Weekend Box Office Thread 10/20/2006 - 10/22/2006

[RichC2]

Friday's Estimates (ShowBizData.com):

1. PRESTIGE, THE NEW LINE 2,281 5,121,000 $2,245 n/a 5,121,000
2. DEPARTED, THE WARNER BROS. 3,005 4,234,000 $1,409 n/a 67,696,000
3. FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS PARAMOUNT 1,876 3,512,000 $1,872 n/a 3,512,000
4. GRUDGE 2, THE SONY 3,214 2,678,000 $833 n/a 26,344,000
5. FLICKA 20TH CENTURY FOX 2,877 2,527,000 $878 n/a 2,527,000
6. MAN OF THE YEAR UNIVERSAL 2,522 2,175,000 $862 n/a 17,649,000
7. OPEN SEASON SONY 3,379 2,101,000 $622 n/a 63,725,000
8. MARIE ANTOINETTE SONY 859 1,891,000 $2,201 n/a 1,891,000
9. NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS MIRAMAX 168 1,220,000 $7,262 n/a 51,599,629
10. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING NEW LINE 2,569 1,155,000 $450 n/a 33,312,000

Decent numbers for The Prestige, Departed, Marie Antoinette, and Nightmare Before Xmas (Excellent numbers, actually, for NBC, though there are no discounts (Student/Senior/Child) for Digital 3D movies at most places.) Flags isn't doing great considering the budget and talent behind it (surprised at the somewhat sparse theater count).

Overall, pretty low weekend through and through. Though estimates were low to begin with. It'll be interesting to see how The Prestige does versus The Departed this weekend, I enjoyed both movies but think The Prestige will divide audiences.

[Mr. Cinema]

I think Flags will build its total up over time. This is Paramount's big Oscar film, even though they will try to get WTC nominated too. I'm not sure people know this film is even out. I've seen some ads, but it's one of those movies you expect to open in December. I had forgotten it was out and it's one of my must see movies. Departed has some legs, which is a nice change from the norm.

[The Bus]

Flicka finally came out? I've seen posters for what seems like a year.

[Joe Molotov]

I'm not sure people know this film is even out.

I didn't. When it wasn't showing at any of the local screens, I figured it was coming out next week. Looks like it's just showing in 1800 theaters.

[RichC2]

Estimates, pretty low all around:

1 N The Prestige BV $14,818,000 - 2,281 - $6,496 $14,818,000 $40 1
2 2 The Departed WB $13,675,000 -28.2% 3,005 -12 $4,550 $77,148,000 $90 3
3 N Flags of Our Fathers P/DW $10,200,000 - 1,876 - $5,437 $10,200,000 $90 1
4 4 Open Season Sony $8,000,000 -28.0% 3,379 -308 $2,367 $69,602,000 $85 4
5 N Flicka Fox $7,700,000 - 2,877 - $2,676 $7,700,000 $15 1
6 1 The Grudge 2 Sony $7,700,000 -63.0% 3,214 +3 $2,395 $31,380,000 $20 2
7 3 Man of the Year Uni. $7,035,000 -42.8% 2,522 +7 $2,789 $22,516,000 - 2
8 N Marie Antoinette Sony $5,300,000 - 859 - $6,169 $5,300,000 $40 1
9 5 Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning NL $3,845,000 -48.6% 2,569 -251 $1,496 $35,954,000 $16 3
10 6 The Marine Fox $3,725,000 -47.8% 2,545 - $1,463 $12,547,000 - 2
11 7 The Guardian BV $3,572,000 -39.1% 2,558 -486 $1,396 $46,480,000 - 4
12 N Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D BV $3,282,000 - 168 - $19,535 $3,282,000 - 1

[matome]

Kinda disappointing for Flags. I thought it would have done a little better.

[Mercury&Solace]

I thought FooF would have done a lot better. Glad to see Departed still hanging high.

[Mr. Cinema]

Flags of Our Fathers could easily be a movie that takes weeks to make a splash at the box office. I don't think it'll drop much next weekend. I think this is the type of movie that builds momentum through word-of-mouth, which is rare nowadays. This is a serious Oscar contender. I wouldn't bet against Mr. Eastwood.

[dpz301]

i can't wait to see the prestige and Flags.

[RichC2]

Flags skews older, opening weekends for movies that do that are generally mild but they show extremely good legs and do wonderful mid-week business.

Very glad to see The Departed doing so well.

And I really enjoyed The Prestige and hope it has legs.

[mdc3000]

Flags of Our Fathers could easily be a movie that takes weeks to make a splash at the box office. I don't think it'll drop much next weekend. I think this is the type of movie that builds momentum through word-of-mouth, which is rare nowadays. This is a serious Oscar contender. I wouldn't bet against Mr. Eastwood.

I don't quite agree. I'd recommend it only to someone who has already seen The Departed and The Prestige. I think The Departed has a lot better chance of being an Oscar contender and I don't think word of mouth on Flags is going to be stellar...there were a lot of indifferent people walking out of my theatre.

It might hang in for another week or two, but with all the other oscar bait and bigger name films coming out really soon, I don't think it'll make nearly as much as the studio was hoping.

MATT

[The Bus]

Not to derail the thread, but what did WB have to do with Flags of Our Fathers? I saw their logo, not Paramount's, at the opening of the movie. Am I missing something?

[RichC2]

WB Co-financed the movie, I'm assuming the deal was struck prior to Dreamworks being acquired by Paramont, and to avoid a legal fuckup they let it slide.

[mdc3000]

Eastwood = Warner. He's got a big contract over there.

MATT

[bjh_18]

I think if "Flags of Our Fathers" had opened on more screens than just 1,876 that it would have done much better with it's first weekend. I had to really search to find a theater in my area that was even showing it. A number of people I know were looking forward to going to see it this past weekend, but when it wasn't playing at the theater closest to them, they went to see "The Prestige" instead.

[Artman]

Superman Returns finally hit 200m...

[Jaymole]

think if "Flags of Our Fathers" had opened on more screens than just 1,876 that it would have done much better with it's first weekend. I had to really search to find a theater in my area that was even showing it. A number of people I know were looking forward to going to see it this past weekend, but when it wasn't playing at the theater closest to them, they went to see "The Prestige" instead.

Looking at the per screen average, even if Flags of Our Fathers had the same amount of screens as The Prestige, it still would have ended up in second place.

I think a big reason the film may not be doing as well as expected is simply due do its subject matter...I'm sure there are quite a few people who simply are not interested in seeing a war film now considering the events playing out in Iraq.

[RichC2]

I think it has less to do with the events playing out in Iraq than with the fact it simply doesn't seem like a movie people would want to see on a weekend. The ads come across as more educational than entertaining, and to be honest, it just doesn't look very compelling. That said, I'm sure it's a very good movie and will have legs in the long run, it's just not something I see people rushing out to see, regardless of current events.

Superman Returns finally hit 200m...

Bout damn time :up:.

[bjh_18]

Looking at the per screen average, even if Flags of Our Fathers had the same amount of screens as The Prestige, it still would have ended up in second place.

Maybe so. I was just basing that off of the fact that I know a lot of people who wanted to see it, but didn't because it wasn't playing locally and they didn't feel like driving 45 minutes to go see it.

I still think The Prestige would have been number one regardless since it has a broader appeal. I saw both on release day, and while I liked and respected Flags of Our Fathers, The Prestige was definitely the more entertaining of the two.

[RichC2]

Cinemascore wise, The Prestige scored a B, and Flags of our Fathers scored an A-.

I figured Prestige would due better (B is pretty terrible in terms of Cinemascore), but ah well.