Weekend Wrap-Up: Warm Bodies is a Silver Lining for Slow Weekend
February 4, 2013
There were a number of factors that hurt the box office over the weekend, not the least of which was the rather exciting Super Bowl game. (At least it sounds like it was exciting. I Googled the score a couple times, but I didn't watch the game.) Warm Bodies easily won the weekend race and finished on the high end of expectations, while Silver Linings Playbook remains on pace to reach $100 million. On the other hand, Bullet to the Head bombed. Overall, the box office fell 21% to just $89 million. Again, the Super Bowl had a lot to do with that. Compared to last year, the box office was down 23%. 2013 is still ahead of 2012 by 3.4% at $917 million to $887 million but that lead could be gone by the end of next weekend.
Warm Bodies was on the high end of expectations with $20.35 million, which is an excellent start for a film on Super Bowl weekend. It was also a high-concept film, which is trickier to market. Fortunately, the reviews were really good and it should have some strong legs. Since it only cost $30 million to make, it should have no difficulty breaking even, especially if it can find a significant audience internationally.
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters fell 52% to $9.42 million over the weekend for a total of $34.68 million. As we've pointed out, the film is doing better internationally than it is domestically and that should help it break even sooner rather than later.
Silver Linings Playbook had the best hold in the top ten down just 18% to $7.74 million over the weekend. After twelve weeks of release, the movie has made $80.00 million and it is still on pace to reach the century mark. I guess opening in limited release turned out to be a wise move.
Mama held on a little better than expected down 50% to $6.59 million over the weekend for a total of $58.12 million after three weeks of release. It should end its run at $70 million, which is excellent for a January release and more than enough to ensure a profit, likely on domestic theatrical numbers alone.
Zero Dark Thirty grabbed the final spot in the top five with $5.18 million over the weekend for a total of $77.67 million after seven. It still has a shot at $100 million, but it will need to win big at the Oscars.
Bullet to the Head bombed. There's no polite way to say that. It earned just $4.55 million in 2,404 theaters for a per theater average of just $1,892. Its reviews were not nearly as bad as its box office numbers, but it seems action films starring long time action stars, like Sylvester Stallone, are being actively avoided by moviegoers.
Speaking of films moviegoers are actively avoiding, Parker fell 53% to just $3.30 million over the past three days for a total of $12.53 million after ten. This is one of Jason Statham's worst performances ever. Movie 43 was even worse down 66% to just $1.63 million giving it a running tally of $7.70 million. If it is in more than a few hundred theaters on Friday, I will be shocked that so many theater owners are willing to keep it around.
Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Zero Dark Thirty, Mama, Parker, Bullet to the Head, Movie 43, Warm Bodies, Silver Linings Playbook, Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham