Thanks to a fantastic debut from Four Christmases and an impressive sophomore frame from Disney's Bolt, the box office had its biggest Thanksgiving weekend in eight years. Teen blockbuster Twilight surged past $100 million, while Fox's big budget epic Australia disappointed in fifth. Overall the top ten films grossed an estimated $154.1 million, up 10% from last year's frame when Enchanted debuted with $34.4 million.
Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn's comedy Four Christmases topped the box office with a strong $31.7 million this weekend and $46.7 million since its debut on Wednesday. Averaging $9,571 in 3,310 theaters, the $80 million budgeted New Line-Warner Bros. release shrugged off poor reviews with a hefty marketing push and timely release date. For those still scratching theirs heads at why Vince Vaughn has suddenly become a Christmas season staple (following last year's $72 million grossing Fred Claus), here's hoping two is enough. As for Witherspoon, the Oscar-winning actress posted her second biggest debut ever, behind only 2002's Sweet Home Alabama with $35.6 million.
Despite having its thunder stolen by Twilight last weekend, Disney's computer-animated family film Bolt showed by far the best legs this holiday weekend with $26.6 million from Friday to Sunday (up 1% from last weekend). That brings its ten-day take to a healthy $66.9 million, setting the toon up for a presumably strong month of December. Look for the big budget kidpic to cruise past $100 million within the next two weeks and possibly $150 million by the end of its run.
As expected, last week's box office sensation Twilight cooled down significantly from its torrid opening weekend pace, grossing $26.4 million in third and $119.7 million in ten days of release. Budgeted at a modest $37 million, Summit Entertainment's first bonafide blockbuster should continue to see steep declines in the coming weeks, but not before breaking $150 million domestic.
Falling just 27% in its third week of release was Sony-MGM's Quantum of Solace, which took in $19.5 million bringing its 17 day cume to $142.1 million. The $200 million sequel is now running 23% ahead of where Casino Royale was at this point in its run. That 2006 hit took in $167.4 million domestic and $594.2 million worldwide. Overseas Quantum of Solace has now amassed $340.1 million, bringing its worldwide haul to $482.2 million.
Rounding out the top five was Fox's big-budget epic Australia, which underperformed in its debut with just $14.8 million. Directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, the $130 million budgeted pic averaged $5,607 in 2,642 theaters. Given the film's massive budget, Fox is most likely setting its sights overseas to break even on the production. Reviews were largely mixed.
Also performing well over the Thanksgiving weekend was Paramount-DreamWorks Animation's Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, which fell just 7% to $14.5 million, bringing its four week cume to $159.5 million. Though not on pace to catch its predecessor's $193.2 million domestic take, the $150 million budgeted computer-animated comedy should come close.
Jason Statham's action sequel Transporter 3 debuted in seventh with $12.3 million and $18.5 million over the five-day holiday frame, falling short of the $10.5 million four-day bow of its immediate predecessor Transporter 2, which debuted over the four-day Labor Day weekend of 2005 with $20.5 million. Averaging $4,695 in 2,626 theaters, the Lionsgate release should probably finish with $40 million domestic. And for those of you who can't get enough of Jason Statham in retread sequels, be prepared for Crank 2 and The Brazilian Job in 2009.
Showing posts with label Bolt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bolt. Show all posts
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
'Twilight' dazzles with $70.6m bow, November 21-23, 2008
Update: Box Office Spotlight: Twilight ($186m domestic, $325m worldwide)
Teen vampire love trumped all others in the weekend before Thanksgiving, with Summit Entertainment's hotly-anticipated Twilight pulling in a stunning $70.6 million in its debut weekend, accounting for nearly half of all ticket sales in the marketplace. Sony/MGM's Quantum of Solace finished in second with $27.4 million, edging out Disney's computer-animated family film Bolt, which disappointed mildly in third with $27 million.
Summit Entertainment struck gold with its first bonafide blockbuster in studio history, as the $37 million budgeted book-adaptation Twilight put up the fourth biggest weekend in November history at $70.6 million. Averaging a hefty $20,636 in 3,419 theaters, the PG-13 pic based on Stephanie Meyer's hugely popular quadrilogy of books trails only Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire's $102.7m, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone's $90.2m, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets's $88.3m for November bows.
Rocketing to a monstrous $35.9 million on Friday, including $7 million in Thursday midnight sales showing the voracity of the books' young female fan base, Twilight posted the second biggest opening day total for a November release, surpassed only by 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with $40.1 million. Saturday sales fell an understandable 41%, due to the huge opening day take and rather concentrated audience makeup. The studio reported that a remarkable 75% of Twilight moviegoers were female.
With the busy Thanksgiving weekend approaching look for Twilight to possibly cruise past $100 million in its first ten days of release, given the extended weekend and many more teens out of school. Not surprisingly, Summit has already announced that the second book of the series, New Moon, is set for production soon.
Falling 59% and relinquishing its top spot was Sony/MGM's latest Bond pic Quantum of Solace, which took in $27.4 million in second. Edging out newcomer Bolt by less than $500,000, the Daniel Craig starrer has amassed $109.5 million in ten days. Internationally, the $200 million budgeted spy-actioner continues to rake in the cash, bringing in $40.6 million bringing its overseas cume to $308.5 million.
