Originally posted by outsider: "Across the Universe" is doing quite well. Were there any expectations for this movie? What exactly has helped it post these solid numbers?
I'd say, teenagers. The screening I went to had tons of teenagers and you could tell that it was not the first time for many of them. The young cast and the music is really hitting a chord with a youthful audience.
Too bad the film is a disaster.
Posts: 2093 | Location: New York, New York | Registered: August 08, 2003
'Game Plan' still a box office winner 'Heartbreak Kid' opens in second spot By BEN FRITZ“The Heartbreak Kid” lived up to its title this weekend, grossing a weak $14 million and ending up no. 2 behind the second weekend of Disney’s “The Game Plan,” which dropped only 29% to $16.3 million. Ben Stiller starrer directed by the Farrelly Brothers, the first under the newly rechristened DreamWorks/Paramount label, averaged $13,756 at 3,329 theaters. Pic was one of Stiller’s lowest openings of recent years, behind comparable pics like “Along Came Polly,” “Starsky and Hutch” and “Zoolander.” It’s slightly ahead, however, of the Farrelly Brothers last two films: “Fever Pitch” and “Stuck on You.”
Mouse House’s The Rock starrer has now cumed $42.8 million and with the Columbus Day holiday tomorrow, looks well positioned to extend its lead.
“The Seeker: Dark is Rising,” the first film from the Fox-Walden partnership, barely registered at the b.o., grossing only $3.7 million. Playing a wide 3,141 locations, it average only $1,186.
Sony opened Jennifer Lopez-produced “Feel the Noise” from TriStar at 1,015 theaters and grossed a soft $3.4 million, averaging $3,350 per play.
Universal’s “The Kingdom” fell 45% on its second frame to $9.3 milion, putting it at no. 3 Cume is $31.4 million.
In limited release, Warner Bros.’ “Michael Clayton” had what studio said was the best platform bow of the year, grossing a boffo $704,000 at 15 theaters. George Clooney starrer averaged $46,903 and looks well positioned to go wide next weekend.
Paramount Vantage’s “Into the Wild” played at 135 locations, up from 33 last weekend, and grossed $1.3 million, giving it a per play take of $9,592. Sean Penn-directed adaptation of the best-selling book has cumed $2.5 million.
Fox Searchlight expanded “The Darjeeling Limited” from two to 19 playdates and grossed a strong $552,876. Wes Anderson-helmed comedy averaged $29,100 per theater and upped its cume to $781,494.
Focus grew Ang Lee’s “Lust, Caution” from one to 17 runs and grossed a solid $368,831, averaging $21,696 per play. Cume is $477,181.
End of Variety, now me
Ass of JJ expanded, to a bunch of high quality theatres, averaged under $7000/theatre. It will disappear quickly.
Elah is a disaster - under $2000/theatre.
Into the Wild is ok, but nothing special.
I am really concerned about the future of upscale/adult-oriented/studio financed film - this string of underwhelming films, all with at least some strong critical support, a lot of festival attention, Oscar buzz - are going to be off most screens by Halloween, and lose 10s of millions of dollars. The audience for these films - if they exist at all - is mainly stay at home, and with the knowledge that all of them should be on DVD pre-Oscar, means that most people are content to wait if they want to see them at all.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: seanflynn,
Originally posted by seanflynn: Initial Variety recap for 10/5-7:
'Game Plan' still a box office winner 'Heartbreak Kid' opens in second spot By BEN FRITZ“The Heartbreak Kid” lived up to its title this weekend, grossing a weak $14 million and ending up no. 2 behind the second weekend of Disney’s “The Game Plan,” which dropped only 29% to $16.3 million. Ben Stiller starrer directed by the Farrelly Brothers, the first under the newly rechristened DreamWorks/Paramount label, averaged $13,756 at 3,329 theaters. Pic was one of Stiller’s lowest openings of recent years, behind comparable pics like “Along Came Polly,” “Starsky and Hutch” and “Zoolander.” It’s slightly ahead, however, of the Farrelly Brothers last two films: “Fever Pitch” and “Stuck on You.”
Mouse House’s The Rock starrer has now cumed $42.8 million and with the Columbus Day holiday tomorrow, looks well positioned to extend its lead.
