BOX OFFICE REPORT: ‘2012′ destroys worldwide box office

November 16th, 2009 | By Rick From Chicago

Disaster pic crushes the worldwide box office, grossing an estimated total of $225 million.

Sony’s Roland Emmerich disaster pic “2012” was a global tidal wave at the worldwide box office, flooding screens to the tune of $225 million in its opening weekend. Pic wreaked far more destruction overseas, where it grossed $160 million, compared to $65 million domestically.

Emmerich’s film saw the fifth best international opening of all time, and the best foreign launch ever for a nonsequel, if the estimates hold.

The specialty biz also sprang to life with Lionsgate’s “Precious,”

zooming to No. 4 in its second frame at the domestic B.O. Drama grossed a boffo $6.1 million from only 174 runs for a location average of $35,000 and cume of $8.9 million, seeing a 225% jump as it successfully expanded from 18 runs the weekend before.

Twentieth Century Fox’s prestige/family title “Fantastic Mr. Fox” successfully raided the chicken coop, scoring a per-location average of $65,000 for an estimated $260,000 from four runs in Los Angeles and New York. The Wes Anderson-directed animated film has earned $12.6 million from its run in the U.K., where it opened last month.

“Mr. Fox,” with a voice cast led by George Clooney and Meryl Streep, expands nationwide in the U.S. on Nov. 25.

Focus Features’ Brit pic “Pirate Radio,” the only new wide release after “2012″ at the domestic B.O., encountered rough seas. Directed by Richard Curtis and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, title grossed an estimated $2.9 million from 882 runs for a per-location average of $3,253. Focus distributed on behalf of parent studio Universal, which produced the film with Working Title.

Weekend brought some much-needed solace for the Mouse House as Robert Zemeckis’ “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” fell just 26% in its second frame to an estimated $22.3 million for a cume of $63.3 million. Disney insisted the film would have strong legs, and the weekend bore out that prediction.

Overseas, “Christmas Carol” grossed a solid $16 million from 3,229 screens in 21 territories to come in No. 2. Holdover markets, led by the U.K., dipped only 20%. Pic launched at No. 1 in Japan to $3.1 million from 375. Foreign cume is $33.6 million for a worldwide total of $98.6 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. “2012,” $65 million.

2. “Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” $22.3 million.

3. “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” $6.2 million.

4. “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” $6.1 million.

5. “Michael Jackson’s This Is It,” $5.1 million.

6. “The Fourth Kind,” $4.7 million.

7. “Couples Retreat,” $4.3 million.

8. “Paranormal Activity,” $4.2 million.

9. “Law Abiding Citizen,” $3.9 million.

10. “The Box,” $3.2 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

MTV MIXTAPE DAILY 11/13/09: Soulja Boy Tell’em Cooks Up Beats For Kanye West, Rihanna, More

November 13th, 2009 | By Rick From Chicago

Soulja Boy Tell’em Cooks Up

Beats For Kanye West, Rihanna, More

‘Me as a producer, I think I’ve grown tremendously,’ he tells Mixtape Daily.

BOX OFFICE REPORT: Carrey’s ‘Christmas Carol’ wraps up $31M weekend; ‘Precious’ opens big in limited release

November 9th, 2009 | By Rick From Chicago

Lionsgate pic opened to $1.8 mil from 18 locations for a record-breaking average.

While “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” (in the widest 3D release to date) saw a muted opening domestically and internationally, Lionsgate’s “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” scored a specialty record, with $1.8 million at only 18 runs in the U.S. That averages to $100,000 per screen, a record for a film opening in under 50 theaters.

The Robert Zemeckis-directed “Christmas Carol” grossed an estimated $31 million from 3,683 runs domestically and $12 million from 2,750 playdates in 18 territories, led by the U.K. with $2.9 million. Most B.O. seers had expected the Jim Carrey topliner to open north of $35 million in the U.S. and nearer to $5 million in the U.K. alone.

Overseas, “Christmas Carol” was beat by Sony holdover “This Is It,” which grossed $29 million from 8,800 playdates in 110 territories for a foreign cume of $129 million in its second frame and worldwide total of $186.9 million. The Michael Jackson pic held up well, placing No. 2 in the U.S. by grossing $14 million from 3,481 runs to beat the three other new wide entries.

In the No. 3 slot was Overture Films’ George Clooney starrer “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” directed by Grant Heslov, which opened to $13.3 million from 2,443 theaters. Overture had a good weekend as its “Law Abiding Citizen,” in its fourth week, placed No. 8, with a cume of $60.9 million.

