Won't Back Down (2012)

Won't Back Down poster
Theatrical Performance
Domestic Box Office $5,310,554Details
International Box Office $434,949Details
Worldwide Box Office $5,745,503
Home Market Performance
Est. Domestic DVD Sales $886,660 Details
Est. Domestic Blu-ray Sales $109,602 Details
Total Est. Domestic Video Sales $996,262
Further financial details...

Synopsis

Two determined mothers­, one a teacher, will stop at nothing to transform their children's failing inner city school. Facing a powerful and entrenched bureaucracy, they risk everything to make a difference in the education and future of their children. This powerful story of parenthood, friendship and courage mirrors events that are making headlines daily.

Metrics

Opening Weekend:$2,603,370 (49.0% of total gross)
Legs:2.04 (domestic box office/biggest weekend)
Domestic Share:92.4% (domestic box office/worldwide)
Production Budget:$19,000,000 (worldwide box office is 0.3 times production budget)
Theater counts:2,515 opening theaters/2,517 max. theaters, 2.3 weeks average run per theater
Infl. Adj. Dom. BO $7,191,931

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 6,401-6,500) 6,470 $5,310,554
All Time International Box Office (Rank 13,101-13,200) 13,164 $434,949
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 9,401-9,500) 9,474 $5,745,503

See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.


Watch Now On

Google Play:Google Play

Movie Details

Domestic Releases: September 28th, 2012 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox
International Releases: October 4th, 2012 (Wide) (Lebanon)
October 4th, 2012 (Wide) (Thailand)
October 4th, 2012 (Wide) (United Arab Emirates)
October 19th, 2012 (Wide) (Taiwan)
November 23rd, 2012 (Wide) (Vietnam)
... Show all releases
Video Release: January 15th, 2013 by Fox Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG or thematic elements and language.
(Rating bulletin 2206, 1/18/2012)
Running Time: 121 minutes
Comparisons: vs. En kongelig affære
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Agitprop, Inspired by a True Story, Inspirational Teacher, Political, Teachers, Life Drama
Source:Original Screenplay
Genre:Drama
Production Method:Live Action
Creative Type:Contemporary Fiction
Production/Financing Companies: Walden Media, Gran Via
Production Countries: United States
Languages: English

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Sep 28, 2012 10 $2,603,370   2,515 $1,035   $2,603,370 1
Oct 5, 2012 13 $1,016,157 -61% 2,517 $404   $4,483,670 2
Oct 12, 2012 25 $138,709 -86% 513 $270   $5,098,692 3
Oct 19, 2012 45 $44,889 -68% 168 $267   $5,228,770 4
Oct 26, 2012 63 $14,212 -68% 65 $219   $5,264,093 5
Nov 2, 2012 64 $13,079 -8% 41 $319   $5,285,207 6
Nov 9, 2012 69 $7,366 -44% 38 $194   $5,298,959 7
Nov 16, 2012 60 $6,148 -17% 24 $256   $5,308,553 8