“The Seeker: Dark is Rising,” the first film from the Fox-Walden partnership, barely registered at the b.o., grossing only $3.7 million. Playing a wide 3,141 locations, it average only $1,186.
Sony opened Jennifer Lopez-produced “Feel the Noise” from TriStar at 1,015 theaters and grossed a soft $3.4 million, averaging $3,350 per play.
Universal’s “The Kingdom” fell 45% on its second frame to $9.3 milion, putting it at no. 3 Cume is $31.4 million.
In limited release, Warner Bros.’ “Michael Clayton” had what studio said was the best platform bow of the year, grossing a boffo $704,000 at 15 theaters. George Clooney starrer averaged $46,903 and looks well positioned to go wide next weekend.
Paramount Vantage’s “Into the Wild” played at 135 locations, up from 33 last weekend, and grossed $1.3 million, giving it a per play take of $9,592. Sean Penn-directed adaptation of the best-selling book has cumed $2.5 million.
Fox Searchlight expanded “The Darjeeling Limited” from two to 19 playdates and grossed a strong $552,876. Wes Anderson-helmed comedy averaged $29,100 per theater and upped its cume to $781,494.
Focus grew Ang Lee’s “Lust, Caution” from one to 17 runs and grossed a solid $368,831, averaging $21,696 per play. Cume is $477,181.
End of Variety, now me
Ass of JJ expanded, to a bunch of high quality theatres, averaged under $7000/theatre. It will disappear quickly.
Elah is a disaster - under $2000/theatre.
Into the Wild is ok, but nothing special.
I am really concerned about the future of upscale/adult-oriented/studio financed film - this string of underwhelming films, all with at least some strong critical support, a lot of festival attention, Oscar buzz - are going to be off most screens by Halloween, and lose 10s of millions of dollars. The audience for these films - if they exist at all - is mainly stay at home, and with the knowledge that all of them should be on DVD pre-Oscar, means that most people are content to wait if they want to see them at all.
The studios only have themselves to blame.
I haven't seen a film in the theaters since last winter.
There have been plenty I've wanted to see. "Assassination...", "Eastern Promises," "Jacob," "Right at Your Door," "La Vie En Rose," and "Into the Wild."
But...with each of those, I think, "Well, why pay $10 for this? And then sit through a half hour of ads? Why not just get it on DVD?"
So, I add it to my Netflix queue and think nothing more of it.
Eastern Promises is not a dud - it should when the world and ancilliaries kick in make a profit - but its awards chances depend on getting major awards from NY & LA Film Critics, how many important 10 best lists it appears on, and Focus' willingness to spend money when they have several other contenders (including Atonement).
The reason for the shift to the earlier release date for so many contenders is so that they will be out on DVD during the nominations, and increase sales because of that. But if they disappear without a trace, they won't get as many nominations, so the plan would fail.
Honestly, apart from their real merits, the great thing about seeing a Cotillard or Christie best actress win would be that something earlier in the year got more attention than the glut out now.
1) Why Did I Get Married? - $7.7 (3829) 2) We Own the Night - $3.8 (1588) 3) Michael Clayton - $3.3 (1294) 4) The Game Plan - $3.0 (965) 5) The Heartbreak Kid - $2.3 (704) 6) Eliz: Golden Age - $2.1 (1039) 7) The Kingdom - $1.4 (485) 8) Across the Universe - $1.2 (1305)
Michael Clayton and Elizabeth: The Golden Age join the swelling ranks of possible Oscar contenders that will disappear from theatres very quickly.
This fall is an absolute disaster for upscale/adult films.
Gotta wonder if the Tyler Perry is the savior of "black movies" theory will come up again with his new film looking like it will open at # 1. I hope not, for me, his films are paint by numbers renters.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: FishBiscuit,
I wanna hang out with Tony Reali
Posts: 5000 | Location: Illinois | Registered: June 30, 2006
Irrespective of the quality of his films (which for me are neither anything special nor awful), he is filling a gap that the nearly-all white studio production teams seem incapable of supplying films for - credible stories about middle or upper middle class black adult professionals.
