |
The Karate Kid | Sony | 176,797,997 |
Clash of the Titans | WB | 163,214,888 |
Grown Ups | Sony | 162,171,789 |
Megamind | Par | 140,950,962 |
The Last Airbender | Par | 131,733,601 |
Shutter Island | Par | 128,051,522 |
The Other Guy | Sony | 119,534,389 |
Tangled | BV | 119,142,932 |
Salt | Sony | 118,485,665 |
Jackass 3D | Par | 116,857,736 |
* does not include 2009 box office |