The Numbers News - August 2013
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Limited Releases Don't Need Instructions
August 30, 2013
There are not a lot of limited releases on this week's list, and even fewer that might thrive. Instructions Not Included is the biggest release, but with only one review on Rotten Tomatoes, I'm worried the buzz won't be enough. I Declare War is a Canadian film opening in the States. Its reviews are good, but not great. Our Nixon is earning the best reviews, but as a political documentary, its chances to expand significantly are very limited.
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Contest: Always Sunny for Riddick
August 30, 2013
Next weekend is the first full weekend of September. It is also the weekend after Labor Day long weekend, which is historically the worst weekend of the year. Regardless, Riddick will attempt to buck history and being the only wide release should help. Since it is the only wide release, it is also the only choice for target film for this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Riddick.
Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), regardless if they go over or not, will win a copy It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Complete Season Eight on DVD.
Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay!
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Weekend Predictions: Laborious Task
August 29, 2013
It's the Labor Day long weekend, which is widely regarded as the weakest long weekend of the year. This year there are two wide releases, One Direction: This is Us and Getaway, looking to grab the final box office dollars before Summer officially ends. (One could argue it unofficially ended weeks ago.) One Direction should have no trouble finding an audience among young girls, but there's a chance the more mature audience Lee Daniels' The Butler has been attracting will be large enough to withstand that push. Getaway, on the other hand, is just hoping to get one positive review before the weekend starts. There was a third film that was supposed to open wide this week, Closed Circuit, but it is now opening in 800 or so theaters, so it won't be a factor. Last year, there were two wide releases, both of which topped $10 million during the three-day weekend. The new releases this year won't match that, but there's better depth this time around.
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International Box Office: Jurassic Park Roars in China
August 28, 2013
Jurassic Park earned first place in China with $32.08 on 3,000 screens, but that was for the full week. Over the weekend, the film's international weekend haul was $28.9 million on 3,373 screens in 11 markets for a total of $43.37 million during its 3-D re-release. Even with the tiny studio share in China, it makes sense to release films like this in 3-D there, because they didn't get a chance to see it in theaters the first time around.
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Contest: Around the World and Back: Winning Announcement
August 28, 2013
Per Theater Chart: Master of the Per Theater Chart
August 28, 2013
The Grandmaster was top film on the Per Theater Chart with an average of $18,945 in seven theaters. I thought Short Term 12 would win, but it finished in second place with an average of $14,052 in four. With reviews that are nearly unanimously positive, it will likely have very strong legs.
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Weekend Wrap-Up: Butting Heads
August 26, 2013
Summer is rapidly ending and you can tell by the box office numbers of the wide releases this weekend. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones had the biggest opening of the three wide releases, but not really the best opening. The World's End earned a little less over the three-day weekend, but it also reportedly cost just $20 million to make, so it will earn a profit, unlike City of Bones. The final new release was You're Next, which couldn't live up to its reviews, but again, it is rumored to have cost very little to make, perhaps less than $1 million, so it should break even sooner rather than later. With the weakness in the new releases, Lee Daniels' The Butler had no trouble repeating in first place, but the overall box office did fall by 21% from last weekend to $110 million. This was still better than last year by 12%, which extends 2013's winning streak to five weeks. Year-to-date, 2013 has pulled in $7.18 billion leading 2012's pace of $6.97 billion by 3%.
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DVD and Blu-ray Releases for August 27th, 2013
August 26, 2013
It's a terrible week on the home market. There's not a lot in terms of top sellers, although The Great Gatsby should lead the way. The only first-run release is Pain and Gain, which will likely not sell a lot on the home market. There are a few TV on DVD releases to fill in the gaps, like The Walking Dead or Elementary; however, by the end of the first page of new releases on Amazon.com, we run into filler. As for Pick of the Week, the best is The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh on Blu-ray Combo Pack. I'm still waiting for the screener, but it is such a good movie and it is slow week that it is still Pick of the Week.
