>A little late, but for the record, the updated year to date box office figures for wide releases show that 2011 is now back to -4.2% behind 2010.  Also, 2011 is now even with the average of the last four years (after pacing about +2% ahead of that number most of the year).  The full […]

>The past week is up an amazing 57% from last year, and the year-to-date tally is now down 15% from last year (improving from down 17% last week).  This is very positive news for the industry, and especially Universal with its successful launch of Fast Five. The Past Week: Total Box Office Volume All films […]

>International box office continues to bail out American movies released late this year.  While Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 can legitimately be called a hit domestically and abroad, Adventures of Tintin and Real Steel are both major hits only because of business outside North America. And Puss in Boots would have been a slight […]

> We promise that starting next week, when the battle’s been joined in earnest, there will be an honest-to-god chart and more goodies to update you all on the progress of our Summer Movie Blockbuster Draft.  This week, though, it’s still totally one-sided: Team Metcalf THOR:  $129,906,155 BRIDESMAIDS:  $38,459,240 TOTAL:  $168,365,395 Team Salem $0 A […]

> It’s good that the weekend’s total will beat last year’s awful group of Get Him To the Greek, Killers, Prince of Persia and Sex & the City 2, but on a picture-by-picture basis, the news is a lot less pleasant: X-MEN:  FIRST CLASS is headed for the lowest opening of any picture in its […]

> The periodic rumor that Universal Pictures is due for a major shake-up can be put to rest… for now.  It’s been announced that President and COO Ron Meyer has signed a new deal that runs through 2015.  Assuming Meyer stays through his entire contract (always less than a certainty when it comes to studio […]

> This weekend looks like it will have a very solid opener (the best since August 5, when Rise of the Planet of the Apes bowed) but the weekend as a whole should still lag behind the same weekend last year.  The third Paranormal Activity has its sights set on over $41 million this weekend, while […]

>Two strong films open Friday, with Rio and Scream 4 poised to fuel the weekend to a strongly positive uptick from the same weekend last year. After weeks of disappointing box office returns, two films are set to open this weekend, together reaching for about $80 million.  Rio should lead the weekend at around 3,800 theaters, […]