..Gary
Dretzka
..Noah
Forrest
..Leonard
Klady
..R.J.
Matson
..David
Poland
..Douglas
Pratt
..Ray
Pride
..Kim
Voynar
..Michael
Wilmington
ll Hath No Fury Like a Franchise Scorned
July 13, 2008
Weekend Estimates
Both comic book fugitive Hellboy and 3D-ish Journey to the Center of the Earth exceeded opening expectations with the former bowing to an estimated $35.7 million to rank as the top ticket seller in the marketplace. Journey finished third overall with $20.5 million and the debut of Meet Dave barely made the cut with a torpid $5.2 million.
The session also saw the latest strategically launching in Quebec with its Olympic theme drawing a solid $250,000 while the U.S. opening of Canadian lit classic The Stone Angel had an OK $30,300 from 10 playdates. Most of the other limited releases barely registered a flutter. The acclaimed Roman Polanski documentary Wanted and Desired that premiered last month on HBO went out on a single screen and box office provided scant information about theatrical potency.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army was expected to put in a strong showing against the second weekend of Hancock … but not to out-pace the Will Smith movie. That the sequel got made was testament itself as its original studio let it loose following internal petty politics that trumped whatever cache filmmaker Guillermo del Toro had on the heels of Pan's Labyrinth. The extra grossing utz appeared to come from a disproportionately high Hispanic crowd.
Journey to the Center of the Earth, the first live-action feature to wade into the 3-D bonanza, received avid initial interest. The number of sites installing the new hardware hasn't been happening at quite the torrid pace distribution had anticipated more the result of cost than interest. At present the marketplace can only accommodate one wide release in the process at a time with Journey securing 854 locations or 30% in stereoscopic mode. Those theaters generated 57% of its weekend tally.
Overall biz crawled to rough $153 million to ebb back by 5% from last weekend. Last year's comparable weekend was 15% stronger on the opening $77.1 million salvo of Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix. Next weekend's new Batman and Mamma Mia! practically has the industry salivating at the prospect of the entire nation at the movies.
For those in major centers the option has clearly been to check out the likes of The Visitor, Roman de Gare and Young@Heart. Very early response could make The Wackness and Tell No One their late summer equivalents.
Weekend Estimates - July 11-13, 2008
% change Theater Cume - 3204 35.7 -46% 3965 165.8 - 2811 20.5 -43% 3849 162.9 -42% 3157 112.1 -37% 3086 111.4 - 3011 5.2 -42% 2704 202 -40% 1664 310.5 -32% 1849 10.9 -57% 1951 129.7 -27% 1025 148.2 -48% 939 96.9 -36% 710 313.4 -70% 909 31.4 -32% 252 4.3 -71% 510 63.3 -21% 167 8.5 - 60 0.41 42% 20 0.54 - - - - - - - - - 60% 31 0.47 - 10 0.47 - 2 0.02 - 7 0.01 - 10 0.01 - 1 0.01 - 1 0.01 - 2 0.01
Domestic Market Share - To July 10, 2008
Domestic Market Share (Jan. 1 - July 10, 2008) Distributor (releases) Paramount (12) Warner Bros. (16) Fox (13) Sony (16) Universal (12) Buena Vista (10) Lions Gate (8) Fox Searchlight (5) Par Vantage (9) New Line (4) Focus (5) Miramax (5) MGM (9) Summit (2) Overture (3) Other * (188) * none greater than 0.5% Top Grossers Domestic - To July 10, 2008
Title * Iron Man Indiana Jones & Kingdom of the Crystal Sk Kung Fu Panda Horton Hears a Who Sex and the City Wall-E The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Hancock The Incredible Hulk Juno * Get Smart Wanted You Don't Mess with the Zohan 10,000 B.C. The Bucket List * National Treasure: Book of Secrets * 21 Jumper Cloverfield What Happens in Vegas
Top Global Grossers - To June 19, 2008
Title Iron Man Indiana Jones & Kingdom of the Cry Horton Hears a Who Kung Fu Panda The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Ca Sex and the City Juno * 10,000 B.C. The Bucket List * National Treasure: Book of Secrets *