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Final Weekend Numbers
August 26, 2013
Final weekend numbers:
- 3-Day Weekend Friday-Sunday
- Friday Daily Numbers
- Saturday Daily Numbers
- Sunday Daily Numbers
We are now publishing our weekend and daily charts with updates as they are received from the studios. Most major studios, and many independent distributors report by about 1pm, Pacific Time and final numbers are available by 3.30pm. To be included in our charts, please send box office reports and release schedule updates to bodata@the-numbers.com.
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Featured TV on DVD Review: Elementary: Season One
August 25, 2013
By my calculation, roughly 412% of all TV shows on the air right now are police procedurals. Granted, there might be a flaw in my math, but you get the point. Police procedurals are arguably the most crowded genre in the history of TV and certainly the most crowded genre at the moment. Elementary is trying to carve a path in that field. Does the show try to do anything to make it stand out? And if so, is it enough? If not, can it still thrive while still feeling a bit borrowed?
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Featured Blu-ray Review: Marilyn Monroe Blu-ray Double-Shot: Bus Stop and Niagara
August 25, 2013
The second Marilyn Monroe double-shot I've done. The previous review featured her best dramatic work, The Misfits, and her greatest comedic work, Some Like It Hot. This double-shot features Bus Stop and Niagara. It is unlikely this film will live up to the previous films, but are they worth checking out? And are the Blu-rays worth picking up?
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Weekend Estimates: Openers Falter to Give Butler Second Win
August 25, 2013
Lee Daniels' The Butler will enjoy a second weekend atop the box office chart thanks in part to a good hold, at 31% down from last weekend, but also because of a major misfire for Mortal Instruments: City of Bones on its opening weekend. The fantasy adventure will only muster about $9.3 million Friday-Sunday for $14.05 million after five days in release -- a big disappointment for a film that reportedly cost $60 million to produce. International markets will make up some of the gap, and a sequel is still said to be in the works, but North America won't contribute much if anything to the coffers after marketing costs are taken into account. The rest of the chart has some bright spots though.
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The Crunch: Back from a Summer Break with a Bunch of Links
August 24, 2013
After a fairly extended Summer break, there's quite a lot of catch-up to do. I have a few posts already in the pipeline, including the second part of my series on Medium Data (the second article has grown big enough that it might turn into a mini-series of its own). I also have a lot more movie analytics work coming down the pike. First though, I have a big list of articles and web sites I've been meaning to share.
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Featured Blu-ray Review: Love Me Tender
August 23, 2013
Elvis Presley made about 30 films in his career, most of which he was embarrassed about. Love Me Tender was the first film he was in, although he was definitely a supporting character and not the star. When it was first released, the critics were split on the film, but it was an instant hit with fans of the king. The film is now close to 60 years old, so the question is, has it aged well? Or is this film only good for a nostalgia trip for Elvis fans?
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Limited Releases: I'll Drink to That
August 23, 2013
There are not a lot of limited releases on this week's list, but a few of them have good reviews and / or big name casts. Drinking Buddies is one such film, but I think Short Term 12 will come out on top of the Per Theater Chart thanks in part to its reviews.
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Contest: One for the Road
August 23, 2013
Next weekend is Labor Day long weekend, which is widely regarded as the worst long weekend of the year at the box office. Three wide releases will try to grab limited box office dollars with One Direction: This is Us. (Getaway has a slim shot at first place.) Since it is likely the best film, it is the target film for this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for One Direction: This is Us. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), regardless if they go over or not, will win an Official Bear Grylls Survival Bracelet from Gerber, to celebrate the season finale for Get Out Alive!
Weekend Predictions: Can Any New Release take out The Butler?
August 23, 2013
There are three wide releases coming out this week, well, two and a half really. The World's End is only opening in 1,548 theaters, but it is also earning by far the best reviews. It is probably still too much of a niche market to take top spot. You're Next is earning great reviews and horror films do have a history of doing well at this time of year. The final wide release of the week is The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Not only did it open on Wednesday, but its reviews are terrible. Last year there were three wide releases, all of them bombed. Combined they made less than $14 million. The new releases should have no trouble topping last year's new releases, while the holdovers are also stronger.