As with so many other cases (like having female leads), the studios are interested in
1) films that appeal to under 25 year olds 2) films that can be made franchises 3) films that have appeal in other media (particularly games and other merchandise 4) films that have international appeal
And they want to control the films they produce, and as successful as Tyler Perry is, refuse to let have someone like him have final cut and control marketing. He is a threat to their power.
Originally posted by seanflynn: 10/12 #s (Friday gross/per screen average)
1) Why Did I Get Married? - $7.7 (3829) 2) We Own the Night - $3.8 (1588) 3) Michael Clayton - $3.3 (1294) 4) The Game Plan - $3.0 (965) 5) The Heartbreak Kid - $2.3 (704) 6) Eliz: Golden Age - $2.1 (1039) 7) The Kingdom - $1.4 (485) 8) Across the Universe - $1.2 (1305)
Michael Clayton and Elizabeth: The Golden Age join the swelling ranks of possible Oscar contenders that will disappear from theatres very quickly.
How is Michael Clayton falling out of the theater quickly? It made $11mm in its first wide weekend against 2 other adult movies competing for its audience. I expect it will last through mid-November in the theaters and will recoup its $20mm budget easily. Unless American Gangster or Rendition do gangbuster business, it may end up as the 3rd highest grossing movie with Best Picture potential after 3:10 Yuma and Charlie's War. I can't see any other potential Best Picture nominees being box office successes this year.
Most wide release films that are Oscar contenders open better than Michael Clayton did, particularly with the reviews it got and the level of its cast. There are 2-3 new upscale movies opening everyweek, and the audience for them is not that huge. It will need incredible word of mouth for it not to fall to around 7 million next week, 4 the week after then basically fade away. And studio wide releases that underperform - that is having the appearance of underperforming - have a major handicap being Oscar contenders.
This is a strange year - there need to be five best picture nominees, it could end up including some lower grossing studio films.
I don't see how the "underperform" label gets stuck on Michael Clayton unless it fails to make it's budget back or if people don't take it's international box office receipts into consideration.
Looking at the list of movies being considered Best Picture Nominees I can't find 5 movies that look to have reviews as good as Michael Clayton (90% on Rotten Tomatoes) and will have high box office receipts. Here is what is left to debut:
1. Gone Baby Gone 2. American Gangster 3. No Country for Old Men 4. Love in the Time of Cholera 5. Rendition 6. Atonement 7. Sweeney Todd 8. Charlie Wilson's War 9. Reservation Road
Of those, only American Gangster, Charlie Wilson's War, Sweeney Todd or Atonement look like they might be box office hits. So, I think we will end up with another year like 2005 where only a couple of the nominees end up making $50mm+ in the theaters.
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The key to being an Oscar contender is to have the aura of success and/or importance (and having the "right" creative people involved also helps.)
Nikki Finke shapes as well as reflects a lot of the inside-LA thoughts on how movies do. This is the start of her weekend analysis:
<<Tyler Perry & Rock Beat George Clooney
SUNDAY AM: Everyone knew Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married would do well at the box office this weekend. But certainly not $21.5 million, well enough to double the gross receipts of Triple-A List star George Clooney's adult legal drama Michael Clayton. How abundantly clear that Clooney's domestic popularity as an actor isn't what the media or Hollywood thinks it is. After all, his Warner movie is one of the best reviewed this early fall (90% on Rotten Tomatoes). But except for his ensemble movies -- the franchise Ocean's 11, 12 & 13 or A Perfect Storm or Batman & Robin-- not one George Clooney-starring movie has ever opened big at the domestic box office despite plenty of hype. But he keeps getting hired as the top salaried star of pics especially at Warner because he's considered a big name. Such is the decision making of Hollywood.>>
Michael Clayton is performing less-well than The Insider (adjusting for inflation and more theatres), which is a good film to compare its Oscar chances with. The Insider had a bigger director, bigger star, but what got it into the race was winning best picture from the LAFC.
Michael Clayton, like a lot of potential nominees, is going to need a jump start from the NY or LA FC. Its performance otherwise will work against it unless somehow Academy members somehow embrace it on their own. And since most will wait for the screeners in a few weeks, there is less chance for that sort of communal enthusiasm to arise.
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