Box Office Guesstimations

[w/o horse]

You know, I'm proud of America for not making XXX:  State of the Union a box office smash, but I'm dissapointed that more people didn't go see Kingdom of Heaven.

I'm not proud of them at all... it's because there was almost zero marketing for it... not because they chose not to see it.  

As far as disapointment over Kingdom of Heaven... why?  So we can make more boring to average films?

Alright so you're a pessimist, you win.

I guess maybe if XXX:  State of the Union had been 13.7 million and all the other movies had been $0 I would be able to understand your agument, but to me the fact that The Interpreter did better than XXX is a good thing, a good thing for us and for everyone.  If the next week XXX had dropped to 5.4 million and Kingdom of Heaven had not gotten 20 million, Crash had not gotten 9.1 million, and the Interpreter had not once again beaten the movie with 7.5 million I would be able to understand your argument.  Because honestly, those millions aren't coming from different marketing sects, they're coming from the XXX demographic choosing a different movie over XXX.  Plain and simple.

Also, Kingdom of Heaven may be "boring and average" I don't know, it's not the kind of movie I like and I haven't seen it, but you know, I'd prefer it get made to House of Wax ANY FUCKING DAY, and that happened.  It may not be a good historical epic, there may not have been a lot of good historial epics recently, but that doesn't mean the historical epic isn't fertile ground for filmmaking.  It's also an extremely expensive ground, and one that needs to be encouraged to keep it going.  Let's be honest:  they don't get made easily.

I wish the attacks I got here weren't so fucking typical.

[meatball]

You're getting into the spirit of Xixax now, Horse.

[RegularKarate]

I wish the attacks I got here weren't so fucking typical.

are you a nutter?  I wasn't attacking you... I was just stating my side of things (which you still haven't convinced me to drop).

and yes, I realize that THIS post is kind of attacking you.

[w/o horse]

The ideological attacks.

Now, I don't want to generalize or assume anything, because then Pubrick would have to 'u' me, but it seems like a group of people that may or may not include any of the film fans here seem to be lacking perspective in the business side of things, the real-life side of things.  This week J-Lo took a shit and it landed her 24 million.  Will took a piss on a soccer field with Bob Dylan's son and it landed 21 million.  Both of these are a greater sum than Kingdom of Heaven mustered.

I can assume that Ridley Scott brought enough to the table to warrant more than both of those films, and because of his reputation he'll be allowed back, I just don't think that film fans, which may or may not post here, realize that they vote when they go the theater.  They make a vote to the studios about what kind of films they want made, and the studios fucking listen to those $10 votes.  Me, personally, I'm glad as fuck that they voted XXX out of office, and I would have liked to have seen them support a historical epic.

Is all I'm saying.  I would prefer to have the option of Kingdom of Heaven over, I don't know, Hitch.

[meatball]

Why does the historical epic deserve more credit or respect than a pre-marital comedy or a soccer comedy?

America didn't cast it's vote for Kingdom of Heaven because it follows in the footsteps of Alexander and Troy, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. There's only so much swordplay moviegoing audiences can take. It's also an Orlando Bloom vehicle, his first if you don't include a comedy he did in the UK. America just told the film biz that it's sick of historical epics. Do you want Orlando Bloom to star in another film?

[w/o horse]

Why does the historical epic deserve more credit or respect than a pre-marital comedy or a soccer comedy?

If you'd rather see those two than Kingdom of Heaven than you obviously don't agree with the Kingdom of Heaven > Hitch and you, also, would be in the majority.  We just disagree.  I'd rather see the studios go hog wild with the historical epics than hog wild with the romantic comedies.

America didn't cast it's vote for Kingdom of Heaven because it follows in the footsteps of Alexander and Troy, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. There's only so much swordplay moviegoing audiences can take. It's also an Orlando Bloom vehicle, his first if you don't include a comedy he did in the UK. America just told the film biz that it's sick of historical epics. Do you want Orlando Bloom to star in another film?

This is true.

[Myxo]

'Sith' Destroys Single Day Record

by Brandon Gray
May 20, 2005

After starting the day with $16,912,367 from midnight shows alone, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith closed Thursday with $50,013,859 from an estimated 9,400 screens at 3,661 theaters. That's the biggest day ever for a single movie in history.

