Per Theater Chart: Future for Timbuktu Is Bright

February 3, 2015

Timbuktu was the only film in the $10,000 club this weekend earning an estimated average of $12,500 in four theaters. Running Man came close with an average of $9,246 in 20 theaters. Impressively, Game Of Thrones: The IMAX Experience earned 15th place on the overall chart with $1.46 million in just over 200 theaters for an average of $7,142. This is enough to expect this to happen again, but I don't know if it will be a regular thing.

Further down the list of new limited releases we find Above and Beyond, which opened with $6,448 in one theater. The rest struggled with Girlhood next with an average of $3,834 in two theaters. The 2015 Oscar Shorts had the biggest opening for the franchise with $417,000 in 118 theaters for an average of $3,533. Buen dia Ramon was very close behind with an average of $3,407 in 15 theaters. Amira and Sam missed the Mendoza Line with an average of just $1,726 in nine theaters. The Devil's Violinist was much weaker with an average of $801 in ten.

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

• Still Alive hit its first milestone early in the weekend and given its per theater average, it should expand further this weekend pushing past $2 million in the process.
• A Most Violent Year got to $2 million over the weekend, but its per theater average is low enough that I don't think it will last too much longer. This is too bad, as many thought it would be an Awards Season contender.
• Mr. Turner also reached $2 million, but that is likely as far as it will go.
• Spare Parts hit $3 million over the weekend. $4 million is still possible, but not likely.
• Boyhood reached $25 million over the weekend, which is better than Pompeii managed, and that film cost $80 million to make. It has a slim shot at $30 million, but only if it is the big winner on Oscar night.
• The Theory of Everything got a Golden Globes bounce and that helped it top $30 million. If it can repeat its performance at the Oscars, it should get to $35 million.
• Wild reached $35 million just before the weekend. It is just behind Million Dollar Arm and that film opened with a saturation level theater count.
• Selma topped $40 million over the weekend. While it hasn't done as well during Awards Season as many had hoped it would do, its box office numbers have been great.
• Another week, another major milestone for The Imitation Game. The film has more than $65 million during its run, putting it ahead of Exodus: Gods and Kings.

Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Theater Averages, Selma, The Theory of Everything, Exodus: Gods and Kings, Boyhood, The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, Mr. Turner, Wild, Spare Parts, A Most Violent Year, Still Alice, Timbuktu, The Devil's Violinist, Above and Beyond, Amira & Sam, Bande de filles, 2015 Oscar Shorts, Game of Thrones: The IMAX Experience, Academy Award Short Film Nominations