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 -2% below last year and still +1% above the average for this point the past four years ($4.577 billion).  Over the same period, Hollywood films have grossed $12.2 billion worldwide when we […]

Weekend #2 of 2016 is looking like a very good $155 million for the top 12 films this weekend (see comparisons below). The Revenant from Fox should open with $27.5 million Friday-Sunday. The film is on track for around $85 million domestic in its run. Overseas the film could bring in $160 million, giving it a worldwide box office target of $245 million.     The […]

  21 JUMP STREET:  Watch It At Home – High School Meta-Bromance   The meta-ization of contemporary comedy marches on:  Community, of course, is a virtual meta-kingdom, but Happy Endings makes Friends jokes, this week’s 30 Rock undercut what appeared to be its own sentimental ending with jokes poking at viewers who might like sentimental […]

The Dark Knight Rises grossed a preliminary $19.4 million Monday, bringing its four-day domestic total to $180.3 million.  Similar to Saturday and Sunday’s results, Monday lagged behind The Dark Knight‘s pace four years ago. The Dark Knight grossed $24.5 million on Monday, July 21, 2008 (its fourth day of release and its first Monday).  Through […]

The Croods was the big mover overseas this past week, up $38 million outside North America to $243 million overseas and $416 million worldwide.  The other big gainer outside of home was G.I. Joe: Retaliation (up $23 million overseas to $168 million overseas to date and just under $300 million worldwide). Slowing down a bit outside of the […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  Here is an updated look at the 2018 film slates by studio. The studio totals also include 2018 dollars for films released in late 2017. YEAR TO DATE BOX OFFICE. Looking at North American box office, 2018 to date is now +11% above last year and still +14% above the average for this point […]

      WANDERLUST:  Watch It At Home – Hippy Jokes Thawed Out From 1966   The new WANDERLUST demonstrates the strengths and limitations of amiability in movies.  Its stars, Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd, have made very profitable careers out of being professionally likable.  Unlike, say, Tom Hanks, who also began his career in […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  Here is an updated look at the 2017 film slates by studio. YEAR TO DATE BOX OFFICE. Looking at North American box office, 2017 to date is still +7% above last year and now +11% above the average for this point the past four years ($3.592 billion).  Over the same period, Hollywood films have grossed over $11.4 […]