..Gary Dretzka
..
Noah Forrest
..Leonard Klady
..David Poland
..Douglas Pratt
..Ray Pride
..Kim Voynar
..Michael Wilmington

April 27, 2008
April 20, 2008
April 13, 2008
April 6, 2008
March 30, 2008
March 23, 2008
March 16, 2008
March 9, 2008
March 2, 2008
Feb 24, 2008
Feb 18, 2008
Feb 10, 2008
Feb 3, 2008
Jan 27, 2008
Jan 21, 2008




May 4, 2008
Weekend Finals
Domestic Market Share
Top Limited Grossers

Mahvalous!

The industry crossed its fingers and let out a sigh in hopes that Iron Man would kick off the summer season with a $100 million debut. And when Thursday sneaks were tossed into the mix the tally reached an estimated $101.8 million. In the record books it ranked second among non-sequel debut weekends and elevated the cred of its talent pool.

The session's counter programming offering was the romantic comedy Made of Honor that ranked second with a $15.4 million bow. But the comic book transplant accounted for about 64% of ticket sales that added up to a lot of stamina for any holdover title that maintained 60% of its prior weekend gross.

The potent alternatives were to be found among niche freshmen that included David Mamet's martial arts rumination Redbelt and the Brit coming-of-ager Son of Rambow. Both films generated per engagement averages of more than $10,000 from respectively six and five screens. A pair of Canadian productions launched with Fugitive Pieces generating a respectable $66,000 from a mix of U.S. and Canadian dates but Lea Pool's Mama est chez le coiffeur was commercially inert in Quebec. There were also good single screen results for Mr. Lonely and the gender-bending Viva.

The spotlight was intensely focused on Iron Man with trackers microscopically notating the super hero's appeal (or lack thereof) for women and old folk born prior to 1983. Studio exits polls rendered a not unsurprising 62% male audience but there was an unexpected 57% majority result for +25s. The latter is likely a combination of grown boy nostalgia and generally positive or mixed positive reviews. The film additionally opened in 57 countries internationally with the studio reporting an additional estimate of $96.7 million.

Expectations weren't particularly high for the Patrick Dempsey vehicle Made of Honor and its performance was in range of the $15 million to $18 million projections. It skewed 68% female and 62% older and is apt to evaporate quickly as the viewing alternative in the marketplace.

Overall box office ballooned 85% from seven days earlier to roughly $158 million. However, it lagged 17% behind 2007 when Spider-Man 3 provided the promise of a record season with an initial salvo of $151.1 million.

Apart from the new entries, the films struggling (and largely succeeding) at finding their target niche are the indie drama The Visitor and the non-fiction Young@Heart. Neither is likely to set records even within the limited realm but both are bearing up against the increasingly competitive and sated rarefied adult crowd. There's also initial favorable traction for Then She Found Me but the suspicion is greater that it will have more difficulty sustaining as the season progresses.


