The Numbers News - April 2019

April 30, 2019

Avengers: Endgame ended its international tour opening in Russia with $7.8 million, which is the highest opening day in that market. It is also 59% higher than Avengers: Infinity War’s debut last year. As impressive as this opening is, it is far from the only impressive aspect of Endgame’s Monday box office. More...

Sonic the Hedgehog Trailer

April 30, 2019

Adventure starring Ben Schwartz and Jim Carrey opens on November 8 ... Full Movie Details. More...

Home Market Releases for April 30, 2019

April 30, 2019

The spring doldrums continue with very few major releases and almost no big hits arriving on the home market this week. There are a couple of titles competing for Pick of the Week: Police Story Double-Shot and Arctic. Both are worth owning, but I went with Police Story as the Pick of the Week. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Endgame Ends the Record Book, Practically Laps the Competition

April 29, 2019

Avengers: Endgame was expected to break records with some high-end predictions going as high as $350 million. Its final weekend numbers actually topped the high end expectations, as it opened with $357.12 million. This is almost exactly $100 million more than the previous record, set this weekend last year by Avengers: Infinity War. In fact, it is significantly more than the previous record for an overall weekend, set a few years back by The Force Awakens et al. Needless to say, the overall box office rose considerably from last weekend, up 270% to $402 million. More importantly, this was 29% more than the same weekend last year and this one weekend put a serious dent in 2019’s deficit in the year-over-year comparisons. Granted, 2019 is still behind 2018’s pace by more than 11% or $420 million at $3.28 billion to $3.70 billion. I suspect May will also be a very good month in the year-over-year comparison so hopefully that gap will be more reasonable in a month’s time. I don’t think 2019 will catch up to 2018 any time soon, but if it can cut the deficit in raw dollars in half by the end of May, then I will be happy. More...

El Chicano Trailer

April 29, 2019

Action movie starring Raul Castillo and George Lopez opens on Friday ... Full Movie Details.

When L.A.P.D. Detective Diego Hernandez is assigned a career-making case investigating a vicious cartel, he uncovers links to his brother’s supposed suicide and a turf battle that’s about to swallow his neighborhood. Torn between playing by the book and seeking justice, he resurrects the masked street legend El Chicano. Now, out to take down his childhood buddy turned gang boss, he sets off a bloody war to defend his city and avenge his brother’s murder. More...

International Box Office: Endgame Blows Past $1 Billion in Global Debut

April 28, 2019

A few brave souls thought Avengers: Endgame would be the first film to earn more than $1 billion during its opening weekend. If estimates hold, then it will smash past that number: Disney is projecting a global opening of $1.209 billion. This is the biggest worldwide debut of all time and the film is already the biggest worldwide hit of 2019. Internationally, the film is earning $859.0 million in 54 markets with Russia the only late release. Unsurprisingly, the film’s biggest market is China at $330.5 million. Meanwhile, it is having stunning openings in the U.K. ($53.8 million) and South Korea ($47.4 million). The film will crack $30 million in both Mexico ($33.1 million) and Australia ($30.8 million), and $20 million in Germany ($26.9 million), India ($26.7 million), Brazil ($26.0 million), and France ($24.2 million). In comparison to other M.C.U. hits, the film will take just five days to top what Captain Marvel earned in eight weeks. It is currently in sixth place on the franchise chart and will top Iron Man 3 literally before it is officially Monday here. I’m not sure exactly how long Infinity War will hold out as the top earner in the M.C.U., but I do know we will be tracking its journey there. More...

Weekend Estimates: Endgame Earns $350 million in Domestic Debut

April 28, 2019

As expected, Avengers: Endgame is dominating the weekend with an estimated $350 million. Unsurprisingly, this sets a new record for opening weekend, topping the previous champion, Avengers: Infinity War, by just close to $100 million. It is also enough to push the film into ninth place on the M.C.U. chart after just three days of release. Its international numbers are looking even better, at a jaw-dropping $859 million. More on that coming shortly… More...

Endgame Nears $500 Million Internationally in just Three Days

April 27, 2019

Avengers: Endgame earned another $182.0 million internationally on Friday, putting its three-day running total to $487.0 million internationally, which is already more than the previous international weekend record set by The Fate of the Furious at $443 million. Worldwide, the film has already amassed $643.7 million, which is again already more than the previous record held by Infinity War at $641 million. Its international number is already more than ten installments in the M.C.U., while it is in 15th place on the M.C.U. worldwide chart. There were not many new markets left to open in, but the film did secure the single-day industry record in Mexico with $12.5 million. It “only” managed the third-biggest opening day in India with $9.0 million, but this is the best for a Hollywood film. It also had the biggest opening day for a Marvel movie in Japan. More...

