Weekend #40 of 2015 is looking like $143 million for the top 12 films this weekend, above the norm for this weekend but close to last year’s strong weekend (see comparisons below). The Martian from Fox should open with a $55.0 million weekend. Strong critical support: 93% positive reviews so far. The film is on track for around $166 million […]

Weekend #32 of 2015 is looking like $133 million for the top 12 films this weekend, somewhat below the norm for this weekend (see comparisons below). Fantastic Four from Fox and Marvel should open with a $46.5 million three-day weekend. Early reviews at RottenTomatoes are unenthusiastic: 21% positive overall so far. Fantastic Four is on track for […]

> Two new comedies (one adult and one family-oriented) duke it out this weekend, while Transformers: Dark of the Moon will remain on top.  The weekend as a whole should be down versus last year.   Opening at around 2,900 theaters, Horrible Bosses should average a solid $9,200 per theater (for $26.5 million for Friday-Sunday).  […]

The sixth weekend of 2013 looks like another very bad one.  Only $78 million for the top 12 films, over 50% below the normal pace for this weekend.  That’s three down weekends in a row, and the year-over-year declines are accelerating each week.  Now before you think there is a “slump” caused by piracy, streaming, […]

Weekend #21 of 2015 is looking like $162 million for the top 12 films this weekend, well below the norm for this weekend. Opening at around 3,800 theaters Friday (well above the 2,886 average theater count for opening weekends the last two years), Tomorrowland from Disney should average an okay $9,700 per theater for the three-day weekend (for a $37.0 million […]

Weekend #35 of 2014 is looking like $95 million for the top 12 films this weekend, up 11% from the norm for this weekend and on track to be the fifth up weekend in a row after six straight down weekends. Opening at around 2,500 theaters Friday (below the 2,886 average theater count for opening […]

  After a string of disappointments at the box office, this weekend’s franchise centerpiece looks like it will deliver.  Preliminary numbers at Deadline have the opening day for HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD (DreamWorks Animation/Universal) at $17.3M (including $3M from Thursday night and $2.5M from earlier paid previews), better than the $12.1M […]

  OPENINGS:  HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION (Sony Animation/Columbia/Sony) clocked in with a reliable $44.1M weekend, just about midway between the first Transylvania‘s $42.5M and the second’s $48.5M.  (Sticklers might note that this the first of the franchise to feature Thursday night screenings, giving it a slightly longer “weekend”.)  There are some other family movies […]