Daily Box Office Performance

DateRankGross%YD%LWTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossDays
Sep 28, 2012 8 $917,768     2,515 $365   $917,768 1
Sep 29, 2012 10 $1,100,317 +20%   2,515 $438   $2,018,085 2
Sep 30, 2012 11 $585,285 -47%   2,515 $233   $2,603,370 3
Oct 1, 2012 11 $200,125 -66%   2,515 $80   $2,803,495 4
Oct 2, 2012 10 $282,309 +41%   2,515 $112   $3,085,804 5
Oct 3, 2012 10 $188,972 -33%   2,515 $75   $3,274,776 6
Oct 4, 2012 11 $192,737 +2%   2,515 $77   $3,467,513 7
Oct 5, 2012 13 $305,905 +59% -67% 2,517 $122   $3,773,418 8
Oct 6, 2012 13 $420,419 +37% -62% 2,517 $167   $4,193,837 9
Oct 7, 2012 13 $289,833 -31% -50% 2,517 $115   $4,483,670 10
Oct 8, 2012 - $150,081 -48% -25% 2,517 $60   $4,633,751 11
Oct 9, 2012 11 $125,890 -16% -55% 2,517 $50   $4,759,641 12
Oct 10, 2012 13 $100,041 -21% -47% 2,517 $40   $4,859,682 13
Oct 11, 2012 13 $100,301 n/c -48% 2,517 $40   $4,959,983 14
Oct 12, 2012 - $34,098 -66% -89% 513 $66   $4,994,081 15
Oct 13, 2012 - $58,050 +70% -86% 513 $113   $5,052,131 16
Oct 14, 2012 - $46,561 -20% -84% 513 $91   $5,098,692 17
Oct 15, 2012 - $26,609 -43% -82% 513 $52   $5,125,301 18
Oct 16, 2012 - $20,272 -24% -84% 513 $40   $5,145,573 19
Oct 17, 2012 - $18,261 -10% -82% 513 $36   $5,163,834 20
Oct 18, 2012 - $20,047 +10% -80% 513 $39   $5,183,881 21
Oct 19, 2012 - $12,736 -36% -63% 168 $76   $5,196,617 22
Oct 20, 2012 - $19,630 +54% -66% 168 $117   $5,216,247 23
Oct 21, 2012 - $12,523 -36% -73% 168 $75   $5,228,770 24
Oct 22, 2012 - $4,636 -63% -83% 168 $28   $5,233,406 25
Oct 23, 2012 - $8,444 +82% -58% 168 $50   $5,241,850 26
Oct 24, 2012 - $3,805 -55% -79% 168 $23   $5,245,655 27
Oct 25, 2012 - $4,226 +11% -79% 168 $25   $5,249,881 28
Oct 26, 2012 - $4,361 +3% -66% 65 $67   $5,254,242 29
Oct 27, 2012 - $6,141 +41% -69% 65 $94   $5,260,383 30
Oct 28, 2012 - $3,710 -40% -70% 65 $57   $5,264,093 31
Oct 29, 2012 - $2,212 -40% -52% 65 $34   $5,266,305 32
Oct 30, 2012 - $2,042 -8% -76% 65 $31   $5,268,347 33
Oct 31, 2012 - $2,059 +1% -46% 65 $32   $5,270,406 34
Nov 1, 2012 - $1,722 -16% -59% 65 $26   $5,272,128 35
Nov 2, 2012 - $3,906 +127% -10% 41 $95   $5,276,034 36
Nov 3, 2012 - $5,704 +46% -7% 41 $139   $5,281,738 37
Nov 4, 2012 - $3,469 -39% -6% 41 $85   $5,285,207 38
Nov 5, 2012 - $1,561 -55% -29% 41 $38   $5,286,768 39
Nov 6, 2012 - $2,013 +29% -1% 41 $49   $5,288,781 40
Nov 7, 2012 - $1,275 -37% -38% 41 $31   $5,290,056 41
Nov 8, 2012 - $1,537 +21% -11% 41 $37   $5,291,593 42
Nov 9, 2012 - $2,198 +43% -44% 38 $58   $5,293,791 43
Nov 10, 2012 - $3,285 +49% -42% 38 $86   $5,297,076 44
Nov 11, 2012 - $1,883 -43% -46% 38 $50   $5,298,959 45
Nov 12, 2012 - $1,126 -40% -28% 38 $30   $5,300,085 46
Nov 13, 2012 - $802 -29% -60% 38 $21   $5,300,887 47
Nov 14, 2012 - $784 -2% -39% 38 $21   $5,301,671 48
Nov 15, 2012 - $734 -6% -52% 38 $19   $5,302,405 49
Nov 16, 2012 - $1,634 +123% -26% 24 $68   $5,304,039 50
Nov 17, 2012 - $2,794 +71% -15% 24 $116   $5,306,833 51
Nov 18, 2012 - $1,720 -38% -9% 24 $72   $5,308,553 52
Nov 19, 2012 - $492 -71% -56% 24 $21   $5,309,045 53
Nov 20, 2012 - $891 +81% +11% 24 $37   $5,309,936 54
Nov 21, 2012 - $247 -72% -68% 24 $10   $5,310,183 55
Nov 22, 2012 - $371 +50% -49% 24 $15   $5,310,554 56

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Sep 28, 2012 10 $3,467,513   2,515 $1,379   $3,467,513 1
Oct 5, 2012 13 $1,492,470 -57% 2,517 $593   $4,959,983 2
Oct 12, 2012 24 $223,898 -85% 513 $436   $5,183,881 3
Oct 19, 2012 44 $66,000 -71% 168 $393   $5,249,881 4
Oct 26, 2012 62 $22,247 -66% 65 $342   $5,272,128 5
Nov 2, 2012 64 $19,465 -13% 41 $475   $5,291,593 6
Nov 9, 2012 75 $10,812 -44% 38 $285   $5,302,405 7
Nov 16, 2012 69 $8,149 -25% 24 $340   $5,310,554 8