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International Box Office: Elysium Elevates the Box Office
August 23, 2013
Elysium rushed to top spot with $24.04 million on 4,588 screens in 41 markets for an early total of $40.08 million. This week it opened in France with $4.16 million on 466 screens, which was enough for first place. It also debuted in first place in Australia ($3.38 million on 317 screens); and in Germany ($3.20 million on 584); and Spain ($3.04 million on 450). It was pushed into third place in Russia with $2.98 million on 976 screens for a total of $12.50 million after two weeks of release. It fell 58%, which is actually better than average for a sophomore film in Russia.
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Home Market Numbers: Jack Slays the Home Market
August 21, 2013
Jack the Giant Slayer was thought to be a potential monster hit at the box office. You don't spend nearly $200 million on a movie unless you think it will be a monster hit. However, it bombed in theaters and it is doing no better on the home market. Sadly, it led this week's list of new releases, which explains why the overall Blu-ray sales were so much weaker than last week. Overall 858,000 units were sold generating $20.83 million in total sales. This was 44% lower in terms of units and 38% lower in terms of revenue. Fortunately, this was still better than last year by 16% in terms of units and 19% in terms of revenue. DVD sales held on better on a week-over-week comparison, which resulted in the overall Blu-ray share falling to 33% in terms of units and 42% in terms of revenue.
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Blu-ray Sales: Jack and Blu
August 21, 2013
There were five new releases to reach the chart on the June 23rd, 2013 edition of the Blu-ray sales chart, but most of them missed the top five. Jack the Giant Slayer earned first place with 234,000 units / $5.42 million, giving it an opening week Blu-ray share of 42%. This is acceptable, but not great.
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DVD Sales: Jack's Regular-Sized Opening
August 21, 2013
New releases were rather sparse on the June 23rd, 2013 edition of the DVD sales chart. Granted, Jack the Giant Slayer did earn first place, but it was the only new release in the top five. It sold 319,000 units and generated $4.79 million in revenue, which is weak given the film's production budget.
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Contest: Kicking Names And...: Winning Announcement
August 21, 2013
The winner of our Kicking Names And... was determined and it is...
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Per Theater Chart: IMAX Shines Like the Son
August 21, 2013
DVD and Blu-ray Releases for August 20th, 2013
August 20, 2013
The home market is rather slow this week with Epic the only first run release of note. (Scary Movie 5 is very unnoteworthy. Fortunately, there are some good TV on DVD releases worth checking out, like Revenge: The Complete Second Season and NCIS: Season Ten. In the end, I went with Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Third Season on Blu-ray Combo Pack for Pick of the Week.
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Weekend Wrap-Up: Box Office Got Served
August 20, 2013
It turns out Lee Daniels' The Butler was the strongest of the four wide releases. In fact, given its reviews and its target demographic, it could hit $100 million. Kick-Ass 2 really stumbled, which is not that surprising given its reviews, but a lot of analysts failed to predict this result. Jobs missed the top five by a wide degree, while Paranoia missed the top ten. The overall box office fell 12% to $139 million. This is higher than the same weekend last year, but by a barely perceivable 0.2%. Year-to-date, 2013 is ahead of 2012, but by a tiny 0.25% margin. Still, compared to where we were earlier in the year, this is a massive victory.
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Featured TV on DVD Review: Star Trek: Enterprise: Season Two
August 19, 2013
The second season of Star Trek: Enterprise comes out on Blu-ray this week. I previously reviewed the first season and for the most part I was not impressed. Did the show improve during season two? Did it improve by enough to matter?
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Final Weekend Numbers
August 19, 2013
Final weekend numbers:
- 3-Day Weekend Friday-Sunday
- Friday Daily Numbers
- Saturday Daily Numbers
- Sunday Daily Numbers
We are now publishing our weekend and daily charts with updates as they are received from the studios. Most major studios, and many independent distributors report by about 1pm, Pacific Time and final numbers are available by 3.30pm. To be included in our charts, please send box office reports and release schedule updates to bodata@the-numbers.com.
