While there were plenty of new releases this past weekend, most failed to make an impact at the box office and that left Control an opportunity to capture first place with $19,121. This represents a drop-off of only 30% in its per theater average despite doubling its theater count. Meanwhile, Wristcutters: A Love Story opened in second place with an average of $14,269 in three theaters. Finally, Blade Runner managed more than $10,000 on the per theater chart for the third weekend in a row with $13,004.

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D was the only other new release to perform well earning an average of $9,451. Considering this was earned in 564 venues, it is an unbelievably strong start. O Jerusalem and Reservation Road earned nearly identical averages with $2,597 and $2,591 respectively. Next up was DarkBlueAlmostBlack with $1,897 while Moondance Alexander was the only other new release to top $1,000 with $1,245. There were three films to open with less than $1,000 this week starting with Out of the Blue at $728, The Ten Commandments with $577 and Arnold's Park with $459.

This past week also saw milestones reached for a few Per Theater Charts alumni:

• In the Shadow of the Moon reached $1 million over the weekend more than a month after it first launched.
• Silk also reached $1 million, and like the previous film, that's as far as it will go.
• Lust, Caution made it to $2 million over the weekend, barely, and may see some further expansion.
• The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford did not fall as expected. In fact, it continues to expand, reaching $2 million in the process. However, with a per theater average of less than $2,000, that won't happen again.
• On the other hand, The Darjeeling Limited should expand and the $4 million mark won't be the last milestone the film will reach.
• Massive expansion helped Into the Wild hit $5 million over the weekend and $10 million isn't out of the question.
• Across the Universe managed to reach $15 million and it could reach $20 million, depending on how well it holds on to its theaters.

- C.S.Strowbridge

Date posted: 2007-10-23