Tag Archives: Monsters vs. Aliens

Box Office Review-Sunday 21 June “Up Climbs To $224.1 Million”

June 21, 2009

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.

Popularity: 10% [?]

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Box Office Review-Sunday 14 June

By Carolyn Giardina

June 14, 2009

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.

Popularity: 14% [?]

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Box Office Review-Sunday 31 May “Up Lifts 3D”

By Carolyn Giardina

May 31, 2009

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.

Popularity: 19% [?]

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Daily Cinema Roundup-Thursday 27 May

By Carolyn Giardina

May 28, 2009

–With his contract recently extended until 2013 and “Monsters Vs. Aliens” one of the year’s top grossing films so far, DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg has now revealed plans to release five feature films every two years, adding an additional film every other year to its existing two picture a year release schedule.
With today’s news, DWA’s release slate through 2012 now includes eight feature films, including five original films and three sequels based on the company’s existing franchises, Shrek, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda. And as previously announced, all DWA features will be produced in 3D.
This commitment to 3D content should come as good news for stakeholders, but it could also mean added pressure on theater owners to install digital cinema and 3D capabilities, as well as on those working to advance 3D for the home market.

DWA’s schedule includes:
–“How to Train Your Dragon,” based on the book by Cressida Cowell, will be released on March 26, 2010. It will star a cast that includes Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.
–“Shrek Forever After” will be released on May 21, 2010. It features the original cast, including Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas.
–“Oobermind” (formerly “Master Mind”) will be released on November 5, 2010. It will star Robert Downey Jr. and Tina Fey.
–“Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom” will be released on June 3, 2011. Returning is a voice cast that includes Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu and David Cross.
–“The Guardians” (working title), based on the forthcoming books by William Joyce, will be released on November 4, 2011.
–“Puss In Boots” (working title) will be released on March 30, 2012 and star Antonio Banderas as Puss In Boots and Salma Hayek as Kitty, Puss’ love interest.
–The next Madagascar sequel is due to be released on May 25, 2012. It will find the zoo animals continuing to get back to New York. This time the road takes them through Europe.
–On Nov. 2, 2012, DWA plans to release one of three original projects currently in pre-production at the studio.

–There is more on this news announcement in a Reuters article, reporting that Katzenberg spoke yesterday at the Cowen and Co. Technology and Media and Telecom Conference and predicted that he could get its production budgets down to $130 million (including 3D) for the 2011 films. (“Monsters Vs. Aliens” was estimated to cost $175 million.) The Reuters article also said that Katzenberg expects a positive shift it distribution costs, come 2012 when DWA’s distribution contract with Paramount expires.

–In related box office news, at press time DWA’s debut 3D title “Monsters Vs. Aliens” is just shy of an impressive $194 million in the domestic box office—the highest grossing digital 3D release to date. It had also been the biggest money maker of the year so far, but today it was just passed by the Starship Enterprise. “Star Trek” reached $194.8 million. “Monsters” will surrender the majority of 3D screens this weekend to Disney/Pixar’s “Up.”

–Dolby announced new 3D installations this week: The Empire Leicester Square in London has become Europe’s first auditorium to use the new Dolby 3D Digital Cinema large screen system.
The company reported that the new Dolby 3D large screen solution combined with Barco’s digital cinema twin-projector allows exhibitors to project Dolby 3D onto standard, non-silver screens ranging from 12.5 to 21 metres, surpassing the previous size limit of 12 metres. The Empire Leicester Square, one of the UK’s oldest and largest cinema venues, offers a 20-metre screen.
In related news, Dolby reported that Sundance Kabuki Cinemas in San Francisco has installed Dolby 3D Digital Cinema in its 160-seat auditorium, in time for Disney/Pixar’s “Up” opening.

–Universal Studios Home Entertainment will release director Henry Selick’s stop-motion animated feature “Coraline” on Blu-ray Hi-Def combo pack, 2-Disc Collector’s Edition DVD and single disc DVD on July 21.
All editions feature both the 2-D and 3-D versions of the film and four pairs of 3-D glasses, making “Coraline” the next 3D home release to watch. In theatres, digital 3D release “Coraline” made $75. 2 million in North America and $85.2 million worldwide.

Popularity: 40% [?]

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Box Office Review-Sunday 24 May

By Carolyn Giardina

May 24, 2009

Over the U.S. Memorial Day weekend, “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” debuted at the top of the domestic box office with an estimated $53.5 million, just ahead of another new release, “Terminator Salvation,” with an estimated $43 million.
With its Thursday opening day, the “Terminator” total is now at $56.4 million. The “Museum” opening including 160 Imax screens in North America.
Meanwhile, the Starship Enterprise is chasing ‘Aliens.” The top grossing film of the year is Dreamworks Animation’s 3D “Monsters vs. Aliens,” which in its ninth week has now brought in $193 million in the domestic market. “Star Trek” is in the number two position with $183.6 million.
On May 29, most of the digital 3D screens will be turned over to Disney/Pixar’s “Up.”

Popularity: 20% [?]

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Box Office Review-Sunday 10 May

By Carolyn Giardina

May 10, 2009

The Star Trek franchise had its biggest opening yet, as Paramount’s relaunched “Star Trek” topped the North American box office this weekend with an estimated $72.5 million, giving the film a domestic total of $76.5 million (with its Thursday opening night).

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine”—which last week had the biggest opening weekend of the year so far with an $85 million debut–finished in second place with an estimated $27 million, bringing its domestic box office total to $129.6 million. Worldwide, the film has crossed the $200 million mark.

Dreamworks Animation’s first digital 3D release “Monsters versus Aliens” stayed in the top 10 in its seventh week, bringing in an additional $3.4 million as its domestic total climbed to an estimated $186.9 million and worldwide gross reached $329.9 million. The production budget for “Monsters”—still the top grossing film of the year so far–is estimated to be around $175 million.

DWA still has a few more weeks before the next wide digital 3D release, Disney/Pixar’s “Up,” opens in theaters on May 29.

After a disappointing start last week, Lionsgate’s animated 3D release “Battle for Terra” continued to struggle. This weekend it brought in an estimated $184,000 for a $1. 5 million total domestic gross.

Add two more 3D release dates to your lists: Warner Bros.’ “Happy Feet 2”—the sequel to the computer animated Oscar winner “Happy Feet”—is slated to open in 3D on Nov. 18, 2011. Meanwhile Vivendi will open the live action family adventure “Call of the Wild 3D” next month on June 12.

Popularity: 38% [?]

Posted in Box Office, Digital 3D

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