Box Office Summary Per Territory

Territory Release
Date
Opening
Weekend
Opening
Weekend
Screens
Maximum
Screens
Theatrical
Engagements
Total
Box Office
Report
Date
Lebanon 10/4/2012 $6,418 9 9 9 $6,418 12/29/2018
Singapore 12/27/2012 $3,180 2 2 3 $6,028 12/13/2015
South Africa 4/12/2013 $9,510 19 19 19 $9,510 12/14/2015
Taiwan 10/19/2012 $90,491 31 31 80 $356,684 12/12/2015
Thailand 10/4/2012 $1,907 5 5 6 $2,937 12/12/2015
United Arab Emirates 10/4/2012 $14,814 19 19 19 $18,589 12/29/2018
United Kingdom 1/25/2013 $1,196 10 10 10 $1,196 12/14/2015
Vietnam 11/23/2012 $1,455 3 3 6 $2,997 12/29/2018
 
Rest of World $30,590
 
International Total$434,949 12/29/2018

International Cumulative Box Office Records


Worldwide Cumulative Box Office Records


Full financial estimates for this film, including domestic and international box office, video sales, video rentals, TV and ancillary revenue are available through our research services. For more information, please contact us at research@the-numbers.com.

Leading Cast

Maggie Gyllenhaal    Jamie Fitzpatrick
Viola Davis    Nona Alberts

Supporting Cast

Oscar Isaac    Michael Perry
Holly Hunter    Evelyn Riske
Rosie Perez    Breena Harper
Malia Fitzpatrick    Emily Alyn Lind
Dante Brown    Cody Alberts
Lance Reddick    Charles Alberts
Ving Rhames    Principal Thompson
Bill Nunn    Principal Holland
Ned Eisenberg    Arthur Gould
Marianne Jean-Baptiste    Olivia Lopez
Liza Colon-Zayas    Yvonne
Nancy Bach    Deborah
Keith Flippen    Ben
Robert Haley    Tim
Lucia Forte    District Receptionist
Sarab Kamoo    Principal Chamudes
Teri Clark Linden    Cody's Teacher
Joe Coyle    Clay Bathgate
Jennifer Massey    Valerie Bathgate
Jane Mowder    Jan
Reavis Graham    Hank Hart
Anthony Marino, Jr.    Tyler
Richard Barlow    Mr. Brandt
Rebecca Harris    Ms. Southwick
Kevin Jiggetts    Mr. Mannis
Patricia Cray    Ms. Schwartz
Juan Veza    Mr. Parrish
Franklin Ojeda Smith    Mr. King
Sara Lindsey    Thompson's Assistant
Sue Jin Song    Bureaucrat #1
Ted Russell    Bureaucrat #2
Carmella Gioio    Bureaucrat #3
Kurt Yue    Daddy Drop-off
Gabrielle McClinton    Babysitter
Elisa Perry    Rhonda
Dionne Audain    Adam's Parent
Becky Meister    Teacher #1
Toni Romano    Teacher #2
Stephen Weigand    Riske's Assistant
Paige Nelson    Dana
Kyler Norton    Nintendo Kid
Jack Walz    Boy At Lottery
Ivanna Eubanks    Girl at Lottery
Rick Applegate    School Superintendent
Julius Tennon    Thomas

For a description of the different acting role types we use to categorize acting perfomances, see our Glossary.

Production and Technical Credits

Daniel Barnz    Director
Daniel Barnz    Screenwriter
Brin Hill    Screenwriter
Mark Johnson    Producer
Tom Williams    Executive Producer
Ron Schmidt    Executive Producer
Roman Osin    Director of Photography
Rusty Smith    Production Designer
Kristina Boden    Editor
Marcelo Zarvos    Composer
Linda Cohen    Music Supervisor
Luca Musca    Costume Designer
Laura Rosenthal    Casting Director
Julie Madison    Casting Director
Nadia Lubbe Simon    Casting Director

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for January 15th, 2013

January 15th, 2013

It is a rather shallow week on the home market. Taken 2 should come away with an easy win, but after that, there's almost nothing that will reach the top 30 for the week. Also, Taken 2 is not Pick of the Week material. I don't know if there is anything that is truly Pick of the Week material. Wake in Fright comes the closest, but the DVD or Blu-ray is still late, I hate giving this title when I'm still waiting for the screener. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Taken Two Twice as Strong

October 8th, 2012

Taken 2 took the competition and went to work on them. It opened much, much better than its predecessor did, doubling its opening weekend haul. It also made nearly twice as much as Hotel Transylvania and easily more than last year's number one film, Real Steel. This helped the overall box office grow by 20% from last weekend to $142 million, which is nearly 50% higher than the same weekend last year. Finally there's a reason to celebrate the box office again. One win could have been a fluke, but two is officially a streak. Year-to-date, 2012 is ahead of 2011 by 3.2% at $8.24 billion to $7.99 billion. Granted, that's off its peak from earlier in the year, but I'm happy the bleeding has stopped. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: An Early Halloween Treat

