OPENINGS:  MONKEY MAN (Universal) walked an odd path to theaters, originally being targeted for a Netflix release.  While the result earned strong reviews (87% on Rotten Tomatoes), there was no storybook ending at the box office, as Dev Patel’s film was below expectations at $10.1M.  Nor did Monkey Man stir much excitement overseas, with […]

The 20th weekend of 2012 is looking like a disturbing $132 million for the Top 12 films, down 17% from both this weekend last year and the four-year average for the same weekend.  Marvel’s The Avengers continues to do well, but the three films opening this weekend generated very little excitement, to say the least.  […]

  CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (Disney) declined about 10% to as much as $34M on Saturday, according to preliminary numbers at Deadline, which should give it a $95M opening weekend, the best April opening ever.  By way of comparison, the previous April record-holder Fast Five dropped 13% on its second day (for a $86.2M […]

> Real Steel is opening at forecast — at a very decent level, but will it be enough to cover the big visual effects costs and all the above-the-line talent expenses?  More on that in Box Office Footnotes.  In second place, The Ides of March missed its rather moderate forecast.  It will need a shelf’s […]

>The weekend studio estimates (based on Friday and Saturday actuals and projections for Sunday) are coming in slightly above the weekend numbers posted yesterday (based on Friday actuals only).  The box office volume for the top 12 films is now looking like $100 million for the weekend, down 31% from last year’s weekend and down […]

>Based on Friday and Saturday box office (and estimated Sunday numbers), The Lion King returned to theaters 17 years later — in 3D no less — and scored a solid #1 for the weekend.  Drive opened okay, while Straw Dogs and I Don’t Know How She Does It were very quiet arrivals.  Conatagion fell to […]

>Nine full weeks into 2012, domestic box office continues to run well ahead of last year’s glacial pace, and the year-to-date total is now pacing a double-digit percentage increase over of the comparable period’s average for the last several years. Weekend Actuals versus Studio Estimates The Lorax came in at $70.2 million for its opening […]

> The past week (seven days ending Sunday) came in up 25% versus last year’s comparable week (the first significant increase in five weeks).  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 July 11 and July 17 grossed $331 […]