OPENINGS:  NO GOOD DEED (Screen Gems/Sony) hit in a big way with an unexpected $24.5M start.  That’s not quite the equal of 2009’s Obsessed ($28.6M), but it’s close enough.  And while Obsessed had to contend with the opening of X-Men Origins: Wolverine in its 2d weekend, No Good Deed will face much less blockbusterish […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  The studio rankings remain unchanged, and the most noteworthy change is that Universal now boasts a film in the $300+ million worldwide box (Lucy with $126 million domestic and $192 million overseas to date).  But the success of Lucy cannot make up for an excess of clunkers, as Universal is showing a hit-to-miss ratio even […]

  OPENINGS:  AS ABOVE/SO BELOW (Universal) and THE NOVEMBER MAN (Relativity) are both quietly making their way to oblivion with $8.3 and $7.7M weekends (each may add $1.5-2M on Monday).  November Man, with its older audience, may hold up a bit better over the longish term, but neither picture is likely to get above $25M in […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  The studio rankings remain unchanged, and #1 Fox continues to do well, thanks to more overseas grosses from both Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and How to Train Your Dragon 2.   The second best week worldwide belongs to #6 Universal, not so much because of the domestic release of As Above/So Below but mostly […]

  OPENINGS:  IF I STAY (Warners/MGM) was the best of a weak trio, opening with $16.4M and with an 18% drop on Saturday that indicated moderate front-loading.  It should reach a fair $40-50M US total, which could get it to breakeven if not profit. WHEN THE GAME STANDS TALL (Affirm/TriStar/Sony), with a $9M weekend, was […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  Again, no changes to the year to date studio ranking of worldwide box office.  20th Century Fox remains #1 and also had the largest gain this week (an okay $87 million weekly gain, mostly because of continued overseas grosses of How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes).  Disney, […]

  OPENINGS:  On an unspectacular weekend, LET’S BE COPS (20th) was able to top the new arrivals with $17.7M (and $26.1M since its opening on Wednesday).  It should get to $40M in the US, and with a reported production cost of $18M, the question marks about potential profitability are the cost of its marketing campaign […]

  OPENINGS;  It’s no surprise that a sequel has already been announced (and scheduled for June 3, 2016, for those who like to get their Fandango orders in early) for TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (Nickelodeon/Paramount), which blew past all expectations with a reported $65M opening weekend.  The CG action spectacle dipped only 14% on Saturday, […]