Shrek 2 previously held the single day record with $44.8 million on its fourth day of release, a Saturday last May, while Spider-Man 2 had the opening day record at $40.4 million, posted on June 30 of last year. Revenge of the Sith soared past them both with a gross beyond the rosiest of industry expectations.

"When I consider it's a Thursday with kids in school, I'd figure it can't do that," distributor 20th Century Fox's head of distribution, Bruce Snyder, told Box Office Mojo. "I did not think we could do $50 million. I was thinking maybe we could catch up to Shrek 2 on Saturday. I'm as surprised as the rest of the world."

For further perspective, the biggest opening weekend of the year thus far had been Hitch's $43.1 million, and Revenge of the Sith blew past that in one day. Sith's gross is surprising, in part, because the previous Star Wars installment, Attack of the Clones, had an opening day on par with The Phantom Menace and ultimately made significantly less. In 2002, Clones grossed $30.1 million on its way to $310.7 million, while Phantom earned $28.5 million en route to $431.1 million.

Despite the immensity of its opening day, Revenge of the Sith is not a lock to break Spider-Man's $114.8 million opening weekend record.

"It's a tough call," Snyder noted. "I don't think that we'll have the 3-day weekend record. I guess if you take Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we'd be bigger. If we opened on Friday, we'd have the weekend record. But after this, you gotta drop. For the 4-day, we'll be the biggest ever."

The current four-day champ is The Matrix Reloaded, which nabbed $134.3 million in May 2003. That picture quickly burnt out and ended its run at $281.6 million.

Snyder noted several reasons for Revenge of the Sith's success. "For one, it was the culmination of the series," he explained. "The buzz on the picture has been extraordinary in stories and on television, and we were quite a bit wider than Attack of the Clones in terms of number of theaters and prints. And I do think we are getting the adults who had seen the original trilogy."

Revenge of the Sith has been seen as the jumpstart to get people back into the moviegoing habit after an uninspiring spring, but it will take more than just one movie. "The answer is if the movies behind it are good," Snyder said. "If there's something that's not interesting behind it, the box office will stall again."

[MacGuffin]

'Sith' retains boxoffice force with $70 mil weekend

Payback for the Sith has meant a real payday at the boxoffice.

"Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" beat two strong newcomers to remain the top movie with an estimated $70.75 million over the long Memorial Day weekend, though Hollywood again failed to climb out of a prolonged revenue decline.

Debuting in second place was the animated adventure "Madagascar" with about $61 million, while Adam Sandler's football remake "The Longest Yard" opened a close third with approximately $60 million, according to studio estimates Monday.

Despite the two big debuts and a strong hold for "Revenge of the Sith" in its second weekend, theatrical receipts overall were down for the 14th straight weekend. The top 12 movies grossed $225.5 million, an impressive four-day haul but still 5.5% behind last year's record Memorial Day weekend, when "Shrek 2" and "The Day After Tomorrow" combined for $181 million in grosses between them.

The final installment of George Lucas' "Star Wars" saga grossed $271.2 million domestically in its first 12 days, putting it on pace to soar beyond the $310 million total for its predecessor, "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones."

"Revenge of the Sith" may be on track to approach the $431 million domestic haul of "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace," said Bruce Snyder, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox, which released the "Star Wars" films.

As with "Titanic," the modern box-office champ that brought young girls back to the theater to see it again and again, "Revenge of the Sith" is drawing strong repeat business among young males.

"We've got a lot of kids who already have this picture four and five times," Snyder said.

Worldwide through Sunday, "Revenge of the Sith" had taken in $504.4 million since its almost simultaneous debut in most countries beginning May 18.

"Madagascar," featuring the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith and David Schwimmer as pampered zoo animals cut loose in the wild, plugged a hole among parents eager for a movie to take the kids to see.

"There was a pent-up desire for family pictures," said Jim Tharp, head of distribution for DreamWorks, which released "Madagascar."

