We all knew Summit’s “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” would have a huge opening. The question was just how huge.
Box Office Mojo answered this question with Sunday estimates that suggest a North American gross of $140.7 million, which would make it the third highest opening weekend of all time, behind “The Dark Knight” and “Spiderman 3.”
It also reports that “New Moon” now holds various records including highest opening day gross, with $72.7 million.
The third film in the Twilight saga, “Eclipse,” is slated to open June 30, 2010.
While the weekend belonged to the vampire romance, Box Office Mojo’s early estimates for additional debuts include: “The Blind Side,” $34.5 million; and “Planet 51,” $12.6 million.
Sunday estimates also show that “2012” climbed to $108.2 million in North America. Disney’s 3D “A Christmas Carol” sits at $79.8 million in its third weekend. And “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” earned $11 million in 629 locations—with a $17,500 per theatre average—for a new total of $21.4 million.
“Precious” has generated a lot of buzz as a likely best picture Oscar nominee. With awards season underway, we’ll be watching the box office numbers for “Precious” and other releases with Academy Awards potential.
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August 21, 2009 1:51 am
Apparently the stars are to blame for not delivering more hits this summer, which appropriately enough finished this past weekend with the star-less sci fi film District 9 taking the top spot. Not that it was a bad summer, since early reports indicate that there is a year-on-year increase for 2009 so far. It is just that the hits were not delivered by the actors with $20m pay packets, according to the New York Times:
The gradual trend away from big-star vehicles in the summer has been under way for years.
At the start of the decade, summer still belonged to names: Cruise (“Mission Impossible II”), Crowe (“Gladiator”) and Clooney (“The Perfect Storm”) were the top three in 2000. But the three biggest films of this summer season, a crucial period from May 1 to Labor Day that typically accounts for 40 percent of annual ticket sales, have been “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “Up” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”
The fading ability of Hollywood stars to command box-office attention, and why that is happening, has been a perennial topic in Hollywood. And economists and academics have long argued that marquee names are not worth their expense.
The biggest names attached to those films: Shia LaBoeuf, Ed Asner and Daniel Radcliffe.
So are the studios going to stop using stars? No, they will simply ask them to take a pay cut as they always have. And further into the article the blame falls on social networking and Twitter - as discussed below.
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The Peter Jackson-produced scifi release “District 9” from TriStar debuted in the North American box office’s top spot this weekend, with an estimated $37 million.
In its second week, Paramount’s “G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra” was behind it with an estimated $22.5 million; and Warner Bros.’ “The Time Traveler’s Wife” debuted at number three with an estimated $19.2 million.
Another debut in the North American box office this weekend was animation great Hayao Miyazaki’s magical “Ponyo,” released this weekend by Buena Vista, which played in 927 theaters and earned an estimated $3.5 million.
Sunday estimates also suggest that Disney’s “G-Force” added $6.9 million to its gross for a new total of $99 million.
As the 3D guinea pigs of “G-Force” approach $100 million, the final 3D movies of the summer are about to open. Disney’s sports feature “X Games 3D: The Movie” debuts on Aug. 21, followed by Warner Bros./New Line’s thriller “The Final Destination” on Aug. 28.
There are a little more than 1600 3D ready d-cinema theaters in North America and that count has been a factor to watch all summer. Disney’s “Up” surrendered most of its 3D-ready theaters on the weekend that the next 3D release, Fox’s “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” opened. And “Ice Age” did the same when “G-Force” debuted. North American theater owners charge a premium of roughly $2 to see a movie in 3D.
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Paramount’s big budget “G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra” opened with an estimated $56.2 million in the North American box office this weekend, giving it the top spot. Sony’s debut “Julie and Julia” finished second with $20.1 million.
Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer’s live action/CGI “G-Force”—a digital 3D release—finished third in its third week with an estimated $9.8 million, bringing its estimated domestic total to $86.1 million.
Disney continues to hold the majority of the just over 1600 3D-ready digital cinema venues in the market, and estimates suggest that 3D accounts for more than half of the gross.
Estimates suggest that the weekend top five was rounded out by Warner Bros.’ “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” with $8.9 million and a total gross of $273.8 million; and Universal’s “Funny People” with nearly $7.9 million for a new total of $40.4 million.
There are a few more weeks to go before the final summer 3D releases arrive in theaters. Disney’s “X Games 3D: The Movie” opens Aug. 21, followed by Warner Bros./New Line’s “The Final Destination” on Aug. 28.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros. and Imax announced last week that “Under the Sea 3D” will be rereleased in select Imax theaters on Aug. 19.
Last February, “Under the Sea 3D” opened in 49 Imax theaters domestically and three locations internationally and has since grossed more than $15 million in worldwide box office. “Under the Sea 3D” follows 2006’s “Deep Sea 3D,” which has topped $80 million in worldwide box office receipts.
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Michael Bay’s “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” was the blockbuster that it was expected to be in its opening week. Meanwhile “Up” soared past “Star Trek” to become the new highest grossing film of the year—and underscores the challenges that this summer’s stereo releases face with a still limited number of 3D screens.
We’ll start this week’s Box Office Review with the Autobots from Paramount/Dreamworks, which topped the North American box office this weekend with an estimated $112 million. Since opening June 24, it has earned an estimated total of $201.2 million in North America and $387.3 million worldwide.
The only other film to cross $200 million in North America in five days was “The Dark Knight,” which had a five-day total of nearly $203.8 million. As well, Bay’s latest is the biggest Wednesday opening with $60.6 million, passing 2007’s “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” which debuted its magic on a Wednesday with $44. 2 million.
