..Gary
Dretzka
..Leonard
Klady
..Emanuel
Levy
..David
Poland
..Doug
Pratt
..Ray
Pride
Three Day Estimates
Potter's Field
The world is wild about Harry!
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban exploded with an estimated $93.2 million domestic debut that was a personal best for the series. It also rang up an additional $114 million tally from 24 overseas markets with the sort of performances that make the industry stand back in awe.
The third outing for the J.K. Rowling's teen sorcerer saga could also lay claim to the best opening for a PG rated film on the domestic front and a series' high opening day of $38.2 million that joins the likes of Spider-Man and Shrek 2. It may also propel the weekend to a record for a 3-day weekend now held by the Dec. 26 - 28, 2003 frame that recorded $186.2 million. This weekend's top 11 titles rang in with an estimated $179 million.
The Azkaban edition opened with comparable force to Harry 1 and Harry 2. Of course, the prior Harrys launched during the Thanksgiving holiday period, so ultimate comparisons will be a bit dodgy. Warner Bros. is anticipating better mid-week business as a result of its summer berth but the picture's stamina could prove less resilient as a result of a larger number of competitive titles. Initial estimates based upon Friday's opening anticipated a gross of more than $100 million but Saturday's box office declined by 17%, reinforcing the summer stanza's zeal to see hot new titles on opening day.
The overall weekend tally of roughly $186 million is an increase of 13% from 2003 when 2 Fast 2 Furious sped off with a $50.5 million first lap. It's also a slight 4% drop from the day portion of last weekend's holiday session.
The HP sauce also included the largest simultaneous Imax release of 49 locations that contributed about $2 million of the domestic tally. Overseas the film got a head start with a Monday preem in the U.K. that coincided with school recess and generated record grosses in the country. It collected $26.3 million prior to the weekend and a jaw dropping $43.5 million in its first seven days. Other key territories were equally impressive with France reporting $16.3 million, Germany anticipating $15.3 million, Italy leaning to $6.7 million, Mexico's $5.1 million ranking third among that country's largest ever bows and both Taiwan and Russia each scoring initial biz of $3.2 million.
Not surprisingly, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was the sole incoming national release. Even the mighty Shrek 2 took a 50% tumble in the wake of Potter's magic and The Day After Tomorrow experienced a seismic shakedown of 60% from its opening weekend. Graded on the curve, the second stanza of Raising Helen was buoyant with a mere 39% flutter.
Limited debuts were also scarce with fewer than a handful of brave souls ready to test the waters. Newmarket ventured out with seven playdates of its Donnie Darko - The Director's Cut and generated about $22,000 for the critically admired 2001 indie release. There was also a two print Manhattan bow of the exquisite Afghani film Story of the Weeping Camel that shed an impressive $17,000.
The specialized arena should experience a fair amount of buffeting in the coming weeks with the arrival of Fahrenheit 9/11. Already a number of films have exited July for later in the year (see separate story) and it's almost certain there will be more major shifting as the season proceeds.
