WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.   YEAR TO DATE BOX OFFICE. Looking at North American box office, 2015 to date is still +4% above last year and still +1% above the average for this point the past four years ($9.029 billion).  Over the same period, Hollywood films have grossed over $24.0 billion worldwide when we add overseas box office (that’s […]

  OPENINGS:  Coming into this weekend, the discussion about BLADE RUNNER 2049 (Alcon/Sony/Warners) was mostly about whether with its critical raves it could exceed expectations by 20% or so and become October’s #1 opening.  But things went in the other direction, and its current $31.5M estimate doesn’t even put it in the month’s Top 20.  […]

  OPENINGS:  The surprise isn’t so much that COCAINE BEAR (Universal) “overdelivered,” but that expectations were so low for a picture that had been the subject of pop culture fascination for months.  The $23.1M weekend seems like a realistic reflection of that fact, and although business is likely to drop quickly now that audiences have […]

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 +9% above last year and still +11% above the average for this point […]

  OPENINGS:  The $114M launch of WICKED (Universal) (which included “fan event” screenings throughout the previous week) set a new high for Broadway musical adaptations, and indeed for live-action musicals in general, while still being slightly behind sky-high expectations.  For those doing the 2023 vs 2024 comparison, it was also about 30% under the opening […]

The big movers overseas this past week were Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (up $151 million to $351 million to date overseas) and Skyfall (up $61 million to $568 million overseas to date).  Updated worldwide tracks for Twilight and the completely re-energized James Bond follow.     Entering the worldwide chart this week are Rise of the Guardians (starting at […]

  OPENINGS:  THE BIKERIDERS (Regency/Focus/Universal) seized the opportunity to open on a prime summer weekend without any new tentpole releases, and the studio estimate (which assumed the strongest Sunday hold in the Top 10) was $10M, in line with expectations.  The question is how well the indie will hold up next week against new action […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.     YEAR TO DATE BOX OFFICE. Looking at North American box office, 2015 to date is still +6% above last year and still +2% above the average for this point the past four years ($6.833 billion).  Over the same period, Hollywood films have grossed $18.1 billion worldwide when we add overseas box office (that’s […]