Per Theater Chart: Wide Releases Scare Away the Competition

June 25, 2013

You can tell it's summertime, because the two wide releases topped the per theater chart this weekend. Monsters University earned first place on both the overall chart and the per theater average chart with an average of $20,587. World War Z placed second with $18,412. Unfinished Song earned an average of $12,864 in two theaters. The only holdover in the $10,000 club was 20 Feet from Stardom, which earned an average of $10,744 in six theaters.

Most of the rest of the new limited releases did well. The Attack opened with an average of $8,784 in three theaters. A Hijacking and Somm had nearly identical average of $5,627 and $5,610 respectively. Maniac wasn't far behind with $5,571 in one theater. The only new limited release to fail to find an audience was Downloaded, which missed the Mendoza Line with an average of just $1,252 in two theaters.

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

• The East reached $1 million and could still last long enough to get to $2 million. However, a lot of people, myself included, thought it would get further than that.
• Much Ado About Nothing soared past $1 million over the weekend and by this time next week, it might be above $2 million.
• The Bling Ring earned more than $2 million over the weekend, reaching its first two milestones. It is playing in 650 theaters, but its chances at expanding significantly beyond that are limited. That said, it should at least get to $5 million, which is a rare feat for a limited release.
• Frances Ha rose past $3 million since this time last week. It might get to $4 million, but it will be really tough.
• Before Midnight surpassed $4 million over the weekend and it is already more than halfway to $5 million.
• The Company You Keep just made it to $5 million, but that is as far as it will go.
• Mud climbed to $20 million over the weekend. This is more than Broken City earned and is closing in on The Big Wedding.

Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Theater Averages, Monsters University, The Company You Keep, World War Z, The Big Wedding, The East, Mud, L’attentat, Kapringen, Frances Ha, Much Ado About Nothing, Unfinished Song, 20 Feet From Stardom, Before Midnight, The Bling Ring, Maniac, Downloaded, Somm