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Featured TV on DVD Review: NCIS: Season Ten
August 19, 2013
NCIS has been on TV for a decade. It started out as a reasonable ratings hit, but during its sixth season, its ratings jumped from 20s range, where it had been the first five seasons, to number five. It stayed in the top five for the next five years, but last year, it reached first place. It's odd for a show to take this long to reach first place. Hell, it's odd for a show to last this long. Can Season Ten possibly match its ratings in terms of quality?
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Weekend Estimates: Butler Gives Winning Performance
August 18, 2013
If it can move Summer forward to the first week in May, perhaps Hollywood can also move Awards Season forward to mid-August. That's certainly the feeling one gets from looking at the varying fortunes of this weekend's openers. Summer standards Paranoia and Kick-Ass 2 have both fallen by the wayside (with a dismal $3.5 million opening in the first case and a disappointing $13.6 million debut in the latter). Jobs, which was made with awards in mind, has misfired with a $6.7 million start. But one film has risen above the rest on the basis of a compelling story and some high-class acting. Lee Daniels' The Butler will top the chart this weekend with around $25 million, according to Weinstein Co.'s Sunday estimate. That's the first film from the distributor to top the chart since Inglourious Basterds did this weekend in 2009. That film also had Oscar aspirations, and The Butler might well follow a similar course in Awards Season: some impressive nominations but ultimately not top honors.
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Saintly Limited Releases
August 16, 2013
There are not a lot of limited release this week and only two of them are earning overwhelmingly positive reviews. Cutie and the Boxer is earning the best reviews, but it is a documentary, so its potential to expand is limited. Ain't Them Bodies Saints' reviews are not as good, but good enough to suggest it will find an audience in theaters.
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Contest: Around the World and Back
August 16, 2013
Next weekend there are three wide releases, the biggest of which is The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. However, the film is opening on a Wednesday, which complicates things when it comes to the weekly box office prediction contest. Instead, we will use one of the two smaller releases: The World's End or You're Next. Maybe it's personal bias, but I think The World's End will have the bigger opening, plus the prize also has "World" in the title, so it works. Thus, it is the target film for this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for The World's End. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), regardless if they go over or not, will win a signed copy of the In a World... poster, signed by the writer / director / star, Lake Bell.
Weekend Predictions: Will the Box Office Kick it Up a Notch?
August 16, 2013
Summer blockbuster season has officially ended, but there are four films hoping to grab a share of the limited box office dollars left. Kick-Ass 2 is the clear favorite among analysts, but it is being beat up by critics. Lee Daniels' The Butler is the only other film with a shot at first place. It is earning good reviews, but not great reviews, and I think it will be remembered as busted Oscar bait. Neither Jobs nor Paranoia have a real shot at the top five, nor are they earning critical praise. There were also four films that opened wide this weekend last year. All four of them earned $10 million or more, led by The Expendables II with $28.59, while there were three holdovers with $10 million or more. There's a slim chance Kick-Ass 2 will match The Expendables II, but I wouldn't bet on it. Plus the depth this year is weaker that last year's depth was. That's bad news for the year-over-year comparison.
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International Box Office: Smurfs Rise To Top
August 15, 2013
The Smurfs 2 rose to top spot with $35.57 million on 11,102 screens in 65 markets for a total of $111.01 million internationally. Its biggest market of the weekend was Germany, where it added $3.16 million on 1,075 screens over the weekend to its total, which now sits at $8.78 million. There is a virtual tie for biggest market overall with Russia and the U.K. sitting at $9.94 million and $9.87 million respectively. Getting to the century mark internationally so quickly is good news for the studio. That said, it is behind the first film in most markets and I don't think it will finish with a profit, at least not on its own. Perhaps merchandizing will push it into the black.
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Contest: It's Better Up Here: Winning Announcement
August 15, 2013
The winners of our It's Better Up Here were determined and they are...