October 1st, 2012

September ended on a record-breaking note as Hotel Transylvania finally bumped Sweet Home Alabama out of top spot on the September weekend list. That record lasted a full decade, which is amazing given the total ticket price inflation since 2002. Not only did Hotel Transylvania crush predictions, Looper also did a little bit better than predicted, a tiny bit better than predicted. This is true of just about every film in the top ten, and every little bit helps. Overall, the weekend box office surged 30% from last weekend to $118 million, which was 19% higher than the same weekend last year. Let's hope this is more than a momentary blip and the beginning of a new winning streak. More...

Weekend Estimates: Hotel Transylvania Sets September Record

September 30th, 2012

Hotel Transylvania will set a new September weekend record by a big margin this weekend, according to Sony's estimate released on Sunday morning. The film's expected $43 million debut is more than 20% bigger than Sweet Home Alabama's opening exactly ten years ago, although a 38% increase in ticket price in the last decade means it's a bit more of a marketing record than a real one. Still, $43 million is a very useful boost to the industry, which has been in the doldrums in September. In fact, this will be the first weekend of the month to record a win on the 2011 year-on-year comparison. Also helping is a great opening weekend for Looper, which will itself end up in the top 30 September weekends, with Sony projecting $21.2 million right now. All-in-all, it's a great weekend for the studio. More...

Weekend Predictions: A Vacancy for New Releases

September 27th, 2012

There are two wide releases coming out this week that should be in a relatively close race for first place, plus an also-ran that will mostly be forgotten. Last week I thought Looper would win the weekend over Hotel Transylvania; however, that's probably not going to happen. Looper is definitely the better movie, but Hotel Transylvania is opening in more theaters than expected, while Looper is opening in less than expected. Both should do decent business, at least compared to the rest of September's new releases. On the other hand, Won't Back Down will likely struggle just to reach the top five. There's one more new release with a shot at a spot in the top ten, Pitch Perfect. It's opening in more than 300 theaters, which is a risky proposition. If it does open in the top ten, it could expand wide next weekend. I don't think it is very likely, but I'll have more to say with the limited release report. Last year there were four wide releases, but none of them cracked $10 million. The number one film was Dolphin Tale at just under $13 million. If we don't top that this year, we are in a world of trouble. More...

Contest: In the Loop

September 21st, 2012

The final weekend of September features three wide releases: Hotel Transylvania, Looper, and Won't Back Down. When it comes to the target film, I think we can dismiss Won't Back Down, as it is opening in the fewest theaters and has the least amount of buzz. Hotel Transylvania is opening in the most theaters, but early reviews are only mixed and the buzz isn't much louder than Frankenweenie, despite opening a week earlier. Looper is earning near perfect reviews so far and it has a lot of buzz, but it has a lot of internet buzz, which often fails to translate into ticket sales. I really, really, really want Looper to be a hit, but I'm afraid that is clouding my judgment. Even so, I think it will be the number one film next Friday and will just have enough to stay ahead of Hotel Transylvania. As such, I'm making it the target film in this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Looper. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going over, will win a copy of Glee: Season Three on Blu-ray. Meanwhile, whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going under, will also win a copy of In Time on Blu-ray. (It's the closest thing I had to a Time Travel film I had in the prize pool.) Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

2012 Preview: September

September 1st, 2012

August is over and let's just be glad we never have to talk about that month again. It is too early to tell how a couple of the wide releases from the month will do, but of the other fourteen we have solid numbers for, none of them were a pleasant surprise. There were a few that were mildly disappointing, but likely still profitable. There were also a few that were "What were they thinking?" level of box office bomb. This September, there about a dozen films opening wide, depending on your definition of wide. (Plus, For A Good Time, Call might expand wide on the 14th, while The Master is opening in limited release on the 14th, but might expand wide before the end of the month. "Might" is the key here. I don't think either will get it done.) None of the dozen films are likely to get to $100 million. In fact, there's a good chance no film opening this month will get to $75 million in total. The biggest film of the month could be Finding Nemo, which is getting a 3D Re-release. As long as the movie going public hasn't tired of 3D re-releases, it should be a hit, but there are signs that the trend might be ending soon. There are a few others that should become midlevel hits, but most will struggle to find an audience. Last September was not terrible with one $100 million film and a few other midlevel hits. For 2012 to come out ahead, it will have to rely on depth, and I'm more than a little worried in that regard. More...


