OPENINGS:  The biggest story of the weekend took place off American shores, as IRON MAN 3 (Disney) topped all expectations to open with a fantastic $195.3M in 42 territories (China and Russia are the notable ones still to come).  That’s higher than the $185.1M opening for The Avengers (in 39 territories that didn’t include […]

> Normally a relatively quiet period, the weekend before Halloween usually offers only one new release and well under $100 million in total volume for the top 12 movies.  But this year, we have three releases, with one poised to do solid business.  Puss In Boots should do well over $40 million in its opening […]

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 +3% above last year and now +4% above the average for this point the past four years ($6.388 billion).  Over the same period, Hollywood films have grossed $16.7 billion worldwide when […]

The 41st weekend of the year is looking like a fairly soft $106 million for the top 12 films, down 13% from this weekend last year but down a more moderate 5% from the multi-year average for this weekend. Opening at over 3,000 theaters Friday (slightly above the 2,886 average theater count for opening weekends […]

  OPENINGS:  MINIONS (Illumination/Universal) had a surprisingly bumpy 16% drop on Saturday, but it will handily become the #2 animated opening of all time, topping Toy Story 3‘s $110.3M, even if the studio’s $115.2M forecast turns out to rely on a stronger Sunday rebound than final numbers confirm.  (Still #1: 2007’s  Shrek The Third at […]

The 45th weekend of the year is looking like $174 million for the top 12 films, which would be a record for the second weekend of November. Opening at over 3,800 theaters Friday (well above the 2,886 average theater count for opening weekends the last two years), Thor: The Dark World from Disney and Marvel should […]

  OCEAN’S EIGHT (Village Roadshow/Warners) wasn’t expected to be a blockbuster, and its reported production budget of $70M was in keeping with that, although the A-level Warners marketing campaign will raise the price.  It’s performing at the high end of expectations with a $15.9M Friday (including $4M from Thursday night) according to preliminary numbers at […]

>Through Sunday, Team Metcalf has a $52 million lead in the ShowBuzzDaily Summer Movie Draft.  Metcalf’s Captain America outpaced Salem’s Harry Potter weekend two, and Salem’s Friends with Benefits opening was cancelled out by Metcalf’s Transformers and Horrible Bosses.  Next weekend Metcalf’s final two films open.  Salem has three films in August, which collectively should […]