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Per Theater Chart: IMAX out of this World
August 15, 2013
IMAX movies have incredible legs and can bounce back in the $10,000 club years and years after their first release. Space Station jumped into first place with an average of $30,602 in one theater. In a World was the best new release with an average of $23,514 in three theaters. It is going to expand and we will have a contest starting on Friday to celebrate. Snake and Mongoose was close behind with $20,254 in its lone theater. Blue Jasmine continues to expand and it is now playing in 119 theaters. However, its average remains very strong at $19,709 and it will undoubtedly continue to expand. The Spectacular Now expanded from 4 to 19 theaters, while its average fell to $14,045. This is still strong enough to suggest further expansion and it should reach its first major milestone shortly. Chennai Express broke records for a Bollywood film playing in 196 theaters, while its per theater average was $11,329. That's an incredible start.
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DVD and Blu-ray Releases for August 13th, 2013
August 15, 2013
We are entering the beginning of TV on DVD season on the home market. As the fall schedule ramps up, more and more TV on DVD releases will come out. This week we have Once Upon A Time: The Complete Second Season on DVD and Blu-ray, as well as Girls: The Complete Second Season, also on DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack. Both are worth checking out, but I'm waiting for the screeners for both, so I don't want to award either the Pick of the Week. Instead, I'm giving that honor to The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray. Meanwhile, What Maisie Knew on DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack is a close second.
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Featured TV on DVD Review: The L.A. Complex: The Complete Series
August 13, 2013
The L.A. Complex is a Canadian show that made its debut on the CW network on April 24th, 2012. It earned the lowest-ever ratings for a network drama series premiere; however, to be fair to the show, the CW is barely a network anymore. (If a show manages 1.0 in the ratings, it is seen as a miracle. I think only Vampire Diaries averaged above that tiny number.) On the other hand, the critics were actually very kind to the show. So were the critics right? Or was it wise for viewers to stay away?
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Weekend Wrap-Up: Summer Still Strong
August 13, 2013
There were four films that opened wide last week and while none of them were monster hits, three of the four of them were solid openings. Elysium opened in first place, but landed on the lower end of expectations. We're the Millers was a bit of a surprise hit, earning more over five days than it cost to make. Disney's Planes had the best opening for an animated film in August. There's not a lot of competition for that record. Finally there was Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, which will cost the studio a fortune. With four new releases taking the top four spots, it should be no surprise that the overall box office was strong. In fact, it rose 16% from last weekend to $159 million. No film was able to match last year's winner, The Bourne Legacy, but we had a lot better depth this time around. This helped 2013 win the year-over-year comparison by 12%. Meanwhile, 2013 has completed the comeback and now has a 3.6% lead over 2012 at $6.85 billion to $6.61 billion.
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Featured TV on DVD Review: Perry Mason: Season Nine, Volume Two
August 12, 2013
Its the final DVD release for Perry Mason. Season Nine, Volume Two comes out just two months after the Season One, Volume One came out. Does the show go out on a high note?
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Final Weekend Numbers
August 12, 2013
Final weekend numbers:
- 3-Day Weekend Friday-Sunday
- Friday Daily Numbers
- Saturday Daily Numbers
- Sunday Daily Numbers
We are now publishing our weekend and daily charts with updates as they are received from the studios. Most major studios, and many independent distributors report by about 1pm, Pacific Time and final numbers are available by 3.30pm. To be included in our charts, please send box office reports and release schedule updates to bodata@the-numbers.com.
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Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Hatchet III
August 12, 2013
I've previously reviewed the first two installments in the Hatchet franchise. Hatchet III looks like it will be the end of the franchise. Will it please fans of the first two movies? Does it have broader appeal?
