The overall box office leader, American Gangster, was also the champion on the per theater chart with $14,265. The only other film to crack $10,000 was Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten with an average of $10,440 in two theaters.

The rest of the new limited releases were few and far between. Darfur Now earned a very respectable average of $7,739 in its three theaters while Diva did reasonably well during its re-release with $5,672 in one theater. On the other hand, Fat Girls struggles with just $2,233.

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

• Lars and the Real Girl has peaked at the box office, but it still reached $2 million over the weekend.
• Bella also reached $2 million over the weekend, but it is showing better legs than expected.
• The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford topped $3 million before the weekend and should reach $4 million before long. However, this is weaker than expected and probably not enough exposure to earn many Oscar nods.
• Likewise, Lust, Caution also hit $3 million before the weekend, but a stronger per theater average indicates better legs making $ million and even $5 million more likely.
• Into the Wild has been holding on better than expected and that helped it hit $10 million over the weekend. With a sub-$2000 per theater average, it will likely shed theater at an accelerated pace, but $15 million isn't out of the question.
• Across the Universe made it all the way to $20 million over the weekend and at this pace it will shortly enter the top 50 chart for limited releases.

Date posted: 2007-11-06