OPENINGS: For both 3 DAYS TO KILL (Relativity) and POMPEII (TriStar/Sony/FilmDistrict), the only hope of salvation lies overseas. 3 Days, at least, has a relatively low production cost, but even if the reported $28M figure is accurate, its $12.3M US weekend won’t get it anywhere near recoupment of its worldwide marketing expenses. Things are much more dire for Pompeii, which reportedly cost over $100M to produce, and which may not even hold at its pathetic $10M US weekend when final numbers come in tomorrow. Pompeii has $22.8M outside the US in 37 territories, an unexciting start for a movie that desperately needs more. (3 Days hasn’t yet started its international release.)
HOLDOVERS: THE LEGO MOVIE (Warners) won’t face a serious challenge for 2 more weeks (when Mr. Peabody and Sherman opens), and meanwhile it’s running over all competition in its way. Down just 37% from last weekend to $31.5M in the US, and with $23M this weekend overseas, the smash hit has earned $276M worldwide, with plenty more to come.
ROBOCOP (Sony/MGM) had an OK hold compared to the rest of last weekend’s openings, down 57% to $9.4M, with a $43.6M US total. That’s not going to get the $100M+ action movie very far (the costs go to $200M+ with worldwide marketing), and even its $100M international total ($17.7M this weekend) is good but not great. Breakeven looks about as high as this hoped-for franchise can expect.
The bottom fell out of all last week’s Valentine’s Day romances, as ABOUT LAST NIGHT (Screen Gems/Sony) plunged 71% to $7.4M, ENDLESS LOVE (Universal) dropped 68% to $4.3M, and WINTER’S TALE (Warners) crashed by 71% to $2.1M. Only About Last Night will hit profit, and even it’s looking a lot less exciting than it did a week ago, with perhaps a $55M US total in the end, making one wonder if Kevin Hart’s coronation as The Next Big Thing might be a bit premature.
THE MONUMENTS MEN (Sony/20th) was sturdy, down 48% to $8.1M ($58.1M to date, plus $26.4M overseas after a $13.6M weekend). RIDE ALONG (Universal) is also holding well, down 47% to $4.7M ($123.2M to date). Nothing, however, holds like FROZEN (Disney), down just 30% after 3 months in theatres, with $4.4M for the weekend and $384.1M in the US. Worldwide, Frozen passed Despicable Me 2 and now has $980M, so $1B is guaranteed (the blockbuster has yet to open in Japan), and Toy Story 3‘s all-time worldwide animated record of $1.06B isn’t far away.
Remember THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (Warners/MGM)? Well, it’s US run may be over (a moderately disappointing $256.6M,$46M below the first Hobbit), but its possible climb to $1B worldwide continues after a smashing $32.7M opening in China–double the first Hobbit‘s–that brings its total to $893.7M, with Japan still to come.
AMERICAN HUSTLE (Sony) leads the non-Frozen Oscar contenders, down 28% from last weekend to $1.8M ($144.1M US to date).
LIMITED RELEASE: Not much to speak of, as THE WIND RISES (Disney) had an OK $15K per-theatre average in its debut at 21 theatres, and IN SECRET (Roadside) flopped with a $1000 average at 226. TIM’S VERMEER (Sony Classics) widened to 22 theatres with an unexciting $4K average.
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