Paranormal Activity 4 opened this weekend with $27 million overseas from 33 markets, on its way to an estimated $110 million total overseas and a weak $67 million total domestic (according to ShowbuzzDaily projections).  That would give PA4 a worldwide total of $177 million, tied with PA2 as the lowest in the still-very-profitable franchise. The biggest gainer overseas this […]

> After another awful 1.0 rating last night, NBC did what it had to do and put on the executioner’s hood for FREE AGENTS.  Early indications are that in the short-term, the network may fill the slot with reruns of WHITNEY. Tonight’s heads on the potential chopping block:  ABC’s CHARLIE’S ANGELS and CBS’s HOW TO […]

  Nothing last night came close to basketball. ABC:  Per Mitch Metcalf:  NBA FINALS GAME 3 came to life last night with a 5.8 unadjusted fast national rating with adults 18-49.  We are estimating that rating will go up to a 6.7 rating in the official (time-zone-adjusted) nationals to be released later today.  This still lags […]

  BROADCAST FINALS ABC:  After a news special at 0.38 and a rerun at 0.28, 20/20 was steady at 0.23. CBS:  A news special at 0.21 was followed by GREATEST @HOME VIDEOS at 0.21 and reruns at 0.11/0.12. NBC:  A rerun at 0.17 was followed by DATELINE at 0.29. FOX:  WWE SMACKDOWN jumped 0.21 to […]

  Football. DEMOGRAPHIC DETAIL: For each broadcast program (or hour segment), the chart below displays preliminary key advertiser demographics (adult 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 ratings), audience skews (women 18-49, men 18-49 and adults 50+ shares) and total viewership (thousands of people over the age of 2). Ratings analysis and comparisons follow the chart. CBS:  The AFC […]

>Based on Wednesday and Thursday numbers, Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1 will hold on to the #1 spot this weekend despite an anticipated precipitous drop, followed in second place by The Muppets.  The other kid-friendly openers, Arthur Christmas and Hugo, are fighting over table scraps.  The weekend is now looking like it will be down […]

The domestic box office was back down this week.  Volatility has been the operative word recently.  The first two weeks of May (April 30-May 13) were up more than 35% each from prior years, followed by the next three weeks (May 14-June 3) which were down around 15% each week.  Then last week was up […]

    THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL:  Worth A Ticket – A Different Kind of Dream Team     Bear with me here. On Friday, Fox Searchlight will throw THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL directly into the path of the mega-buster that is The Avengers.  (Well, in 27 big-city theatres, anyway.)  It’s tempting, of course, […]