The weekend now looks like $52 million for the top 12 films instead of the $50 million estimate yesterday. But the basic rank order remains the same. The Possession remains at #1 and is headed for a final domestic gross of over $50 million now, while Lawless has increased to a $40 million total. The Words and especially The Cold Light of Day opened and crashed hard.
The ShowbuzzDaily Domestic Final estimates for films opening wide this weekend: The Words ($11 million) and The Cold Light of Day ($3 million).
Second week film: The Possession ($53 million, up significantly from last week’s initial estimate) and Lawless ($40 million, also up from last week).
Third week films: 2016 Obama’s America ($36 million, up again from last week), Premium Rush ($24 million, even with last week) and Hit and Run ($17 million, up slightly from last week).
Fourth week films: The Expendables 2 ($89 million, up a touch from last week), ParaNorman ($57 million, up slightly from last week), The Odd Life of Timothy Green ($52 million, up from last week’s estimate) and Sparkle ($24 million, even with last week).
| Weekend 36: Sep 7-9, 2012 | ($ millions) | ||||
| vs Last Wknd | Wknd Studio Proj. | Showbuzz Domestic Final | |||
| The Possession | LG | -46% | 9.5 | 53 | |
| Lawless | Weins | -40% | 6.0 | 40 | |
| The Words | CBS | 5.0 | 11 | ||
| The Expendables 2 | LG | -47% | 4.8 | 89 | |
| Bourne Legacy | Uni | -45% | 4.0 | 115 | |
| ParaNorman | Foc/ Uni | -42% | 3.8 | 57 | |
| Odd Life of Timothy Green | Dis | -42% | 3.7 | 52 | |
| The Campaign | WB | -38% | 3.5 | 90 | |
| Dark Knight Rises | WB | -46% | 3.3 | 443 | |
| 2016 Obama’s America | Rocky Mtn | -42% | 3.3 | 36 | |
| Hope Springs | Sony | -40% | 2.8 | 67 | |
| Premium Rush | Sony | -42% | 2.3 | 24 | |
| Cold Light of Day | Summit | 1.8 | 3 | ||
Total Box Office Volume
The Top 12 Films this weekend are looking like a hideous $52 million total Friday-Sunday (slightly better than the $50 million it looked like yesterday), down 20% from the same weekend last year and down 29% from the average comparable weekend the last four years. This is only marginally better than the $50.3 million weekend back in September 5-7, 2008. And you have to go back to 2003 (also September 5-7) to find an equally terrible showing ($50.5 million for the top 12 films).
| ($ millions) | |||
| WEEKEND #36 | Weekend Volume: Top 12 Films | Top Movies Opening Each Weekend | |
| 2012 | $52 | The Words $5, Cold Light of Day $1.8 | |
| 2011 | $65 | Contagion $22, Warrior $5, Bucky Larson $1 | |
| 2010 | $66 | Resident Evil: Afterlife $27 | |
| 2009 | $76 | TP I Can Do Bad $23, 9 $11, Sorority Row $5 | |
| 2008 | $86 | Burn After Reading $19, Family That Preys $17 | |
| Avg 2008-11 | $73 | ||
Opening Next Week
Opening wide next weekend are Resident Evil: Retribution from Sony (action horror starring Milla Jovovich) and the 3D re-release of Finding Nemo from Disney. These films will be compared to the following openers from the same weekend last year: Lion King 3D ($30.2 million opening weekend), Drive ($11.3 million), Straw Dogs ($5.1 million) and I Don’t Know How She Does It ($4.4 million).
International grosses will be updated as available.
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