Weekend Finals - June 4-6, 2004
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Title Harry Potter & Prisoner of Azkaban 93,687,367 3855 93,687,367 Shrek 2 37,931,716 -47% 4131 314,523,202 The Day After Tomorrow 27,869,665 -60% 3444 128,478,844 Raising Helen 6,550,342 -40% 2721 24,064,716 Troy 5,977,491 -50% 2750 119,290,098 Mean Girls 2,927,211 -42% 1817 78,157,529 Soul Plane 2,755,007 -51% 1566 10,986,076 Van Helsing 2,439,860 -54% 2059 114,601,155 Man on Fire 1,047,993 -54% 683 75,377,549 Super Size Me 842,684 -22% 205 6,208,445 13 Going on 30 356,806 -75% 423 55,258,250 A Day Without a Mexican 353,936 9% 101 2,473,450 Saved! 340,343 -1% 31 922,409 Kill Bill Vol. 2 331,890 -42% 248 64,654,491 Breakin' All the Rules 300,373 -65% 273 11,516,048 Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed 215,073 318% 205 82,476,099 Coffee and Cigarettes 199,329 -25% 38 1,108,673 Nascar: The Imax Experience 194,118 -47% 49 12,650,404 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 185,156 -33% 136 33,745,508 Hidalgo 171,439 -31% 290 66,617,426 Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring … 145,627 -9% 74 1,561,107 Starsky & Hutch 144,475 -28% 316 87,805,901 Hum Tum 143,459 -47% 43 556,154 50 First Dates 131,970 -26% 176 120,398,106 Bon Voyage 124,871 -28% 92 2,029,652 Johnson Family Vacation 117,846 -23% 129 30,507,655 Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk 110,818 -5% 14 6,420,193 Bugs! 107,732 -31% 14 8,821,342 The Passion of the Christ 98,010 -40% 440 369,895,388 Walking Tall 96,799 -78% 161 46,102,018 Envy 95,959 -71% 71 13,493,094 Laws of Attraction 94,703 -67% 167 17,755,992 Love Me If You Dare/Jeux d'enfants 93,824 -4% 56 313,393 Jersey Girl 93,686 208 25,132,326 New York Minute 88,730 -73% 118 13,651,879 The Prince & Me 84,359 -46% 184 27,985,770 The Mother 76,622 24% 14 174,154 I'm Not Scared 74,235 -27% 59 1,290,798 Ella Enchanted 73,974 -55% 134 22,212,394 Good Bye, Lenin! 69,508 -35% 72 3,700,900 Strayed 56,084 -14% 22 274,411 The Whole Ten Yards 53,269 261% 187 16,247,590 Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey 52,156 -14% 9 6,673,673 Home on the Range 50,508 -39% 153 48,884,074 Baadasssss! 49,326 9% 23 125,766 Monsieur Ibrahim 47,188 -17% 55 2,769,008 The Saddest Music in the World 46,721 -32% 25 531,738 The Corporation 44,236 148% 11 1,473,146 The Life of Brian (reissue) 43,123 -38% 23 415,605 Cold Mountain 42,758 -36% 101 95,535,250 The Ladykillers 42,332 -40% 70 39,182,889 Young Adam 38,983 -15% 32 616,196 What the #$*! Do We Know 38,889 -14% 10 263,968 The Twilight Samurai 36,790 3% 14 275,168 Dawn of the Dead 36,692 -44% 55 58,946,337 My Architect 33,701 -37% 33 2,782,568 Space Station 31,152 -42% 6 50,802,075 Since Otar Left 31,057 -27% 15 256,346 Valentin 27,591 -8% 15 176,119 Bukowski: Born Into This 27,396 1% 9 81,682 Carandiru 26,608 21% 15 127,206 Dogville 26,448 -22% 29 1,498,177 The Punisher 25,848 -43% 56 33,426,478 T-Rex: Back to the Cretacious 25,654 33% 4 48,193,739 Control Room 25,320 2% 1 126,710 Donnie Darko - Director's Cut 24,728 7 24,728 Asa Nu Maan Watan Da 24,234 -42% 2 235,075 The Girl Next Door 23,773 -38% 26 14,544,008 Godsend 23,305 -70% 40 14,285,888 The Story of the Weeping Camel 21,767 2 21,767
Estimates - June 4-6, 2004
Title Distributor Gross (averag % change Theaters Cume Harry Potter & Prisoner of Azkaban WB 93.2 (24,180) - 3855 93.2 Shrek 2 DreamWorks 35.8 (8,670) -50% 4131 312.5 The Day After Tomorrow Fox 27.2 (7,900) -60% 3444 127.8 Raising Helen BV 6.6 (2,490) -39% 2721 24.3 Troy WB 5.8 (2,120) -51% 2750 119.1 Mean Girls Par 2.8 (1,540) -45% 1817 78 Soul Plane MGM 2.7 (1,700) -53% 1566 10.9 Van Helsing Uni 2.4 (1,180) -54% 2059 114.6 Man on Fire Fox 1.0 (1,430) -56% 683 75.3 Super Size Me IDP/Odeon .79 (3,850) -27% 205 6.1 13 Going on 30 Sony .51 (1,100) -53% 465 55.4 Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) $179.00 - % Change (Last Year) - 14% - % Change (Last Week) -