> In a battle of two comedies this weekend, Arthur (Warner Bros) and Your Highness (Universal) should split the comedy audience, with Arthur having a slight edge (despite horrific reviews on rottentomatoes — I guess most critics share my disbelief that Russell Brand is opening a movie).  Read Mitch Salem’s review of Arthur to see what he thinks. […]

Weekend #6 of 2016 is looking like $94 million for the top 12 films this weekend, below the norm for this time of year (see comparisons below). Hail, Caesar! from Universal should open with $12.5 million Friday-Sunday. The film is on track for around $41 million domestic in its run. Overseas the film could bring in $32 million, giving it a worldwide box […]

> A gigantic apology…the total for Team Salem is now correct.  Salem leads by about $75 million going into this weekend.  Thanks to the comment by “Anonymous” for spotting the error by Metcalf (unintentional, I swear!).  Updated totals for the first annual ShowBuzzDaily Summer Movie Draft show Team Salem $800,000 ahead of Team Metcalf through […]

>Summer always ends with a whimper.  While Memorial Day and Independence Day weekends are among the strongest of the box office year, Labor Day weekend is usually the lowest of the year in terms of movie-going.  This weekend features the opening of three more duds: a “found footage” space thriller, a shark bloodfest, and a […]

Weekend #27 of 2016 forecasts for films opening wide and major returning films: NEW FILMS THIS WEEKEND July 1-3, 2016 Critics Positive ($ millions) Opening Weekend Forecast Four Day Fri-Sun Domestic Total Projection Overseas Total Projection Worldwide Total Projection Purge: Election Year Uni R 67% 23.0 28.5 65 45 110 The BFG Dis PG 71% […]

> To commemorate Green Lantern‘s arrival, 10 superhero movies that couldn’t fly: 10. WATCHMAN (2009):  Not a total disaster, but Zack Snyder’s failed epic earns its place by providing definitive proof that monk-like faithfulness in adapting a comic to the screen is doomed to failure:  endlessly long (more than 3 hours on DVD!), impenetrably plotted, […]

> Click below for a quick summary of some notable numbers from this past weekend overseas: THE SMURFS reached $141M overseas with the help of a tremendous $60M weekend.  Like other recent 3D animated films, it has a good chance of doubling its US gross overseas.   RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, still […]

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 +2% above last year and still +4% above the average for this point the past four years ($5.940 billion).  Over the same period, Hollywood films have grossed over $16.9 […]