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Weekend Estimates: Elysium Leads Pack of Openers
August 11, 2013
The waning days of the Summer season are seeing a glut of films as distributors try to find one last hit. Four films opened in wide release this weekend and, even though they played to quite different demographics, they will ultimately all fall somewhat short of expectations (or, more accurately, hopes). Topping the pack will be Elysium, which is expected to earn $30.5 million by Sunday evening -- a solid enough performance, but not enough to make a serious dent in its $120 million production budget. Good legs and an impressive international run will be needed for this one to turn a profit. We're the Millers will land in second place for the weekend with about $26.5 million, but will arguably have had a better start, with $38 million earned in total since it opened on Wednesday (not to mention a much lower production cost). Planes will be third with $22.5 million or so, which is OK for a film that was originally destined for a direct-to-video release. The real bomb of the weekend is Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, with $14.6 million expected Friday to Sunday and $23.5 million in total over five days.
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Featured Blu-ray Review: The Muppet Movie
August 11, 2013
The Muppet Movie came out 34 years ago, which makes it a little strange they are releasing a 35th Anniversary edition Blu-ray this week. Then again, I'm glad I don't have to wait another year to get this movie on Blu-ray, because I loved it as a kid. Does it still hold up decades later? And is the Blu-ray worth picking up if you are a fan of the movie?
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Limited Releases Want to be Heard
August 9, 2013
It is not a good week for limited releases with a couple of higher profile releases failing to win over critics. Lovelace had been earning a lot of buzz before its release, but the reviews suggest it won't be able to capitalize on this buzz. On the other hand, In a World is earning surprisingly strong reviews and it does have a lot of name recognition in the cast, so hopefully it will thrive.
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Contest: Kicking Names and...
August 9, 2013
There are a quartet of wide releases coming out next week; however, only two of them look like they will be anything more than mediocre. The Butler should have the best legs of the four films, but Kick Ass 2 should have the biggest opening. As such, it is the target film for this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Kick Ass 2.
Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), regardless if they go over or not, will win a copy of Gunsmoke: The Ninth Season, Volume One and Volume Two on DVD.
Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay!
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Weekend Predictions: Will Summer go to the Dogs?
August 9, 2013
The Dog Days of summer have begun; in fact, they began last weekend. There are four films trying to find an audience that is distracted with other concerns like back-to-school, or the last family outing before back-to-school, etc. Will any of the films find an audience? Elysium has the best chance. It is earning the best reviews of the week. We're the Millers opened on Wednesday and did quite well, earning first place, but it's far from a monster hit. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters cost $90 million to make, but barely topped The Smurfs 2's Wednesday opening from last week. That's not a good sign. Finally there's Disney's Planes, a film that started production as a direct-to-DVD film and the reviews reflect that. The Bourne Legacy opened this week last year with $38.14 million, which is something Elysium might match.
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International Box Office: Pacific Heats Up while Smurfs Feel a Little Blue
August 8, 2013
Pacific Rim earned first place over the weekend with $53.0 million in 58 markets for a total of $200.4 million internationally and $293.3 million worldwide. It has made more internationally than it cost to make, but it will still need a lot of help to break even. The film's biggest market over the weekend was China, where it debuted in first place with $45 million. Unfortunately for the film, while studios take about 60% of the box office numbers in the United States (it varies per film) they only get about 20% of the box office in China. Or to be more accurate, they will only get about 20% of the box office, once the sales tax dispute is settled. Right now, they are getting nothing.
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Contest: Party All Night: Winning Announcement
August 8, 2013
The winners of our Party All Night contest were determined and they are...
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Per Theater Chart: Now That's Spectacular
August 7, 2013
The Spectacular Now debuted in first place on the Per Theater Chart with an average of $49,354 in four theaters. This result, plus its excellent reviews, suggests it will have long legs in limited release. Last week's number one film, Blue Jasmine, slipped to second place with an average of $37,174, but it is now playing in 50 theaters, which is an amazing result. Space Station popped back into the $10,000 with an average of $15,352. It has pulled in $88 million after more than a decade of release. The Canyons earned $13,351 in its lone theater, proving there is no such thing as bad publicity. The reviews, on the other hand, were really bad and the film's only real hope is to become a cult classic. That might happen.