  1. Summary
  2. News
  3. Box Office
  4. International
  5. Video Sales
  6. Full Financials
  7. Cast & Crew
  8. Trailer

Synopsis

Two determined mothers­, one a teacher, will stop at nothing to transform their children's failing inner city school. Facing a powerful and entrenched bureaucracy, they risk everything to make a difference in the education and future of their children. This powerful story of parenthood, friendship and courage mirrors events that are making headlines daily.

Metrics

Opening Weekend:$2,603,370 (49.0% of total gross)
Legs:2.04 (domestic box office/biggest weekend)
Domestic Share:92.4% (domestic box office/worldwide)
Production Budget:$19,000,000 (worldwide box office is 0.3 times production budget)
Theater counts:2,515 opening theaters/2,517 max. theaters, 2.3 weeks average run per theater
Infl. Adj. Dom. BO $7,191,931

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 6,401-6,500) 6,470 $5,310,554
All Time International Box Office (Rank 13,101-13,200) 13,164 $434,949
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 9,401-9,500) 9,474 $5,745,503

See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.


Watch Now On

Google Play:Google Play

Movie Details

Domestic Releases: September 28th, 2012 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox
International Releases: October 4th, 2012 (Wide) (Lebanon)
October 4th, 2012 (Wide) (Thailand)
October 4th, 2012 (Wide) (United Arab Emirates)
October 19th, 2012 (Wide) (Taiwan)
November 23rd, 2012 (Wide) (Vietnam)
... Show all releases
Video Release: January 15th, 2013 by Fox Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG or thematic elements and language.
(Rating bulletin 2206, 1/18/2012)
Running Time: 121 minutes
Comparisons: vs. En kongelig affære
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Agitprop, Inspired by a True Story, Inspirational Teacher, Political, Teachers, Life Drama
Source:Original Screenplay
Genre:Drama
Production Method:Live Action
Creative Type:Contemporary Fiction
Production/Financing Companies: Walden Media, Gran Via
Production Countries: United States
Languages: English

Leading Cast

Maggie Gyllenhaal    Jamie Fitzpatrick
Viola Davis    Nona Alberts

Supporting Cast

Oscar Isaac    Michael Perry
Holly Hunter    Evelyn Riske
Rosie Perez    Breena Harper
Malia Fitzpatrick    Emily Alyn Lind
Dante Brown    Cody Alberts
Lance Reddick    Charles Alberts
Ving Rhames    Principal Thompson
Bill Nunn    Principal Holland
Ned Eisenberg    Arthur Gould
Marianne Jean-Baptiste    Olivia Lopez
Liza Colon-Zayas    Yvonne
Nancy Bach    Deborah
Keith Flippen    Ben
Robert Haley    Tim
Lucia Forte    District Receptionist
Sarab Kamoo    Principal Chamudes
Teri Clark Linden    Cody's Teacher
Joe Coyle    Clay Bathgate
Jennifer Massey    Valerie Bathgate
Jane Mowder    Jan
Reavis Graham    Hank Hart
Anthony Marino, Jr.    Tyler
Richard Barlow    Mr. Brandt
Rebecca Harris    Ms. Southwick
Kevin Jiggetts    Mr. Mannis
Patricia Cray    Ms. Schwartz
Juan Veza    Mr. Parrish
Franklin Ojeda Smith    Mr. King
Sara Lindsey    Thompson's Assistant
Sue Jin Song    Bureaucrat #1
Ted Russell    Bureaucrat #2
Carmella Gioio    Bureaucrat #3
Kurt Yue    Daddy Drop-off
Gabrielle McClinton    Babysitter
Elisa Perry    Rhonda
Dionne Audain    Adam's Parent
Becky Meister    Teacher #1
Toni Romano    Teacher #2
Stephen Weigand    Riske's Assistant
Paige Nelson    Dana
Kyler Norton    Nintendo Kid
Jack Walz    Boy At Lottery
Ivanna Eubanks    Girl at Lottery
Rick Applegate    School Superintendent
Julius Tennon    Thomas

For a description of the different acting role types we use to categorize acting perfomances, see our Glossary.