Coming in No. 4 was Universal’s Milla Jovovich sci-fi thriller “The Fourth Kind,” launching to a better-than-expected $12.5 million from 2,527 theaters. The pic was fully financed and produced by Gold Circle Films. (Farther down the chart, U laffer “Couples Retreat” achieved a major feat with a zero decline from the previous weekend, ending the frame with a cume of $96 million.)

Warner Bros.’ Cameron Diaz-James Marsden horror film “The Box” didn’t fare as well in its debut, grossing $7.9 million from 2,635 theaters to come in No. 6, behind Paramount’s sleeper blockbuster “Paranormal Activity.” Media Rights Capital financed all but $7.5 million of “The Box’s” $30 million production budget.

After flocking to theaters in record numbers for much of the fall, moviegoers held back this weekend. Ticket sales domestically were down 14% from the same frame last year, when Paramount/DreamWorks Animation’s “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” opened to $63.1 million and U’s comedy “Role Models” debuted to $19.2 million.

“Christmas Carol’s” bow included more that 2,000 3D screens. Generally 3D titles tend to over-perform because of the added charge for 3D tickets. Disney underscored that “Christmas Carol” marked Zemeckis’ best domestic opening to date, besting “Polar Express” ($23.3 million for Warner Bros.) and, more recently, “Beowulf” ($27.5 million for Paramount).

“Christmas Carol” did 50% more opening biz that “Polar Express” did overseas, and “Polar Express” ended up grossing $304.9 million worldwide.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. “A Christmas Carol,” $31 million.

2. “Michael Jackson’s This Is It,” $14 million.

3. “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” $13.3 million.

4. “The Fourth Kind,” $12.5 million.

5. “Paranormal Activity,” $8.6 million.

6. “The Box,” $7.9 million.

7. “Couples Retreat,” $6.4 million.

8. “Law Abiding Citizen,” $6.2 million.

9. “Where the Wild Things Are,” $4.2 million.

10. “Astro Boy,” $2.6 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

BOX OFFICE REPORT: ‘This Is It’ tops worldwide box office

November 1st, 2009 | By Rick From Chicago

Michael Jackson documentary wins domestic &  foreign markets

Michael Jackson’s final encore “This Is It” grossed an estimated $101 million in its debut at the worldwide box office, including a domestic take of $21.3 million over the Halloween weekend.

The Sony release easily won both the domestic and foreign race.

Sony announced it is extending the domestic run through Thanksgiving weekend, or three weeks. Overseas, the studio will decide whether to extend the run on a territory by territory basis.

Film grossed far more at the international B.O.–an estimated $68.5 million–reflecting Jackson’s reach. Pic, opening Tuesday night, grossed an estimated $32.5 in its 5 ½ day domestic bow from 3,481 runs. Worldwide print count was 15,000.

Placing No. 2 domestically was Paramount’s sleeper blockbuster “Paranormal Activity,” which dipped only 22% to an estimated $16.5 million from 2,404 locations for a cume of $84.8 million in only its third sesh in wide release.

At the domestic B.O., Halloween is a notoriously bad day for moviegoing, and this year was no different. The domestic B.O. has been running ahead of last year at record numbers, but ticket sales for the holiday weekend were essentially flat with last year.

Lionsgate’s “Saw VI,” hurt by “Paranormal,” slipped to No. 5 in its soph sesh, declining 61% to an estimated $5.6 million from 3,036 runs for a cume of $22.8 million.

Fox Searchlight’s “Amelia,” which placed No. 8 in its second sesh after failing to make the top 10 chart in its debut the previous weekend. Film dipped 24% in its second frame to an estimated $3 million from 1,070 runs for a cume of $8.3 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

MTV MIXTAPE DAILY 10/27/09: Soulja Boy Tell’em Ready To Drop Paranormal Activity Mixtape

October 27th, 2009 | By Rick From Chicago

Soulja Boy Tell’em Ready

To Drop Paranormal

Activity Mixtape

Soulja will drop three tapes on Halloween, in Mixtape Daily.

BOX OFFICE REPORT: ‘Paranormal’ cuts down ‘Saw VI’ at box office

October 25th, 2009 | By Rick From Chicago

Paramount’s ‘Paranormal Activity’ cut down Lionsgate/Twisted Pictures’ ‘Saw VI’ at the box office.

Becoming the biggest box office phenomenon of the year, Paramount’s microbudgeted horror pic “Paranormal Activity” toppled “Saw VI” to win the weekend at $22 million from 1,945 theaters and hit an out-of-this-world cume of $62.5 million.

“Saw VI,” coming in No. 2, opened to an estimated $14.8 million from 3,036 theaters — an opening gross less than half that of any of the previous four films in the horror franchise. It also came in below the original “Saw” (2004), which opened just north of $18 million. Lionsgate was quick to assure that the franchise will continue.

