OPENINGS:  IF (Paramount) was at the low end of projections with $35M, although that was an improvement over where it seemed to be headed after Friday’s $10.4M.  The key was strong family turnout on Saturday, but while IF benefited from being the first major release for that demographic in the 11 weeks since Kung […]

> The 15th weekend of 2012 is looking like $109 million for the Top 12 films, down 6% from this weekend last year but up 6% from the four-year average for the same weekend.  The Hunger Games is heading for $21 million this weekend, down a terrific 37% this weekend (the drops keep getting smaller: […]

>The Help remains the lone sign of strength at the box office.  Down only 2% from the Tropical Storm Irene-dampened box office last weekend, The Help has been upgraded again to $155 million estimated total domestic gross.  The Debt looks like the best of the three new openers, with almost $10 million this Friday-Sunday weekend […]

>The weekend studio estimates (based on Friday and Saturday actuals and projections for Sunday) are coming in significantly stronger than the weekend numbers posted yesterday (based on Friday actuals only).  The box office volume for the top 12 films is now looking like a soft $206 million for the weekend, up 89% from last year’s […]

>Based on Friday and Saturday box office (and estimated Sunday numbers), Rise of the Planet of the Apes will continue to hold the #1 spot, although The Help performed better than expected with $25.5 million Friday-Sunday and $35 million Wednesday-Sunday.  Final Destination opened fairly respectably in third place but should disappear quickly.  30 Minutes or […]

>Four full weeks into 2012, domestic box office continues to run well ahead of last year’s anemic pace but about even with the comparable period’s average for the last several years.        The Past Week: Total Box Office Volume All films in wide release playing between January 23 and January 29 grossed $172 million, […]

>The past week (seven days ending Sunday) came in up 11% versus last year’s comparable week.  Year-to-date box office is now down 7% versus last year.    The Past Week: Total Box Office Volume All films in wide release playing between June 6 and June 12 grossed a strong $222 million, up 5% versus the […]

>The latest worldwide box office rankings are charted below.  Among the new releases this weekend, Chronicle sits in the middle of the list with $78 million worldwide to date ($65 million estimated final domestic and an early total to date overseas of $13 million).  The movie will probably work its way to just over $100 […]