The big gainers overseas this week: Brave (up $33 million, finally over the $200 million milestone overseas), Dark Knight Rises (up $31 million this week overseas), Ted (up $25 million overseas this week), Total Recall (up $22 million this week),  Ice Age: Continental Drift (up $18 million to an incredible $662 million overseas to date) and Madagascar 3 (up $17 million to $369 million […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  Here is an updated look at the 2019 film slates by studio. BOX OFFICE. Looking at North American box office, 2019 is now -6% below last year’s comparable span (two points better than last week) and now basically even with this point the past four years ($5.987 billion).  Over the same period, […]

  A strong Saturday lifted everything at the multiplex. OPENINGS:  Obviously AMERICAN SNIPER (Warners/Village Roadshow) wouldn’t be what it is without Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper, but the contributions of the Warners marketing group shouldn’t be overlooked.  Building the trailer and the initial TV ads almost entirely around the one moment in the film where […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has transformed Paramount into player status (now $2.0 billion worldwide year to date), with much more overseas revenue to come from the film.  With continued overseas returns from Guardians of the Galaxy, Disney ($2.33 billion worldwide to date) has widened its lead over Warner Brothers ($2.16 billion). Scroll down […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  Updated look at 2016 by studio.   YEAR TO DATE BOX OFFICE. Looking at North American box office, 2016 to date is now +1% above last year and now +2% above the average for this point the past four years ($3.837 billion).  Over the same period, Hollywood films have grossed $10.4 billion worldwide […]

  OPENINGS:  CRAWL (Paramount) may be an example of a studio outsmarting itself.  Paramount held no critics screenings, presumably because disdain was expected, and thus was unable to create any advance buzz around a response that turned out to be remarkably enthusiastic (88% on Rotten Tomatoes).  The result was a tepid $12M opening, and since […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  Here is an updated look at the 2018 film slates by studio. The studio totals also include 2018 dollars for films released in late 2017. YEAR TO DATE BOX OFFICE. Looking at North American box office, 2018 to date is still +10% above last year and still +12% above the average for this point […]

  OPENINGS:  Box office receipts for Mothers Day haven’t been counted yet, but SNATCHED (TSG/20th) is assuming (probably justifiably) that it will be the holiday choice, which brings the studio’s weekend estimate to $17.5M.  That’s still 43% below the start for Trainwreck, and with roughly $125M in production/marketing costs, it’s going to be an uphill […]