Even without competish from “Paranormal Activity,” “Saw VI” also showed franchise wear overseas, where it grossed $5 million from 800 runs in eight markets. In the U.K., it came in No. 2 behind Disney holdover “Up.” Worldwide opening total for “Saw VI” was $19.8 million.

“Up,” the Mouse House and Pixar toon, won the weekend foreign crown with $19 million from 4,789 runs in 26 territories; international cume is $324.2 million.

“Paranormal Activity” doesn’t begin its run internationally until later this month.

Elsewhere at the domestic B.O., the three other new nationwide releases all came in on the lower end of expectations and couldn’t compete with a healthy crop of holdovers.

Summit Entertainment’s family entry “Astro Boy” came in No. 6, grossing an estimated $7 million from 3,014 theaters. Toon was fully financed and produced by Imagi Entertainment.

Universal’s Halloween entry “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant” grossed an estimated $6.3 million from 2,754 runs to place No. 8. Film was co-financed by U and Relativity Entertainment and produced for $40 million.

Released in far fewer runs, Fox Searchlight’s Amelia Earhart biopic “Amelia” grossed a solid, but hardly spectacular, $4 million from 818 theaters for a per-location average of $4,921. Driven by older women, the pic’s fate will depend upon its legs. “Amelia,” directed by Mira Nair and starring Hilary Swank, placed No. 11 for the sesh.

Claiming the highest per-location average of the weekend was Sony Pictures Classics’ specialty title “An Education,” which grossed an estimated $408,002 from 31 screens in its third frame for a cume of $980,896.

Among new prestige titles, Lars von Trier’s “Antichrist” grossed an estimated $73,500 from six locations for a per-location average of $12,250. Freestyle Releasing’s Uma Thurman starrer “Motherhood” struggled in opening to an estimated $57,544 from 48 runs for a per-location average of $1,199.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. “Paranormal Activity,” $22 million.

2. “Saw VI,” $14.8 million.

3. “Where the Wild Things Are,” $14.4 million.

4. “Law Abiding Citizen,” $12.7 million.

5. “Couples Retreat,” $11.1 million.

6. “Astro Boy,” $7 million.

7. “The Stepfather,” $6.5 million.

8. “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant,” $6.3 million.

9. “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” $5.6 million.

10. “Zombieland,” $4.3 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

BOX OFFICE REPORT: ‘Wild Things’ scores big at box office

October 19th, 2009 | By Rick From Chicago

Warner Bros. pic wins weekend with $32.5 mil

Warner Bros.’ “Where the Wild Things Are” topped the domestic box office in a wild and woolly October weekend that saw a number of films thrive, driving ticket sales up as much as 40% over the same frame last year.

The Spike Jonze-helmed “Wild Things,” based on Maurice Sendak’s children’s classic book, played more like an adult movie than a family pic, grossing an estimated $32.5 million from 3,735 theaters. Overture Films saw its biggest opening yet with Jamie Foxx-Gerard Butler starrer “Law Abiding Citizen,” which took an estimated $21.3 million from 2,890 to place No. 2.

Sony/Screen Gems’ “The Stepfather,” the weekend’s third nationwide opener, bowed to an estimated $12.3 million from 2,734 to place No. 5 behind Paramount’s sleeper hit “Paranormal Activity” and Universal laffer “Couples Retreat.”

“Paranormal Activity” took the No. 3 spot with $20.2 million as it expanded to 760 theaters in its fourth weekend, posting a 155% uptick and a boffo per-screen average of $26,530. Par’s micro-budgeted pic has cumed an estimated $33.7 million, and the studio plans to expand to some 1,800 locations starting next weekend.

“Couples Retreat” dipped a respectable 48% in its second sesh to an estimated $17.9 million from 3,009.

Highest-grossing pic during the comparable weekend last year was “Max Payne,” which bowed to $17.6 million. Overall, the frame’s top 10 films earned a collective gross of $126.9 million. The same weekend last year topped out at near $80 million.

US Box Office

‘Wild Things’ scores big at box office

By David Germain, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES – “Where the Wild Things Are” proved a bigger hit with adult audiences than family crowds as the adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book debuted at No. 1 with $32.5 million.

Moviegoers 18 and older accounted for 43 per cent of the audience, while parents with children made up 27 per cent, according to distributor Warner Bros.

Overture Films earned the No. 2 spot with Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler’s vengeance thriller “Law Abiding Citizen,” which debuted with $21.3 million.

Expanding into wider release, Paramount’s low-budget horror sensation “Paranormal Activity” moved up to No. 3 with $20.2 million.

