Per Theater Chart: 2015 Starts as 2014 Ended

January 6, 2015

American Sniper poster

There were very few new films that came out during the first weekend of 2015, so it should come as no surprise that the per theater chart looked mostly the same as it did last weekend. This includes the top of the chart, American Sniper, which earned an average of $169,227 in four theaters, which is 7% higher than last weekend. That bodes well for its planned wide release later in the month. The best new release was A Most Violent Year, which opened with an average of $43,197, also in four theaters. This film should also expand significantly over the coming weeks. Selma was next with an average of $28,781 in 22 theaters. Inherent Vice earned an average of $15,712 in 16 theaters. It is expanding wide in just a few days, so this is a great result. Two Days, One Night was right behind with an average of $15,628 in two theaters. The Imitation Game was roughly even with last week with an average of $10,308. Leviathan rose earning an average of $10,300 in three theaters.

There were only three other new limited releases that came out this week, with The Taking of Tiger Mountain doing the best of the rest with an average of $7,232 in seven theaters. The Search for General Tso did okay with an average of $4,668 in two theaters. The final limited release was [REC] 4: Apocalypse, which flopped with an average of just $142 in five theaters. On the other hand, it was also a Video on Demand premiere, so its theatrical run was only there to help its Video on Demand placement. In most VoD platforms, films with a planned theatrical release get a better profile while on VoD.

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

  • Inherent Vice made it to $1 million before the weekend and it is nearly halfway to $2 million after the weekend. It will continue to reach milestones for a while.
  • Selma crossed the $1 million mark before the weekend and the $2 million mark over the weekend. It too will earn many more milestones.
  • American Sniper also crossed the $1 million mark before the weekend and the $2 million mark over the weekend. Its per theater is incredible, so it will expand truly wide and there's no predicting where it will end up.
  • It has been more than two months since My Old Lady appeared on this list, but it finally hit $4 million more than 100 days after release.
  • The Interview reached $3 million before the weekend and $4 million over the weekend. It could still get to $5 million, which is a good milestone for a movie with such a strange path to theaters.
  • Big Eyes got to $5 million early last week and it is very nearly at $10 million. Its per theater average is low enough that it will lose theaters quite quickly.
  • Wild topped $20 million before the weekend and $25 million over the weekend. It won't expanded significantly beyond this point; however, it will still get to $30 million very shortly and should finish with more than $40 million, which is amazing for a limited release.
  • Birdman hit $25 million over the weekend. Normally, I would be skeptical over its chances to get to $30 million; however, it has been very, very popular with Awards Season voters, so it will get a boost later on from the free advertising.
  • The Imitation Game spent its second weekend in the top ten and that helped it get to $30 million over the weekend.

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Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Theater Averages, Big Eyes, Selma, The Interview, My Old Lady, Inherent Vice, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), The Imitation Game, Wild, American Sniper, [REC] 4: Apocalypse, Leviafan, A Most Violent Year, The Search for General Tso, The Taking of Tiger Mountain