"The Longest Yard," an update of the 1970s tale of prison inmates taking on their sadistic guards in a football grudge match, was a key choice for young males, who make up the bulk of Sandler's audience.

[mogwai]

in 2002 when punch-drunk love was released i said: "let's kick titanic's ass at the box office". i'm an optimist so i'll say it again.

[MacGuffin]

'Madagascar' Moves to No. 1 in Second Week

LOS ANGELES - A talking lion became king of the box office as the animated tale "Madagascar" climbed to the No. 1 spot with $28.7 million in its second weekend.

At No. 2 was Adam Sandler's football remake "The Longest Yard," which took in $26.1 million in its second weekend.

That left third place to "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith," which grossed $26 million in its third weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.

"Madagascar," featuring the voice of Ben Stiller as a zoo lion returned to the wild, debuted at No. 2 a week earlier and took over first-place from "Revenge of the Sith," which had held the top spot for two weekends.

While those three holdovers remained strong draws, the weekend's new movies debuted quietly, contributing to Hollywood's 15th-straight weekend of declining revenues compared to last year.

The top 12 movies grossed a solid $128.3 million, yet that was off 30 percent from the same weekend in 2004, when "     Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" opened with $93.7 million.

Ron Howard's "Cinderella Man," starring     Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger in the story of Depression-era boxer Jim Braddock, led the newcomers, debuting at No. 4 with $18.6 million.

The teenage gal-pal tale "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" opened in fifth place with $10.25 million, while the skateboarding saga "Lords of Dogtown" premiered at sixth with $5.7 million.

"Cinderella Man" distributor Universal is trying the same strategy it used successfully with another Depression-era sporting drama, 2003's "Seabiscuit," counter-programming the sober yet uplifting story amid the summer popcorn flicks. "Seabiscuit" had a $20.9 million opening weekend and held on to ring up $120.3 million domestically and score a best-picture Oscar nomination.

But Universal had counted on a better debut for "Cinderella Man," which reunites Howard, Crowe and producer Brian Grazer, the team behind the 2001     Academy Awards champion "A Beautiful Mind."

"Putting this human drama against these big summer behemoths may have proved too calculated a risk, but one we're going to support it all the way through summer and into Academy Awards season," Universal Pictures Chairman Stacey Snider said.

Topping the $300 million mark in its 17th day of release Saturday, "Revenge of the Sith" became the fastest film to hit that level, beating the record set last year by "Shrek 2," which passed $300 million in 18 days.

At $308.8 million through Sunday, "Revenge of the Sith" was just $2 million behind the total domestic haul of "Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones." 20th Century Fox expects it to top $400 million and possibly rival the $431 million domestic total of "Episode I — The Phantom Menace," said Bruce Snyder, the studio's head of distribution.

"Madagascar" lifted its domestic gross to $101 million, while "The Longest Yard" climbed to $95.8 million, both after 10 days in release.

1. "Madagascar," $28.7 million.
2. "The Longest Yard," $26.1 million.
3. "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith," $26 million.
4. "Cinderella Man," $18.6 million.
5. "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," $10.25 million.
6. "Lords of Dogtown," $5.7 million.
7. "Monster-in-Law," $5.3 million.
8. "Crash," $3.3 million.
9. "Kicking & Screaming," $2.1 million.
10. "Unleashed," $900,000.

[matt35mm]

I didn't expect that.

[Kal]

Amazing opening for Mr. And Mrs. Smith... they were projecting 35 mil... and Star Wars maintained very well

1 Mr. and Mrs. Smith Fox $51,050,000
2 Madagascar DW $17,100,000
3 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Fox $14,850,000
4 The Longest Yard Par. $13,500,000 -
5 The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl (3D) Dim. $12,505,000 -
6 Cinderella Man Uni. $9,546,000
7 The Honeymooners Par. $5,800,000
8 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants WB $5,680,000
9 Monster-in-Law NL $2,625,000
10 Crash Lions $1,900,000

[cron]

Mr. and Mrs. Smith Fox
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Fox
Crash Lions

[Myxo]

Check out Hollywood's most lucrative franchises according to Forbes magazine here..[/color]

[Kal]

I hate that they always use that slideshow for the lists