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DVD and Blu-ray Releases for August 6th, 2013
August 7, 2013
Like it usually is during the summer, this week is rather soft on home market. Granted, there is one wide release that did very well at the box office, Oblivion, plus a couple of limited releases that did well to earn a serious measure of mainstream success, The Place Beyond the Pines and Mud. However, there are also some releases in the top twenty that are definitely filler. Usually, once you reach exercise videos, there's nothing worth talking about. Of course, if I used that rule this week, there would be almost nothing on this week's list. Mud is likely the best release and the DVD or Blu-ray is worth picking up, but I'm still waiting for the screener to review and I hate awarding something Pick of the Week if the screener is late. Because of this, I'm going with another late release, Burn Notice: Season Six, as Pick of the Week. It arrived more than a month late, but it was worth the wait.
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Featured TV on DVD Review: Burn Notice: Season Six
August 6, 2013
The latest season of Burn Notice arrived a little late, and by a little I mean more than a full month. Since it is one of my favorite summer shows, I was eagerly awaiting its arrival. But now that I've seen it, was it worth the wait?
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Weekend Wrap-Up: Gunning for the Top
August 6, 2013
Unless the box office bounces back next weekend, it will be safe to say summer ended over the weekend. 2 Guns did finish in first place, but it underperformed, while The Smurfs 2 only managed third place. Overall, the box office plummeted 20% from last weekend to $138 million. On the other hand, this is still better than last year, up 12%, thanks to much better depth. 2012 was led by The Dark Knight Rises, which no movie this year could match, but there were only three films to top $10 million last year compared to five films this year.
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Final Weekend Numbers
August 5, 2013
Final weekend numbers:
- 3-Day Weekend Friday-Sunday
- Friday Daily Numbers
- Saturday Daily Numbers
- Sunday Daily Numbers
We are now publishing our weekend and daily charts with updates as they are received from the studios. Most major studios, and many independent distributors report by about 1pm, Pacific Time and final numbers are available by 3.30pm. To be included in our charts, please send box office reports and release schedule updates to bodata@the-numbers.com.
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IMAX: Quarterly Report: Second Quarter 2013
August 5, 2013
IMAX released their second quarter numbers and they are looking rather good. Revenue for the second quarter was $82.3 million, compared to $49.9 million for the first quarter and $70.2 million for the second quarter of 2012. IMAX also continues to improve market penetration with 767 IMAX theaters worldwide, up from 738 last quarter and 663 last year.
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Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Oblivion
August 5, 2013
Oblivion was a spring release, which isn't a great time to release a film, but it is far from a terrible time either. It opened in first place at the box office, but quickly faded away after that. It is hard to get excited by its box office numbers, but it wasn't a real bomb either. It will need help on the home market to recoup its $120 million production budget. Does it deserve to be seen by more on the home market? And is the DVD and / or Blu-ray worth picking up?
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Weekend Estimates: 2 Guns Good, Smurfs Look Overseas
August 4, 2013
2 Guns continues Universal's very good year this weekend with an opening the studio is projecting at $27.36 million, as of Sunday morning. That's not record-breaking by any means, but it's certainly solid for a late-Summer action movie. The Smurfs 2, meanwhile, is a major disappointment for Sony, who were hoping for much more than $18.2 million, given that the first film in the franchises earned $35.6 million on debut. This is a film that will earn far more overseas than it does domestically though, so the studio will be looking more closely at opening numbers from around the world, where the film is reportedly doing much better.
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Featured Blu-ray Review: Disney Triple-Shot
August 4, 2013
This week three Disney animated movies are coming out on Blu-ray for the first time, one from the 1980s, Oliver and Company; one from the 1970s, Robin Hood; and one from the 1960s, The Sword in the Stone. We will be starting with Robin Hood, because it is the only one of the three that I haven't previously reviewed. Have these three films aged well? And are the Blu-rays worth the upgrade?
