OPENINGS: EVIL DEAD (TriStar/Sony/FilmDistrict) took the weekend with $26M, and even though, based on Sunday results for other recent horror movies, that number may drop a bit with final figures tomorrow, it should end up with a pleasantly bloody $50M before it’s done in the US (it also made $4.5M this weekend in 21 international markets, less than half the world). JURASSIC PARK 3D (Universal) had a solid $18.2M start in the US, plus $3M in only 9 overseas markets–ultimately, the rest of the world is likely to be where the real money for the re-release is.
HOLDOVERS: Both GI JOE: RETALIATION (Paramount/MGM) and THE CROODS (DreamWorks Animation/20th) are claiming $21.1M weekends, which would mean a 48% drop for GI Joe and a gentle 21% decline for Croods. One will fall behind tomorrow, probably GI Joe. For both pictures, however, the really important numbers are the results overseas. GI Joe had a $40.7M weekend in 60 territories covering most of the world, and that’s exactly where it wanted to be, with international boxoffice roughly double the US. Right now its total at home is $86.7M, and it’s made $145.2M overseas with several more territories left to open. That’s a much better international result than GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra had (a $152.3M overseas total), and Retaliation is on pace to outgross its predecessor worldwide (even though it’ll make less in the US) at a lower cost, music to Hollywood’s ears. The Croods is in a bit more problematic position with $34.1M overseas this weekend, about 60% higher than its US weekend. So far it’s made $125.8M here and $206.8M in 62 markets abroad, which is decent enough, but far from the kind of ratio that other recent 3D animated films have had.
Last weekend’s other openings, TEMPTATION (Lionsgate) and THE HOST (Open Road) fell over 50%, not a surprise given their demos.
OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (FilmDistrict), OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (Disney) and THE CALL (TriStar/Sony) are all holding well, with reported drops of 29-30%. ADMISSION (Focus/Universal) is fading with a 37% drop and the loss of 1/3 of its theatres, while SPRING BREAKERS (A24) has lost its curiosity value and plunged another 57%.
LIMITED RELEASE: Fairly strong starts for both of the weekend’s high-profile NY/LA arrivals, with a $34K average for TRANCE (Fox Searchlight) at 4 theatres, and a $29K average for THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (Sony Pictures Classics) at 5. THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (Focus/Universal) expanded well with a $23K average at 30 theatres, while THE SAPPHIRES (Weinstein) went to 60 theatres with a stable $5400 average. NO (Sony Pictures Classics), GINGER AND ROSA (A24) and THE GATEKEEPERS (Sony Pictures Classics) all grew their theatre counts by around 25% and yet fell for the weekend as they reached their probable saturation points. RENOIR (Goldwyn) went to 20 theatres with a $5200 average.
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