Per Theater Chart: Calm Before the Storm

April 28, 2015

There were no films in the $10,000 club this week and no new releases really came close. The closest was Full Moon in Paris, which rose 58% from last weekend to $7,987, still in one theater. Felix et Meira was next with an average of $6,590 after expanding from one to four theaters. Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia's Lost Rock and Roll was the biggest new release with an average of $6,402 in three theaters over the weekend for an average of $8,465 from Wednesday to Sunday.

The rest of the new releases ranged from average to just below the Mendoza Line. Misery Loves Comedy opened with $5,250 in its lone theater. Just Before I Go only managed an average of $4,065 in two theaters, but given its reviews, it could have been worse. The Water Diviner opened in 320 theaters, which is a lot for a limited release, earning an average of $3,814. This isn't bad for a film playing in that many theaters. Adult Beginners was close behind with $3,666 in ten theaters. Emptying the Skies earned an average of $2,409 in two theaters over the weekend and a five-day average of $4,064. Kung Fu Killer barely avoided the Mendoza Line with an average of $2,095 in 28 theaters. Brotherly Love wasn't as lucky with an average of just $1,235 in 200 theaters.

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

• Child 44 crossed $1 million during its second weekend of release. However, its per theater average is just $399, so it won't go much further than that.
• The Water Diviner earned more than $1 million during the opening weekend. Its per theater average is low enough that I don't think it will expand, but it is not so low that theater owners will drop it too quickly.
• As I explained last week, True Story topped $2 million on Monday. It also surpassed $3 million over the weekend and it is nearly at $4 million. It should get to $5 million, but that's likely as far as it will go.
• Danny Collins reached $4 million before the weekend and is on pace to reach $5 million before long.
• While We're Young reached $5 million over the weekend. It likely won't get to $10 million, but it could surpass The Squid and the Whale for the best Noah Baumbach's directorial career.
• Ex Machina expanded semi-wide, which allowed it to get to $5 million over the weekend and should get to $10 million over the coming weekend. Where it goes from there is hard to guess.
• Woman in Gold became the first limited release of 2015 to reach $20 million. It did open in more than 250 theaters, which helped, but it has also had stronger than expected legs. The film has already topped Seventh Son's final box office and it's not done climbing the yearly chart.

Filed under: Theater Averages, Seventh Son, Ex Machina, Child 44, While We're Young, True Story, Adult Beginners, Danny Collins, Woman in Gold, The Water Diviner, Felix et Meira, Misery Loves Comedy, Brotherly Love, Just Before I Go, Yi ge ren de wu lin, Les nuits de la pleine lune, Emptying The Skies, Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia's Lost Rock and Roll, Noah Baumbach