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” looks poised to soon become the highest grossing film of the year in North America.
To that end, Disney/Pixar’s “Up” claimed that title this weekend, the film earned an estimated $13 million to finished fourth for the weekend and to reach a new North American total of roughly $250.2 million, passing leader “Star Trek,” with an estimated $246.2 million.
In its fifth week in release, “Up” continues to play on the majority of the roughly 2,000 3D ready screens in North America, but on Wednesday, July 1, Fox is about to deflate that number with the opening of its digital 3D release “Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.” Box office numbers for both 3D movies will be something to watch next week.
Also this weekend in North America, estimates suggest that “The Proposal” finished second with $18.5 million for a new total of $69 million in its second week in release; Warner Bros.’s “The Hangover” earned $17.2 million for a total gross of $183.2 million, to finish third in its fourth week; and Warner’s “My Sister’s Keeper” opened at number five with $12 million.
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Can a house lifted by thousands of helium balloons overtake the Starship Enterprise?
With an estimated $21.3 million domestic gross in its fourth week in release, Disney/Pixar’s “Up” has brought its domestic total to an estimated $224.1 million.
“Up” is the year’s second highest grossing film. Paramount’s leader “Star Trek,” in its seventh week, added an estimated $4.7 million this weekend, raising it domestic total to an estimated $239. 4 million.
Dreamworks Animation’s 3D “Monsters Vs. Aliens” is the year’s third highest grossing film with an estimated $195.5 million.
“Up” still has the majority of the available 3D screens, although Fox/Blue Sky’s 3D “Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” is slated to open on July 1.
The competition for the year’s highest grossing film will get more crowded on June 24 when Michael Bay’s “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” hits theaters.
This weekend Buena Vista’s romantic comedy “The Proposal” debuted at the top of the domestic box office with an estimated $34.1 million. That was followed by Warners’ “The Hangover” with an estimated $26.9 for a new domestic total of $152.9 million.
Sunday estimates suggest that “Up” finished third, and Sony’s new comedy release “Year One,” was just behind with $20.2 million. Rounding out the top five was Sony’s “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,” with an estimated $11. 3 for a new total gross of $43.3.
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Two of the current top three highest grossing films of the year in North America are digital 3D releases.
In its third week in release, Disney/Pixar’s wonderful “Up” brought in an estimated $30.5 million for a $187.2 million total gross, making it the third highest total in North America this year so far, behind DreamWorks Animation’s “Monsters Vs. Aliens” with $195.2 million and Paramount’s leader “Star Trek” with $232 million.
Also this weekend at the North American box office, Warners’ comedy “The Hangover” held on to the number one slot with an estimated $33.4 million, taking it over $100 million.
“Up” finished second and Sony’s debut “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” finished third with an estimated $25 million.
In the 3D arena, Vivendi opened “Call of the Wild 3D’ this weekend on 14 screens, earning only an estimated $10,500.
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In its second weekend in release, “Up”—Pixar’s 10th animated feature and first in digital 3D—crossed the $100 million mark. The film earned $44.1 million in North America, to reach a domestic total gross of $137.2 million. The film opened in 3,818 theaters, including roughly 1,535 that were 3D ready.
Still, when the final weekend numbers were released Monday, Warners’ new comedy “The Hangover,” has just squeaked by Pixar with just under $45 million for the weekend.
Universal’s new Will Ferrell-starrer “Land of the Lost” disappointed, bringing in $18.8 million.
“Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” and “Star Trek” finished fourth and fifth respectively. “Museum” earned $14.6 million for a new domestic total of $127.3 million, while “Star Trek” brought in another $8.3 million in North America for a new domestic gross of $222.7 million.
The debut of “My Life in Ruins,” starring Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) earned $3.2 million.
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Disney/Pixar’s stunning “Up” gave digital 3D a high profile lift this weekend, soaring to No. 1 at the North American box office with an estimated $68.2 million. The film opened in 3,766 theaters, including a record 1,534 3D theaters.
This surpassed the opening weekend domestic gross of DreamWorks Animation’s “Monsters Vs. Aliens,” which debuted with $59.3 million in March, although with fewer 3D theaters (an estimated 1,300). Since opening weekend, DWA was able to keep many of the 3D theaters, allowing it to stay in the top 10 until it had to relinquish most of the screens to “Up.” This weekend, DWA’s animated comedy played in 566 theaters—down from 1,434 last week—and added an estimated $315,000 for a $194.4 million total domestic gross.
Next, 3D stakeholders will get a glimpse of what the still limited number of digital 3D screens might mean to box office totals as a string of 3D titles prepare to open.
“Monsters” had the majority of 3D theaters for a couple of months and demonstrated that it had legs. “Up”—while it had more screens at the start—faces a more crowded upcoming 3D release schedule.
“Call of the Wild 3D” is scheduled for a June 12 opening, but Fox’s anticipated 3D release of “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” is one month away with a July 1 opening date. That still leaves four more weekends for “Up” to have the majority of 3D screens, but it is a far shorter window than “Monsters” enjoyed.
“Ice Age” will then face a similar situation, as the Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer 3D release “G-Force” debuts on July 24.
Also this weekend at the North American box office, estimates suggest that Fox’s “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” finished second with $25.5 million, ahead of new release “Drag Me to Hell ($16.6 million), Terminator Salvation ($16.1 million), and “Star Trek” ($12.8 million).
“Star Trek” crossed the $200 million mark with an estimated $209.5 total domestic gross.
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