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Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Trance
August 3, 2013
Trance is based on a TV movie written and directed by Joe Ahearne. Joe Ahearne helped write the screenplay for the theatrical release with John Hodges. John Hodges previously wrote the screenplays for Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, among others. Many of his films were directed by Danny Boyle, who also directed Trance. Given the pedigree, a lot of people were expecting a lot out of this film. It earned overall positive reviews and made more than $2 million in limited release, which is better than a lot of films manage. However, this was still way below expectations. Was it a case of expectations simply being too high? Or were there serious enough flaws in this film that caused it to fail to live up to many of Danny Boyle's previous films.
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Featured TV on DVD Review: Dragons: Riders of Berk - Part 1 and 2
August 3, 2013
How to Train Your Dragon came out in 2010, and while it is not the biggest hit from Dreamworks, it remains their best. Since then, a sequel has been put in the works, but to fill the time, a TV series was made. Dragons: Riders of Berk is not the first TV series based on an animated movie. In fact, it is the third from Dreamworks alone. But is it worth checking out for fans of the movie? Or is it a pale imitation?
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Some of the Limited Releases are Spectacular
August 2, 2013
While there are not a ton of new releases on this week's list, one of them, The Spectacular Now is not only earning spectacular reviews, but it also has the pedigree and the buzz to suggest it will thrive in theaters. Our Children should also do well in limited release, but likely won't expand significantly. Meanwhile, Cockneys vs. Zombies and Europa Report have niche market appeal that could be filled on the home market. Finally, The Canyons could test the theory that there's no such thing as bad publicity.
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Contest: It's Better Up Here
August 2, 2013
There are a number of new releases opening wide next week, but only Elysium is seen by a majority of analysts as being a box office player. Some think Disney's Planes will be a hit, but I don't think that will be the case. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters will likely be an expensive miss. Meanwhile, We're the Millers could be a sleeper hit. Elysium will likely open in first place and as such, it is the target film for this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Elysium.
Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going over, will win a copy of Ice Road Truckers: Season 6 on DVD.
Meanwhile, whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going under, will win a copy of Mountain Men: Season 1 on DVD.
Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay!
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Weekend Predictions: Two By Two
August 2, 2013
August begins with two films, 2 Guns and The Smurfs 2, one action film and one kids movie. Neither film is likely going to break records, but I think 2 Guns should at least do well enough to be a financial success, eventually. The Smurfs 2 probably won't be a hit here, but its international numbers are looking a lot better. Like this year, this weekend last year there were two wide releases, Total Recall and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, one action film and one kids movie. This year's new releases should easily trump last year's new releases; however, last year the box office was led by The Dark Knight Rises, which will keep the year-over-year comparison a little closer.
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Contest: Ride On: Winning Announcement
August 1, 2013
The winner of our Ride On contest was determined and it is...
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Per Theater Chart: Blue Cheers Up the Box Office
August 1, 2013
Blue Jasmine earned top spot on the per theater chart, not just for the week, but for the year. Its per theater average was $102,011 in six theaters, topping the previous yearly best by Spring Breakers. Spring-Breakers finished its theatrical run with just over $14 million, which is a figure Blue Jasmine should top. The Act of Killing remained potent in second place with an average of $13,890 in three theaters. The overall box office leader, The Wolverine, was the final film in the $10,000 club with an average of $13,536.
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2013 Preview: August
August 1, 2013
July was hit and miss at the box office, mostly miss. In fact, only two films really topped expectations, Despicable Me 2 and The Conjuring. That said, 2013 has nearly closed the gap with 2012 and it won't take much to pull ahead. Looking forward to August, we find that it is a very busy month with 16 or so films opening wide over five weeks. Of course, the closer you get to September, the more likely these films will struggle to find an audience, and more often than not, there are simply too many films opening wide to suspect they will all find an audience. On the high end, 2 Guns could be the biggest hit of the month with just over $100 million. The Smurfs 2 and Elysium could pull in $100 million. All three of those films are opening in the first two weeks of the month. After that, most of the new releases will be lucky if they reach $50 million during their theatrical runs. By comparison, last August was not as busy with 14 wide releases. Of those, only one film, The Bourne Legacy, topped $100 million, although a couple came reasonably close. Hopefully we will have more $100 million hits this time around and 2013 will be able to complete the comeback.
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