The Weekend Report: November 22, 2009

Wow!

Twilight: New Moon set a clutch of records as it rocked weekend movie going with an estimated $141.6 million debut. It was the biggest fourth quarter debut of ALL-TIME. In what ranks as the second biggest grossing weekend box office EVER, there was also a potent second place bow for the inspirational race drama The Blind Side of $33.8 million and an OK $12.3 launch for the animated comedy Planet 51.

The frame was also busy with award season openers including a heady $104,000 for Spain’s Broken Embraces on two screens and an impressive $263,000 first salvo for the re-imagined Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans from 27 exposures. China’s Red Cliff bowed with $12,300 at two venues and The Sun from Russia scored $11,900 from a Manhattan solo. Kurbaan, the latest from Bollywood, was also good with $281,000 on the circuit.

Overall business boomed with smiles aplenty from distribution and exhibition sectors.

Anticipation was certainly high for the first sequel in the vampire lust saga Twilight. However, no one expected New Moon to hit stratospheric heights even after it scored a record $26 million from its midnight screenings on Friday. Following an all-time opening day gross of about $45 million pundits expected biz to drop about $10 million but it held up with a $43 million tally and the rest is history.

New Moon ranks as the third largest box office debut behind summer releases Spider-Man 3 and The Dark Knight. International estimates were also impressive with $118 million expected from 25 territories including $19 million in the U.K., Australia with $14.5 million, Spain adding $13.5 million and $7 million in Mexico.

The Twilight 2 tidal wave largely subsumed the dynamic bow of The Blind Side, a complex real-life inspired tale of a black youth adopted by a white couple and his struggle to ascend in pro football. Its ability to sustain the onslaught in view of a significant shared demographic with New Moon makes it all the more remarkable and not simply a successful counter-programmer.

Planet 51 was no better than OK with the family crowd exacting caution in light of recent disappointments targeted at parents and kids.

Overall box office should bust $255 million; just shy of the record $260 million achieved mid-July 2008 when The Dark Knight was the debuting juggernaut. It was an 86% improvement from last weekend and 58% better than last year when Twilight bowed to $69.6 million (New Moon’s Friday was $72.7 million with Midnights) and freshman Bolt ranked third with $26.7 million.

Domestic box office passed $9 billion Thursday and at that point was running 6.5% better than the pace set in 2008.

On the awards beat Precious continued to be the season’s improbable popular success with the addition of 455 playdates and an unbowed $17,460 theater average. The session also had good but hardly vigorous expansions for An Education and The Messenger as they position for placement on voting lists. And though unlikely to be a prize contender, Law Abiding Citizen passed $70 million, surpassing all initial box office expectations.

by Leonard Klady