Shot for a reported $15,000, “Paranormal Activity” outdid the premiere of Sony’s fright flick “The Stepfather,” which cost $19 million and played in nearly four times as many theatres but managed just a No. 5 opening with $12.3 million.

The results for “Where the Wild Things Are” matched the intent of director Spike Jonze, who viewed his take as a story about a child, but not necessarily a children’s movie.

During production, Jonze had clashed with Warner Bros., which had wanted a more kid-friendly film. The studio gave Jonze more time and money to finish the film and ultimately backed his vision with a huge marketing campaign for “Wild Things.”

“I think all sides reached a very happy compromise, and certainly Spike delivered a movie that was so true to the book, yet it generated the emotion that we felt strongly about to bring in our family audience, as well,” said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner.

Jonze’s adaptation features newcomer Max Records as Sendak’s misbehaving young protagonist, a boy who journeys to a make-believe island of monsters torn between hugging him and eating him. The live-action and voice cast includes Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini and Forest Whitaker.

A cheap acquisition at the Slamdance Film Festival, “Paranormal Activity” came out of nowhere, riding online fan buzz to a domestic total of $33.7 million so far. The movie expanded to 760 theatres, up 600 from the previous weekend, and has plenty of room to grow.

Paramount plans to expand the movie to between 1,800 and 2,000 theatres next weekend, then widen its release even farther for Halloween. It will go head-to-head with an established horror franchise as Lionsgate opens “Saw VI” on Friday.

Shot in a raw documentary style, “Paranormal Activity” is a twist on the haunted house story as a couple tries to capture on camera the strange phenomena and apparitions afflicting them.

“Paranormal Activity” might have a shot to duplicate the success of “The Blair Witch Project,” a 1999 Sundance Film Festival discovery that rode Internet buzz to a $140 million domestic total.

“When you have a movie playing this well and it has such a broad appeal, it certainly tells you that is a possible outcome,” said Rob Moore, vice chairman of Paramount. “I certainly couldn’t predict it yet, but nothing with this movie has been predictable so far.”

Hollywood had its strongest weekend yet this fall, with overall business at $141 million, up 41 per cent from the same weekend last year.

“All the top five movies all did really well. It’s kind of exciting to see the box-office get reignited and to see consumers excited about what’s available,” said Kyle Davies, head of distribution for Overture.

Fans had a good range of choices among horror tales, action, family fare and romantic comedy, including the previous weekend’s No. 1 movie, Universal’s “Couples Retreat,” which slipped to fourth-place with $17.9 million. “Couples Retreat” raised its 10-day total to $63.3 million.

“This is why the fall is such a great time to be not only a studio executive, but a moviegoer. It’s really an eclectic mix out there. You don’t get this in summer,” said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. “Where the Wild Things Are,” $32.5 million.

2. “Law Abiding Citizen,” $21.3 million.

3. “Paranormal Activity,” $20.2 million.

4. “Couples Retreat,” $17.9 million.

5. “The Stepfather,” $12.3 million.

6. “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” $8.1 million.

7. “Zombieland,” $7.8 million.

8. “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2″ in 3-D, $3 million.

9. “Surrogates,” $1.92 million.

10. “The Invention of Lying,” $1.9 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

BOX OFFICE REPORT: ‘Couples Retreat’ finds love at box office

October 11th, 2009 | By Rick From Chicago

Universal topped reigning champ Sony at the box office with its launch of comedy ‘Couples Retreat.’

Universal topped reigning champ Sony at the nation’s box office this weekend with its launch of romantic comedy “Couples Retreat,” earning an estimated $35.3 million at 3,000 playdates.

“Zombieland” dropped to second in its soph sesh with $15 million at 3,038, while Sony’s other holdover “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” continued to play strong in its fourth frame with $12 million at 2,992.

Paramount’s ghost story phenom “Paranormal Activity” placed exceptionally high in this weekend’s frame with record-breaking numbers, earning $7.1 million at 160 screens, the highest weekend grosser at 200 locations or less. Pic beat previous record-holder “Platoon,” which earned $3.7 million at 174 locatins in 1987.

“Paranormal” grossed the frame’s highest per screen average of $44,163, edging out Sony Pictures Classics’ launch of “An Education” with $162,381 at four engagements, earning an average of $40,595 per screen.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. “Couples Retreat,” $35.3 million.

2. “Zombieland,” $15 million.

3. “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” $12 million.

4. “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2″ in 3-D, $7.7 million.

5. “Paranormal Activity,” $7.1 million.

6. “Surrogates,” $4.1 million.

7. “The Invention of Lying,” $3.4 million.

8. “Whip It,” $2.8 million.

9. “Capitalism: A Love Story,” $2.7 million.

10. “Fame,” $2.6 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]