Seven films made it into the $10,000 club at the weekend, but none of them were able to earn much more than $11,000. Pan's Labyrinth continues to show very strong legs on the per theater chart despite expanding ever wider. This weekend the film earned nearly $2.2 million in 194 screens for an average of $11,180. Comedy of Power grew by nearly 9% to $10,945 in its lone theater, placing it second, less than $20 ahead of God Grew Tired of Us. Next up was Guru, which earned an estimated $760,000 in 71 theatres for a preliminary average of $10,704. The overall box office leader, Stomp the Yard, was next with an average of $10,645 in its 2,051 theaters. Long-term resident, Letters from Iwo Jima saw its first expansion this past weekend, growing from 5 theaters to 35 while its average remained strong at $10,464. Venus grew by more than 11% this week to reenter the $10,000 club with an average $10,079.

Two other limited releases opened over the weekend with Tears of the Black Tiger taking in $7,954 in its lone theater and Verdict on Auschwitz earning just $2,740.

This past week also saw milestones reached for a couple Per Theater Chart alumni:

• Perfume: The Story of a Murderer's expansion went ... poorly ... but it was still able to reach $1 million early on the weekend.
• On the other hand, The Painted Veil expansion was quite strong, helping it hit $2 million over the weekend. It is already halfway to $3 million.
• Notes on a Scandal doubled its theater count, pushing it past $4 million over the weekend.
• Pan's Labyrinth earned almost as much over the weekend as it did during the first two weeks of release, topping $4 million along the way.
• Curse of the Golden Flower also hit $4 million, but it has certainly peaked at the box office and will see its theater count drop-off quite quickly from now on.
• With awards being handed out in a rapid fashion, The Queen is taking advantage of all the free press and growing at the box office. This week the film made it past $30 million overall and now has more than Employee of the Month and is closing in on She's the Man.

- C.S.Strowbridge

Date posted: 2007-01-17