Production and Technical Credits

Daniel Barnz    Director
Daniel Barnz    Screenwriter
Brin Hill    Screenwriter
Mark Johnson    Producer
Tom Williams    Executive Producer
Ron Schmidt    Executive Producer
Roman Osin    Director of Photography
Rusty Smith    Production Designer
Kristina Boden    Editor
Marcelo Zarvos    Composer
Linda Cohen    Music Supervisor
Luca Musca    Costume Designer
Laura Rosenthal    Casting Director
Julie Madison    Casting Director
Nadia Lubbe Simon    Casting Director

DVD and Blu-ray Releases for January 15th, 2013

January 15th, 2013

It is a rather shallow week on the home market. Taken 2 should come away with an easy win, but after that, there's almost nothing that will reach the top 30 for the week. Also, Taken 2 is not Pick of the Week material. I don't know if there is anything that is truly Pick of the Week material. Wake in Fright comes the closest, but the DVD or Blu-ray is still late, I hate giving this title when I'm still waiting for the screener. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Taken Two Twice as Strong

October 8th, 2012

Taken 2 took the competition and went to work on them. It opened much, much better than its predecessor did, doubling its opening weekend haul. It also made nearly twice as much as Hotel Transylvania and easily more than last year's number one film, Real Steel. This helped the overall box office grow by 20% from last weekend to $142 million, which is nearly 50% higher than the same weekend last year. Finally there's a reason to celebrate the box office again. One win could have been a fluke, but two is officially a streak. Year-to-date, 2012 is ahead of 2011 by 3.2% at $8.24 billion to $7.99 billion. Granted, that's off its peak from earlier in the year, but I'm happy the bleeding has stopped. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: An Early Halloween Treat

October 1st, 2012

September ended on a record-breaking note as Hotel Transylvania finally bumped Sweet Home Alabama out of top spot on the September weekend list. That record lasted a full decade, which is amazing given the total ticket price inflation since 2002. Not only did Hotel Transylvania crush predictions, Looper also did a little bit better than predicted, a tiny bit better than predicted. This is true of just about every film in the top ten, and every little bit helps. Overall, the weekend box office surged 30% from last weekend to $118 million, which was 19% higher than the same weekend last year. Let's hope this is more than a momentary blip and the beginning of a new winning streak. More...

Weekend Estimates: Hotel Transylvania Sets September Record

September 30th, 2012

Hotel Transylvania will set a new September weekend record by a big margin this weekend, according to Sony's estimate released on Sunday morning. The film's expected $43 million debut is more than 20% bigger than Sweet Home Alabama's opening exactly ten years ago, although a 38% increase in ticket price in the last decade means it's a bit more of a marketing record than a real one. Still, $43 million is a very useful boost to the industry, which has been in the doldrums in September. In fact, this will be the first weekend of the month to record a win on the 2011 year-on-year comparison. Also helping is a great opening weekend for Looper, which will itself end up in the top 30 September weekends, with Sony projecting $21.2 million right now. All-in-all, it's a great weekend for the studio. More...

Weekend Predictions: A Vacancy for New Releases

September 27th, 2012

There are two wide releases coming out this week that should be in a relatively close race for first place, plus an also-ran that will mostly be forgotten. Last week I thought Looper would win the weekend over Hotel Transylvania; however, that's probably not going to happen. Looper is definitely the better movie, but Hotel Transylvania is opening in more theaters than expected, while Looper is opening in less than expected. Both should do decent business, at least compared to the rest of September's new releases. On the other hand, Won't Back Down will likely struggle just to reach the top five. There's one more new release with a shot at a spot in the top ten, Pitch Perfect. It's opening in more than 300 theaters, which is a risky proposition. If it does open in the top ten, it could expand wide next weekend. I don't think it is very likely, but I'll have more to say with the limited release report. Last year there were four wide releases, but none of them cracked $10 million. The number one film was Dolphin Tale at just under $13 million. If we don't top that this year, we are in a world of trouble. More...

Contest: In the Loop

September 21st, 2012

The final weekend of September features three wide releases: Hotel Transylvania, Looper, and Won't Back Down. When it comes to the target film, I think we can dismiss Won't Back Down, as it is opening in the fewest theaters and has the least amount of buzz. Hotel Transylvania is opening in the most theaters, but early reviews are only mixed and the buzz isn't much louder than Frankenweenie, despite opening a week earlier. Looper is earning near perfect reviews so far and it has a lot of buzz, but it has a lot of internet buzz, which often fails to translate into ticket sales. I really, really, really want Looper to be a hit, but I'm afraid that is clouding my judgment. Even so, I think it will be the number one film next Friday and will just have enough to stay ahead of Hotel Transylvania. As such, I'm making it the target film in this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Looper. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going over, will win a copy of Glee: Season Three on Blu-ray. Meanwhile, whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going under, will also win a copy of In Time on Blu-ray. (It's the closest thing I had to a Time Travel film I had in the prize pool.) Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