Disney's big budget holiday animated offering Bolt disappointed in third with an estimated $27 million, averaging a still solid $7,395 in 3,651 theaters. The PG-rated family film was clearly damaged by the overwhelming debut of Twilight, which no doubt took much of its intended teen audience this weekend. Despite carrying the strongest reviews for a non-Pixar Disney animated pic in years, Bolt's debut paled in comparison to DreamWorks Animation's Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, which debuted earlier this month to $63.1 million. The opening was similar to 2007's Meet the Robinsons, which bowed with $25.1 million. After seeing a 66% spike in ticket sales from Friday to Saturday (a combination of good word of mouth and the heavily skewed numbers for Twilight on Friday), expect good Thanksgiving numbers for the Disney toon.
Teen vampire love trumped all others in the weekend before Thanksgiving, with Summit Entertainment's hotly-anticipated Twilight pulling in a stunning $70.6 million in its debut weekend, accounting for nearly half of all ticket sales in the marketplace. Sony/MGM's Quantum of Solace finished in second with $27.4 million, edging out Disney's computer-animated family film Bolt, which disappointed mildly in third with $27 million.
Summit Entertainment struck gold with its first bonafide blockbuster in studio history, as the $37 million budgeted book-adaptation Twilight put up the fourth biggest weekend in November history at $70.6 million. Averaging a hefty $20,636 in 3,419 theaters, the PG-13 pic based on Stephanie Meyer's hugely popular quadrilogy of books trails only Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire's $102.7m, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone's $90.2m, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets's $88.3m for November bows.
Rocketing to a monstrous $35.9 million on Friday, including $7 million in Thursday midnight sales showing the voracity of the books' young female fan base, Twilight posted the second biggest opening day total for a November release, surpassed only by 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with $40.1 million. Saturday sales fell an understandable 41%, due to the huge opening day take and rather concentrated audience makeup. The studio reported that a remarkable 75% of Twilight moviegoers were female.
With the busy Thanksgiving weekend approaching look for Twilight to possibly cruise past $100 million in its first ten days of release, given the extended weekend and many more teens out of school. Not surprisingly, Summit has already announced that the second book of the series, New Moon, is set for production soon.
Falling 59% and relinquishing its top spot was Sony/MGM's latest Bond pic Quantum of Solace, which took in $27.4 million in second. Edging out newcomer Bolt by less than $500,000, the Daniel Craig starrer has amassed $109.5 million in ten days. Internationally, the $200 million budgeted spy-actioner continues to rake in the cash, bringing in $40.6 million bringing its overseas cume to $308.5 million.
Disney's big budget holiday animated offering Bolt disappointed in third with an estimated $27 million, averaging a still solid $7,395 in 3,651 theaters. The PG-rated family film was clearly damaged by the overwhelming debut of Twilight, which no doubt took much of its intended teen audience this weekend. Despite carrying the strongest reviews for a non-Pixar Disney animated pic in years, Bolt's debut paled in comparison to DreamWorks Animation's Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, which debuted earlier this month to $63.1 million. The opening was similar to 2007's Meet the Robinsons, which bowed with $25.1 million. After seeing a 66% spike in ticket sales from Friday to Saturday (a combination of good word of mouth and the heavily skewed numbers for Twilight on Friday), expect good Thanksgiving numbers for the Disney toon.
The numbers, Nov. 21-23, 2008
| THE TOP TEN | Weekend | Theaters | Avg. | Total Gross | %+- | Wks | Distributor | |
| 1 | Twilight | $70,553,000 | 3,419 | $20,636 | $70,553,000 | -- | 1 | Summit |
| 2 | Quantum of Solace | $27,400,000 | 3,458 | $7,924 | $109,483,000 | -59.4 | 2 | Sony |
| 3 | Bolt | $27,000,000 | 3,651 | $7,395 | $27,000,000 | -- | 1 | Buena Vista |
| 4 | Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | $16,000,000 | 4,007 | $3,993 | $137,447,000 | -54.3 | 3 | Paramount |
| 5 | Role Models | $7,229,000 | 2,733 | $2,645 | $48,037,000 | -35.2 | 3 | Universal |
| 6 | Changeling | $2,643,000 | 1,739 | $1,520 | $31,613,000 | -37.9 | 5 | Universal |
| 7 | High School Musical 3: Senior Year | $2,006,000 | 2,361 | $850 | $86,821,000 | -64.5 | 5 | Buena Vista |
| 8 | Zack and Miri Make a Porno | $1,700,000 | 1,222 | $1,391 | $29,350,000 | -46.0 | 4 | Weinstein Co. |
| 9 | The Boy in the Striped Pajamas | $1,673,000 | 406 | $4,121 | $2,653,000 | 252.7 | 3 | Miramax |
| 10 | The Secret Life of Bees | $1,275,000 | 1,095 | $1,164 | $35,649,000 | -45.5 | 6 | Fox Searchlight |
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