Weekend Estimates: Jack No Giant
March 3, 2013
The year's first big-budget special effects extravaganza is headed for a decidedly weak opening weekend. Jack the Giant Slayer will earn about $28 million, according to Warner Bros., which is only a fraction of its reported $195 million production budget. Even with international numbers expected to be better, the film will struggle financially. The weekend's other openers are posting even more modest numbers, but benefit from having much, much lower budgets. 21 and Over is set for $9 million for Relativity and The Last Exorcism Part II will post about $8 million for CBS Films. Phantom, from new distributor RCR Media Group, will pick up a very weak $460,000 or so (they have not shared an official number with us) from 1,118 theaters, highlighting once more the challenge for new distributors in establishing a place in the market.
The story of returning films is all about the Oscars. Life of Pi is the biggest beneficiary from the show, increasing 43% from last weekend for $2.3 million in 626 theaters. Argo will be up 21% at $2.2 million, and, perhaps surprisingly, Django Unchained gains about 5% from last weekend at $1.024 million. Silver Linings Playbook is up 3% to $5.9 million.
With the Oscars over, art house films are back in force. According to our count, 20 new films came out in limited release this weekend, to go with the four wide releases. With so many of them, its going to be a while before we can separate all the winners and the losers, but a few films have clearly made impressive starts. Stoker from Fox Searchlight will most likely take the per theater crown this weekend with $158,800 predicted from seven theaters. TriBeca Films has Oscar-nominee War Witch starting out with around $10,260 from a single theater.
Bruce Nash bruce.nash@the-numbers.com
Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Life of Pi, Stoker, Jack the Giant Slayer, Django Unchained, Argo, Silver Linings Playbook, 21 and Over, Rebelle, The Last Exorcism Part II, Phantom