Per Theater Averages - Two Out of 3D Ain't Bad

February 12, 2008

Three films earned per theater averages better than $10,000 this weekend. Two of those were the same 3D concert releases that topped the charts last week. However, the number one film this week was In Bruges with a very healthy average of $16,330 in 28 theaters. Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour did suffer a sophomore slump, but earned an average of $14,987, which is more than enough to keep theater owners happy. Finally, U2 3D was up more than 3% to $12,094, which bodes very well for the film's upcoming expansion.

There was a large number of new releases this past week including The Band's Visit, which just missed the $10,000 mark with an average of $9,642 in 7 theaters. On the other hand, both Bab'Aziz and Military Intelligence and You! struggled with openings of $3,286 and $2,541, each in one theater. I don't think there is a word in my vocabulary that can accurately describe how poorly the rest of the new releases did this week. I've seen many films flop, but I've never seen so many films flop during the same weekend. Things kicked off with Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights - Hollywood to the Heartland, which was the widest limited release of the week. Turns out it was too wide as it only took in an average of $483 in each of its 962 theaters, or $5 per character in its name. Shrooms opened poorly with an average of $462 in four theaters, but that's partially explainable as most sources had it opening last weekend. The Hottie and the Nottie managed only $231 per theater, which was still not the worst showing of the weekend. Nor did How to Rob a Bank come in last with its $109 opening in one theater. The weakest film on this week's per theater average was One Piece: The Desert Princess and the Pirates Adventures in Alabasta, which managed less than $6,000 in almost 100 theaters for an average of just $60. Assuming $6 per ticket and just four showings per day, that works out to less than one person per showing.

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

  • Persepolis reached $2 million early in the weekend and should benefit from continued Oscar attention.
  • U2 3D reached $3 million late in the weekend and should benefit from expansion.
  • The Diving Bell and the Butterfly hit $4 million over the weekend and should have little trouble reaching $5 million, but that will likely be its last milestone.
  • The Savages topped $5 million over the weekend, but that's as far as it will go unless it wins both of the Oscars it's nominated for, and it's a long shot for either.
  • There Will Be Blood earned $25 million so far, which is very rare for a limited release.
  • Juno has made it to $110 million, which is not only the best for any limited release from 2007, but also the best of the Best Picture nominees. In fact, it is double its nearest competition.

- C.S.Strowbridge

Filed under: Juno, Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour, There Will Be Blood, U2 3D, In Bruges, The Savages, Le Scaphandre et le Papillon, Persepolis, Bikur Ha-Tizmoret, Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights—Hollywood to the Heartland, Bab'Aziz - The Prince Who Contemplated His Soul, The Hottie and the Nottie, Shrooms, How to Rob a Bank