- Leonard Klady



Weekend Finals - May 2-4, 2008

Title
Distrib
Weekend
% Change*
Theaters
Cume
Wks
1
New
Iron Man
Par
98,618,668 - 4105 102,118,668
1
2
New
Made of Honor
Sony
14,756,850 - 2729 14,756,850
1
3
1
Baby Mama
Uni
10,065,010 -42% 2548 32,062,480
2
4
2
Harold & Kumar Escape Guantanamo
WB
6,114,373 -59% 2545 25,369,337
2
5
4
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Uni
6,059,920 -45% 2872 44,732,340
3
6
3
Forbidden Kingdom
Lions Gate
4,187,897 -63% 2960 45,112,303
3
7
5
Nim's Island
Fox
2,677,543 -41% 2478 42,471,660
5
8
6
Prom Night
Sony/Alliance
2,403,313 -47% 2434 41,350,731
4
9
7
21
Sony
2,002,471 -50% 2242 78,959,237
6
10
8
88 Minutes
Sony 
1,545,084 -57% 1765 15,368,925
3
11
9
Horton Hears a Who
Fox
1,337,562 -46% 1463 149,817,680
8
12
10
Deception
Fox
883,417 -62% 2001 4,000,654
2
13
19
Drillbit Taylor
Par
730,231 84% 427 31,164,888
7
14
11
Street Kings
Fox Searchlight
708,142 -67% 855 25,133,327
4
15
13
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
Rocky Mountain
678,304 -51% 656 6,613,256
3
16
16
The Visitor
Overture
606,597 27% 130 1,576,256
4
17
12
Leatherheads
Uni
572,320 -69% 1022 30,332,745
5
18
14
Smart People
Miramax
325,787 -64% 401 8,943,977
4
19
30
Young@Heart
Fox Searchlight
315,357 44% 121 925,669
4
20
17
Shine a Light
Par Vantage
278,006 -35% 142 4,846,348
5
21
23
Dans une galaxie pres de chez vous 2
TVA
258,434 -17% 102 1,305,693
3
22
47
Then She Found Me
Thinkfilm
230,461 217% 72 353,750
2
23
31
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Par
212,364 0% 287 71,148,699
12
24
26
The Counterfeiters
Sony Classics
204,303 -24% 157 4,440,307
11
25
15
Superhero Movie
MGM
202,879 -77% 463 25,263,751
6
26
20
Under the Same Moon
Weinstein Co.
193,182 -51% 324 12,102,872
7
27
24
Fool's Gold
WB
167,202 -48% 303 69,864,325
13
28
28
Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure
nWave
159,979 -49% 47 12,229,070
31
29
New
Mama est chez les coiffeurs
Equinoxe
156,198 42% 156,198
1
30
22
10,000 B.C.
WB
152,182 -57% 265 93,644,301
9
31
21
Meet the Browns
Lions Gate
148,506 -60% 205 41,939,392
7
32
38
Never Back Down
Summit
145,658 26% 217 24,569,276
8
33
18
The Ruins
Par
141,870 -66% 240 16,939,323
5
34
33
The Bucket List
WB
131,101 -29% 245 93,073,200
19
35
27
Vantage Point
Sony
128,606 -50% 254 72,793,289
11
36
29
College Road Trip
BV
115,322 -55% 214 43,480,349
9
37
New
Fugitive Pieces
Maximum/IDP
102,212 - 30 102,212
1
38
39
Priceless
IDP
96,366 -16% 44 972,860
6
39
36
Jumper
Fox
81,823 -36% 141 79,461,432
12
40
37
Dolphins and Whales 3-D
3D Entertainment
79,960 -36% 14 1,378,214
12
41
41
U2 3D
nWave
79,202 -44% 15 7,755,229
15
42
40
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
BV
74,278 -32% 145 219,455,217
20
43
57
The Other Boleyn Girl
Sony
70,631 32% 194 27,022,480
10
44
34
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Focus
69,907 -51% 136 12,150,353
9
45
New
Redbelt
Sony Classics
63,361 - 6 63,361
1
46
32
The Bank Job
Lions Gate
61,261 -69% 101 29,732,923
9
47
25
Tashan
Yash Raj
58,190 -81% 62 428,923
2
48
42
Flawless
Magnolia
57,228 -37% 61 918,500
6
49
35
Shutter
Fox
56,357 -58% 120 25,705,936
7
50
44
In Bruges
Focus
55,260 -28% 71 7,488,507
13
51
New
Son of Rambow
Par Vantage
53,789 - 5 53,789
1
52
New
Kuruvi
Ayngaren
48,594 - 7 48,594
1
53
59
Space Station 3-D
Imax
48,224 -2% 6 74,812,132
325
54
45
My Blueberry Nights
Weinstein Co.
46,743 -37% 52 472,087
5
55
62
Deep Sea 3-D
WB
45,034 15% 10 35,142,788
114
56
48
The Life Before Her Eyes
Magnolia
41,218 -41% 34 166,373
3
57
49
Step Up 2 the Streets
BV
37,947 -44% 85 57,899,456
12
58
68
Magnificent Desolation
Imax
35,153 -2% 6 23,667,003
136
59
50
Stop-Loss
Par
33,852 -46% 52 10,851,448
6
60
New
Standard Operating Procedure
sony Classics
31,543 42% 11 53,746
2
61
54
27 Dresses
Fox
31,247 -58% 51 76,758,772
16
62
61
The Band's Visit
Sony Classics
29,659 -36% 43 2,852,892
13
63
66
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
Uni
29,054 -20% 51 42,451,560
13
64
63
Married Life
Sony Classics
28,600 -35% 54 1,414,195
9
65
43
U, Me Aur Hum
Eros
27,995 -65% 44 1,077,089
4
66
55
Emma Smith: My Story
Candlelight
27,742 -50% 27 406,174
4
67
58
Penelope
Summit
25,211 -53% 60 9,956,977
10
68
74
Roving Mars
BV
24,362 -6% 10 8,610,715
119
69
46
Juno
Fox Searchlight
23,901 -68% 71 143,434,240
22
70
60
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Fox
23,892 -50% 81 217,272,684
21
71
79
Jellyfish
Zeitgeist
23,724 -9% 13 118,620
5
72
64
Flight of the Red Balloon
IFC
23,707 -43% 13 230,807
5
73
75
Roman de Gare
IDP
22,533 -11% 2 59,783
2
74
52
Run Fat Boy Run
Picturehouse
21,866 -63% 42 5,968,495
6
75
51
Where in the World is Osama …?
Weinstein Co.
20,964 -65% 46 307,371
3
76
77
Up the Yangtze
KinoSmith/Zeit
19,958 -9% 8 551,427
12
77
New
Edge of Heaven
Metropole
19,002 - 3 19,002
1
78
96
My Brother is an Only Child
Thinkfilm
18,977 43% 12 121,159
6
79
67
Year My Parents Went on Vacation
City Lights
18,342 -50% 25 696,755
12
Source: MCN/EDI