Friday Estimate: Endgame Smashes Record Book

April 27, 2019

“Hulk Smash!” is a common phrase in the comics and it’s clear Avengers: Endgame is following Hulk’s lead. The film pulled in $156.7 million on Friday. This not only absolutely demolishes the previous record for biggest single day at the domestic box office, it is already more than The Incredible Hulk made in its entire run. It took less than 30 hours from the start of the movie’s previews to rise out of last place in the M.C.U.. This is simply stunning. Furthermore, thanks to the film’s 96%-positive reviews and its unbelievable A plus from CinemaScore, it could have decent legs. Granted, it is the definition of a Fanboy film and it is clear many people rushed out to theaters to see it, but there were also so many sold out shows that even many of the hardcore fans will have to wait until Saturday or Sunday to see the movie. I would put the over / under of the weekend total at nearly $350 million, which is well above our original prediction. This is also more than over a dozen films in the M.C.U. earned domestically and it will be just days away from entering the top five for the franchise. More...

International Box Office: Endgame Already Cracks $300 million

April 26, 2019

Avengers: Endgame hasn’t even debuted in every international market it will be playing in this weekend, but that hasn’t stopped it from earning $305 million internationally in just two days, according to Disney’s Friday morning update. To put this into perspective, that’s more than four installments in the MCU managed in total. The list of new markets includes the U.K., where it earned $15.3 million, which is not only the biggest single day in that market, but it is also 86% more than Infinity War’s opening day. It wasn’t quite as potent in Brazil, as its $7.0 million opening day was a mere 67% more than Infinity War, but it also set the new record for biggest single day in that market. More...

Thursday Night Previews: More Records Fall to Endgame

April 26, 2019

Avengers: Endgame earned $60 million during its Thursday previews. This is the new all-time record for preview night box office. This is a stunning debut. Not only did it top The Force Awakens’ previous record of $57 million, it did it with very few school kids on vacation. This is also just over 50% more than the $39 million in previews Avengers: Infinity War managed this time last year. What does this mean for the film’s opening weekend? I’m not sure. We are in uncharted territory, as no film has come close to figure during non-holiday season. I’m sure it will be on the high end of predictions and $300 million is looking a lot more likely. More...

Limited and VOD Releases: End of the Road for Limited Releases

April 26, 2019

It is a rough week for limited releases, as Avengers: Endgame is scaring away all of the competition. The biggest release of the week is JT LeRoy, but its reviews strongly suggest it will do better on VOD than in theaters. There are some films on this week’s list that earned stellar reviews, like Okko’s Inn, Carmine Street Guitars, etc., but none of them have the buzz to be major hits. More...

New at The Numbers: Preview Records

April 25, 2019

In honor the release of Avengers: Endgame, which is virtually certain to break the record, we’re adding records for biggest preview openings to The Numbers today. The full list of movies that recorded $10 million or more in previews can be found in our records section.

Along with the all-time list, we’re adding preview numbers to the daily charts… More...

Men in Black: International Trailer 2

April 25, 2019

Sci-fi action movie starring Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson opens June 14 ... Full Movie Details. More...

Weekend Prediction: Will Endgame Spell the End of the Record Book?

April 25, 2019

Avengers: Endgame opens this weekend and it’s overstating things only fractionally to say that nothing else at the box office matters. Endgame will earn more during its Thursday night previews than any other film will earn during the full weekend. In fact, it could earn more opening day than any other film released this April will earn in total. It’s only competition is Avengers: Infinity War, which opened this weekend last year. All available evidence suggests Endgame will easily win this race and propel 2019 to a massive win in the year-over-year competition. It won’t be enough to close the gap with 2018 entirely, but it will be an important step in turning 2019’s box office around. More...

Endgame Starts Out with $169 Million From Wednesday International Openings

April 25, 2019

Everyone knows it’ll be big, but exactly how big the opening weekend for Avengers: Endgame will be is beginning to get clearer, as Disney just announced $169 million in receipts on Wednesday from 25 “material markets.” That includes a $107.5 million opening day in China (of which $28.2 million came from preview screenings on Tuesday). It set all-time single day records in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines, and opening day records in Malaysia, Singapore, the Netherlands, Greece, and Egypt. More...

Theater Averages: Silvers Wins Gold

April 25, 2019

Under the Silver Lake earned top spot on the theater average chart with an average of $17,635 in two theaters. This is amazing for two reasons. Firstly, its reviews are barely above the 50% level. Secondly, it opened on VOD on Tuesday, so anyone who was interested in seeing the movie didn’t have to wait long to see it at home instead. On the other hand, it is a A24 release and the company has had an amazing track record at the box office during its young career. More...

