Articles

April 11, 2014
 

EARLY FRIDAY BOX OFFICE: “Rio 2″” Wins Battle of Sequels

 

RIO 2 (20th) has leaped out to a Friday lead, according to preliminary numbers at Deadline, one that it should be able to sustain for the weekend.  The Rio sequel has $11.5M on Friday, about 10% ahead of the first Rio‘s $10.3M opening day.  That film made $39.2M for the weekend, and Rio 2 should reach around $43M by Sunday.

That puts it ahead of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (Disney), with $11M on its 2d Friday, down about 69% from opening day.  That decline is consistent with the 2d Fridays of Iron Man 3 (down 71%) and Thor 2 (down 67%), and will moderate a bit over the course of the weekend, for $40M by Sunday and about $157M as the running US total.  That will put it around $40M above the first Captain America at the same point in its run, and $12M above Thor 2.

The weekend’s other openings are far behind.  The low-budget thriller OCULUS (Relativity) had a $5M Friday on its way to a weekend around $12.5M, and DRAFT DAY (Summit/Lionsgate) opened with $3.7M, headed for a $11-12M weekend.

NOAH (Paramount/Regency) took another major hit, down almost 60% on its 3rd Friday to $2M, with a $6-7M weekend ahead.  It now looks as though it will struggle to reach $100M in the US.  DIVERGENT (Summit/Lionsgate) held better, down about 45% Friday-to-Friday to $2.3M and a $7.5M weekend, on its way to $140M in the US.

With just a few new theatres added this time around, GOD’S NOT DEAD (Freestyle) had its biggest Friday decline so far, around 33% to $1.5M and a $5M weekend.  It’s still headed for a tremendous (considering its tiny costs) $50M in the US.  THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Fox Searchlight) dropped about 40% to $1.1M and a $3.5-4M weekend.  With Rio 2 in the market, MUPPETS MOST WANTED (Disney) dived by two-thirds to $600K on Friday and a $2.3M weekend.with $50M in the US ahead.



About the Author

Mitch Salem
MITCH SALEM has worked on the business side of the entertainment industry for 20 years, as a senior business affairs executive and attorney for such companies as NBC, ABC, USA, Syfy, Bravo, and BermanBraun Productions, and before that, at the NY law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. During all that, he has more or less constantly been going to the movies and watching TV, and writing about both since the 1980s. His film reviews also currently appear on screened.com and the-burg.com. In addition, he is co-writer of an episode of the television series "Felicity."