OPENINGS:  The major studios abandoned this normally prime summer-season weekend, and a flood of indies rushed in to grab the available theaters.  None were able to capitalize to a particularly notable extent, with the anime HAIKYUU: THE DUMPSTER BATTLE (Crunchyroll/Sony) faring best at $3.5M.  The genre is typically very frontloaded, so Haikyuu may not […]

> The 13th weekend of 2012 is looking like $146 million for the Top 12 films, up 28% from this weekend last year and up 14% from the four-year average for the first weekend in April.  The Hunger Games had a sizable drop in its second weekend but not unlike other huge openers, and the […]

>Just a quick update to say that going into the weekend Team Metcalf’s lead is now down to $45 million in the first annual ShowBuzzDaily Summer Movie Draft.  Next update after the weekend numbers are in. (A Request From Team Salem to All Readers:  Please ignore my review of 30 Minutes Or Less and go […]

>The Help sits at the top of the heap thanks to a terrific 19% drop in its second weekend and especially thanks to the very weak crop of openers that make up that heap.  Spy Kids 4, Conan the Barbarian and Fright Night all are opening below forecast and headed for a quick end on […]

>The weekend studio estimates (based on Friday and Saturday actuals and projections for Sunday) are coming in slightly 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 decent $123 million for the weekend, up 4% from last year’s […]

>Based on Friday and Saturday box office (and estimated Sunday numbers), The Smurfs and Cowboys & Aliens could not have closer opening weekends (both headed for $36.2 million at this point).  We will have to wait to see who wins the weekend crown Monday, when the Sunday actuals are available.  But assuming a weekend tie […]

>Two full weeks into 2012, domestic box office is running well ahead of last year’s anemic pace but just ahead of the pace for the same period’s average for the last several years.        The Past Week: Total Box Office Volume All films in wide release playing between January 9 and January 15 grossed […]

> The past week came in up 10% versus last year’s comparable week.  Year-to-date box office is now down 12% versus last year.    The Past Week: Total Box Office Volume All films in wide release playing between May 16 and May 22 grossed $202 million, up 10% versus the same week in 2010.  Year […]