WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  Here is an updated look at the 2019 film slates by studio. BOX OFFICE. Looking at North American box office, 2019 is still -18% below last year’s comparable span (0 points different than last week) and still -16% below the average for this point the past four years ($2.577 billion).  Over the same […]

> Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides opens huge overseas, almost topping Fast Five in its first weekend.    The table below shows the domestic and international grosses for the Top 25 films (out of the 47 movies released between January and April at over 500 theaters).  Fast Five is still the #1 film worldwide released between January and […]

Pixar’s Brave has a modest $13.5 million overseas to date, obviously with a big international potential as it rolls out around the world.  Pixar films generally have a healthy multiple over the domestic gross, which we are projecting to be $219 million based on the opening weekend.  An overseas target of $320 million seems reasonable […]

>The Hunger Games continues its march around the world, now up to $194 million overseas.  This number is driven by $24.1 million so far from the United Kingdom, $22.0 million from Australia, $13.9 million from Germany, $12.9 million from Russia, $10.4 million from Mexico and $9.1 million from France.  No numbers yet from Japan, suggesting […]

>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 […]

> A movie called JOHN CARTER opened a few days ago.  It cost a few bucks, and as you may have heard, didn’t make as much money as its studio, Disney, would have liked.  Notwithstanding the supposed mandate from Disney CEO Bob Iger that blame not be targeted at any individual for the failure, twin […]

> For many years, the National Board of Review has been the self-appointed first group on the calendar to announce awards for Best Picture and other categories.  The NBR is sort of like the Golden Globes without super-powers; they’re 110 people tangentially related to the world of film whom you’ve never heard of and whose […]

> The past week (seven days ending Sunday) is up 4% versus last year’s comparable week.  Year-to-date box office is now down 3.9% versus last year.  Contagion opened in first place and is headed for $72 million domestic.  Warrior opened below forecast and is on track for $24 million in North America.  Despite falling to second place, The […]