 

Estimates - May 2-4, 2008

Title
Distributor
Gross (average)
% change *
Theaters
Cume
Iron Man
Par
98.3 (23,950)
-
4105
101.8
Made of Honor
Sony
15.4 (5,660)
-
2729
15.4
Baby Mama
Uni
10.2 (4,010)
-41%
2548
32.2
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Uni
6.2 (2,140)
-44%
2872
44.8
Harold & Kumar 2
WB
6.0 (2,370)
-60%
2545
25.3
Forbidden Kingdom
Lions Gate
4.1 (1,370)
-64%
2960
45
Nim's Island
Fox
2.7 (1,070)
-41%
2478
42.5
Prom Night
Sony/Alliance
2.4 (980)
-47%
2434
41.3
21
Sony
2.0 (910)
-49%
2242
79
88 Minutes
Sony
1.5 (880)
-57%
1765
15.4
Horton Hears a Who
Fox
1.3 (890)
-47%
1463
149.8
Deception
Fox
.83 (410)
-64%
2001
3.9
Street Kings
Fox Searchlight
.71 (830)
-67%
855
25.1
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
Rocky Mountain
.65 (1,000)
-53%
655
6.6
The Visitor
Overture
.64 (4,920)
34%
130
1.6
Leatherheads
Uni
.56 (550)
-69%
1022
30.3
Drillbit Taylor
Par
.51 (1,190)
29%
427
30.9
Smart People
Miramax
.33 (820)
-64%
401
8.9
Young@Heart
Fox Searchlight
.32 (2,640)
45%
121
0.94
Shine a Light
Par Vantage
.31 (2,180)
-28%
142
4.9
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films)
$154.00
-
-
-
% Change (Last Year)
-
-17%
-
-
-
% Change (Last Week)
-
85%
-
-
-
Also debuting/expanding
Then She Found Me
Thinkfilm
.23 (4,130)
213%
55
0.32
Fugitive Pieces
Maximum/IDP
.11 (3,530)
-
26
0.11
Mama est chez le coiffeur
Equinoxe
66,050 (1,570)
-
42
0.07
Redbelt
Sony Classics
62,700 (10,450)
-
6
0.06
Son of Rambow
Par Vantage
52,500 (10,500)
-
5
0.05
Mr. Lonely
IFC
17,200 (17,200)
-
1
0.02
Viva
Biller
8,400 (8,400)
-
1
0.01
XXY
Film Movement
3,400 (3,400)
-
1
0.01

Domestic Market Share - To April 24, 2008

Distributor (releases)
Gross
Market Share
Fox (11)
496.6
18.20%
Warner Bros. (13)
401.2
14.70%
Sony (13)
323.4
11.80%
Buena Vista (8)
271.6
9.90%
Paramount (8)
237.7
8.70%
Universal (9)
218.4
8.00%
Lions Gate (8)
191.2
7.00%
Fox Searchlight (5)
145.5
5.30%
Par Vantage (7)
69.1
2.50%
New Line (4)
61.7
2.30%
Focus (4)
59.3
2.20%
Miramax (4)
46.7
1.70%
MGM (9)
45.6
1.70%
Summit (2)
34.4
1.30%
Overture (3)
21.8
0.80%
Other * (121)
107.4
3.90%
* none greater than 0.55%
2731.6
100.00%

Limited Grossers - To April 24, 2008

Title
Distributor
Gross
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Focus
12,080,446
Under the Same Moon
Weinstein Co.
11,909,690
U2 3D
nWave
7,676,027
In Bruges
Focus
7,433,247
The Orphanage
Picture/Christal
6,894,612
Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure
nWave
6,376,838
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Mrmx
5,064,793
The Savages
Fox Searchlight
4,795,616
Shine a Light
Par Vantage
4,568,342
The Counterfeiters
Sony Classics
4,236,004
Persepolis
Sony Classics
4,233,451
Jodhaa Akbar
UTV
3,440,718
The Band's Visit
Sony Classics
2,823,233
Magnificent Desolation
Imax
1,549,328
Space Station
Imax
1,548,053
Married Life
Sony Classics
1,385,595
Race
UTV
1,367,024
Dolphins and Whales 3D
3D Entertainment
1,315,373
Funny Games
WIP
1,294,919
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days
IFC/Mongrel
1,281,030
* none greater than 555 playdates

 

 

 

 

 


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