2012 Preview: September

September 1st, 2012

August is over and let's just be glad we never have to talk about that month again. It is too early to tell how a couple of the wide releases from the month will do, but of the other fourteen we have solid numbers for, none of them were a pleasant surprise. There were a few that were mildly disappointing, but likely still profitable. There were also a few that were "What were they thinking?" level of box office bomb. This September, there about a dozen films opening wide, depending on your definition of wide. (Plus, For A Good Time, Call might expand wide on the 14th, while The Master is opening in limited release on the 14th, but might expand wide before the end of the month. "Might" is the key here. I don't think either will get it done.) None of the dozen films are likely to get to $100 million. In fact, there's a good chance no film opening this month will get to $75 million in total. The biggest film of the month could be Finding Nemo, which is getting a 3D Re-release. As long as the movie going public hasn't tired of 3D re-releases, it should be a hit, but there are signs that the trend might be ending soon. There are a few others that should become midlevel hits, but most will struggle to find an audience. Last September was not terrible with one $100 million film and a few other midlevel hits. For 2012 to come out ahead, it will have to rely on depth, and I'm more than a little worried in that regard. More...

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Sep 28, 2012 10 $2,603,370   2,515 $1,035   $2,603,370 1
Oct 5, 2012 13 $1,016,157 -61% 2,517 $404   $4,483,670 2
Oct 12, 2012 25 $138,709 -86% 513 $270   $5,098,692 3
Oct 19, 2012 45 $44,889 -68% 168 $267   $5,228,770 4
Oct 26, 2012 63 $14,212 -68% 65 $219   $5,264,093 5
Nov 2, 2012 64 $13,079 -8% 41 $319   $5,285,207 6
Nov 9, 2012 69 $7,366 -44% 38 $194   $5,298,959 7
Nov 16, 2012 60 $6,148 -17% 24 $256   $5,308,553 8

Daily Box Office Performance

DateRankGross%YD%LWTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossDays
Sep 28, 2012 8 $917,768     2,515 $365   $917,768 1
Sep 29, 2012 10 $1,100,317 +20%   2,515 $438   $2,018,085 2
Sep 30, 2012 11 $585,285 -47%   2,515 $233   $2,603,370 3
Oct 1, 2012 11 $200,125 -66%   2,515 $80   $2,803,495 4
Oct 2, 2012 10 $282,309 +41%   2,515 $112   $3,085,804 5
Oct 3, 2012 10 $188,972 -33%   2,515 $75   $3,274,776 6
Oct 4, 2012 11 $192,737 +2%   2,515 $77   $3,467,513 7
Oct 5, 2012 13 $305,905 +59% -67% 2,517 $122   $3,773,418 8
Oct 6, 2012 13 $420,419 +37% -62% 2,517 $167   $4,193,837 9
Oct 7, 2012 13 $289,833 -31% -50% 2,517 $115   $4,483,670 10
Oct 8, 2012 - $150,081 -48% -25% 2,517 $60   $4,633,751 11
Oct 9, 2012 11 $125,890 -16% -55% 2,517 $50   $4,759,641 12
Oct 10, 2012 13 $100,041 -21% -47% 2,517 $40   $4,859,682 13
Oct 11, 2012 13 $100,301 n/c -48% 2,517 $40   $4,959,983 14
Oct 12, 2012 - $34,098 -66% -89% 513 $66   $4,994,081 15
Oct 13, 2012 - $58,050 +70% -86% 513 $113   $5,052,131 16
Oct 14, 2012 - $46,561 -20% -84% 513 $91   $5,098,692 17
Oct 15, 2012 - $26,609 -43% -82% 513 $52   $5,125,301 18
Oct 16, 2012 - $20,272 -24% -84% 513 $40   $5,145,573 19
Oct 17, 2012 - $18,261 -10% -82% 513 $36   $5,163,834 20
Oct 18, 2012 - $20,047 +10% -80% 513 $39   $5,183,881 21
Oct 19, 2012 - $12,736 -36% -63% 168 $76   $5,196,617 22
Oct 20, 2012 - $19,630 +54% -66% 168 $117   $5,216,247 23
Oct 21, 2012 - $12,523 -36% -73% 168 $75   $5,228,770 24
Oct 22, 2012 - $4,636 -63% -83% 168 $28   $5,233,406 25
Oct 23, 2012 - $8,444 +82% -58% 168 $50   $5,241,850 26
Oct 24, 2012 - $3,805 -55% -79% 168 $23   $5,245,655 27
Oct 25, 2012 - $4,226 +11% -79% 168 $25   $5,249,881 28
Oct 26, 2012 - $4,361 +3% -66% 65 $67   $5,254,242 29
Oct 27, 2012 - $6,141 +41% -69% 65 $94   $5,260,383 30
Oct 28, 2012 - $3,710 -40% -70% 65 $57   $5,264,093 31
Oct 29, 2012 - $2,212 -40% -52% 65 $34   $5,266,305 32
Oct 30, 2012 - $2,042 -8% -76% 65 $31   $5,268,347 33
Oct 31, 2012 - $2,059 +1% -46% 65 $32   $5,270,406 34
Nov 1, 2012 - $1,722 -16% -59% 65 $26   $5,272,128 35
Nov 2, 2012 - $3,906 +127% -10% 41 $95   $5,276,034 36
Nov 3, 2012 - $5,704 +46% -7% 41 $139   $5,281,738 37
Nov 4, 2012 - $3,469 -39% -6% 41 $85   $5,285,207 38
Nov 5, 2012 - $1,561 -55% -29% 41 $38   $5,286,768 39
Nov 6, 2012 - $2,013 +29% -1% 41 $49   $5,288,781 40
Nov 7, 2012 - $1,275 -37% -38% 41 $31   $5,290,056 41
Nov 8, 2012 - $1,537 +21% -11% 41 $37   $5,291,593 42
Nov 9, 2012 - $2,198 +43% -44% 38 $58   $5,293,791 43
Nov 10, 2012 - $3,285 +49% -42% 38 $86   $5,297,076 44
Nov 11, 2012 - $1,883 -43% -46% 38 $50   $5,298,959 45
Nov 12, 2012 - $1,126 -40% -28% 38 $30   $5,300,085 46
Nov 13, 2012 - $802 -29% -60% 38 $21   $5,300,887 47
Nov 14, 2012 - $784 -2% -39% 38 $21   $5,301,671 48
Nov 15, 2012 - $734 -6% -52% 38 $19   $5,302,405 49
Nov 16, 2012 - $1,634 +123% -26% 24 $68   $5,304,039 50
Nov 17, 2012 - $2,794 +71% -15% 24 $116   $5,306,833 51
Nov 18, 2012 - $1,720 -38% -9% 24 $72   $5,308,553 52
Nov 19, 2012 - $492 -71% -56% 24 $21   $5,309,045 53
Nov 20, 2012 - $891 +81% +11% 24 $37   $5,309,936 54
Nov 21, 2012 - $247 -72% -68% 24 $10   $5,310,183 55
Nov 22, 2012 - $371 +50% -49% 24 $15   $5,310,554 56

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Sep 28, 2012 10 $3,467,513   2,515 $1,379   $3,467,513 1
Oct 5, 2012 13 $1,492,470 -57% 2,517 $593   $4,959,983 2
Oct 12, 2012 24 $223,898 -85% 513 $436   $5,183,881 3
Oct 19, 2012 44 $66,000 -71% 168 $393   $5,249,881 4
Oct 26, 2012 62 $22,247 -66% 65 $342   $5,272,128 5
Nov 2, 2012 64 $19,465 -13% 41 $475   $5,291,593 6
Nov 9, 2012 75 $10,812 -44% 38 $285   $5,302,405 7
Nov 16, 2012 69 $8,149 -25% 24 $340   $5,310,554 8

Box Office Summary Per Territory

Territory Release
Date
Opening
Weekend
Opening
Weekend
Screens
Maximum
Screens
Theatrical
Engagements
Total
Box Office
Report
Date
Lebanon 10/4/2012 $6,418 9 9 9 $6,418 12/29/2018
Singapore 12/27/2012 $3,180 2 2 3 $6,028 12/13/2015
South Africa 4/12/2013 $9,510 19 19 19 $9,510 12/14/2015
Taiwan 10/19/2012 $90,491 31 31 80 $356,684 12/12/2015
Thailand 10/4/2012 $1,907 5 5 6 $2,937 12/12/2015
United Arab Emirates 10/4/2012 $14,814 19 19 19 $18,589 12/29/2018
United Kingdom 1/25/2013 $1,196 10 10 10 $1,196 12/14/2015
Vietnam 11/23/2012 $1,455 3 3 6 $2,997 12/29/2018
 
Rest of World $30,590
 
International Total$434,949 12/29/2018

International Cumulative Box Office Records


Worldwide Cumulative Box Office Records


Full financial estimates for this film, including domestic and international box office, video sales, video rentals, TV and ancillary revenue are available through our research services. For more information, please contact us at research@the-numbers.com.