International Box Office: Curse is Blessed with a First Place Debut

April 24, 2019

The Curse of La Llorona earned first place on the international chart with $29 million on 13,155 screens in 71 markets. This is excellent for a film that cost $9 million to make. However, it is also playing in nearly every major market, so it doesn’t have a lot of room to grow. The film had a very strong opening in Mexico with $5.1 million on 2,432 screens, while it was equally strong in Colombia with $2.3 million on 421. It easily earned first place in both markets. On the other hand, the film struggled in France ($2.0 million on 254 screens); Spain ($1.8 million on 330 screens); and Russia ($1.1 million on 1,758). It failed to crack $1 million over the weekend in a number of major markets. It came the closest in South Korea with $905,000 on 620 screens over the weekend for a total opening of $1.25 million, while it was further behind in Italy ($852,000 on 314 screens) and Brazil ($775,000 on 561). The film opens in the U.K. and Japan in the next couple of weeks. More...

Home Market Releases for April 23rd, 2019

April 24, 2019

It is another slow week on the home market, but that gave me a chance to complete a couple of late reviews. The best release on this week’s list is A Face in the Crowd and it is the Pick of the Week. However, both of the late reviews, On the Basis of Sex and Willie Dynamite, are worth picking up. More...

Gemini Man Trailer

April 23, 2019

Ang Lee action movie starring Will Smith opens October 4 ... Full Movie Details. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Curse Tops Chart, but 2019 Suffers Another Loss

April 23, 2019

Easter weekend gave box office watchers a few reasons to celebrate. The Curse of La Llorona topped expectations and earned first place with $26.35 million over the weekend. That’s a very strong debut for this time of year. Additionally, both Shazam and Captain Marvel held on amazingly well, which bodes well for their chances against Avengers: Endgame. Overall, the box office rose 1% from last weekend to $108 million. This was 14% lower than the same weekend last year, and it wasn’t Easter weekend last year. On a side note, I’ve seen some stories call this past weekend the worst Easter weekend in over a decade. However, this is misleading, as it was the first time Easter weekend was one weekend before the start of the Summer Blockbuster season. Avengers: Endgame opening on Friday had more to do with the weak box office than any other factor and if Endgame is as big as some box office analysts expect, then by this time next week, we will be talking about how quickly 2019 will turn things around rather than how bad 2019 has been. In the meantime, we’ve hopefully sunk to the low point in the year-over-year comparison, as 2019 is now behind 2018 by a $570 million or 17% margin at $2.84 billion to $3.41 billion. More...

Featured Blu-ray Review: Willie Dynamite

April 23, 2019

I previously reviewed Willie Dynamite back when it came out on DVD as part of a “Soul Showcase” line-up. Of the four films I reviewed on that label, it was arguably the best in terms of quality. (However, as a fan of con artist movies, I still liked Trick Baby more.) Recently, the film made its debut on Blu-ray with a Special Edition release. Has my opinion on the film changed? Does it live up to the Special Edition label? More...

Bolden Trailer

April 22, 2019

Musical biopic starring Gary Carr open May 3 ... Full Movie Details.

Inspired by the life of Buddy Bolden, a film that reimagines the compelling, powerful and tragic life of an unknown American hero and the social context in which his revolutionary music was conceived. The birth of jazz was the birth of American popular culture from Louis Armstrong to Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Fugees and Dr. Dre and Bolden is where it all began. More...

Weekend Estimates: La Llorona is the Best of the Weekend

April 21, 2019

The Curse of La Llorona is leading the way on the weekend chart with a surprising $26.51 million. Granted, this is the weakest opening in the The Conjuring franchise, while its reviews and B minus from CinemaScore suggest short legs. Also, Avengers: Endgame opens in just a handful of days, so it will be pushed into the smallest screens in most multiplexes very soon. That said, the film reportedly only cost $9 million to make and < HREF="https://www.the-numbers.com/market/distributor/Warner-Bros">Warner Bros.’ share of the opening weekend will be close to double that. Internationally, the film is opening even better with an estimated $30 million debut. On the downside, it is playing in 71 markets already, so it has very few major markets left to open in. More...

Friday Estimates: Curses! Box Office is Foiled Again

April 20, 2019

The Curse of La Llorona got off to a fantastic start on Friday with $11.8 million during its opening day. This is a stronger opening day than Pet Sematary managed, but not as strong as its preview numbers were in comparison to Pet Sematary, so it likely won’t have the same legs. This isn’t surprising, as its reviews are much worse and it is part of a long-running franchise. Both of those factors tend to shorten legs. On the positive side, it earned a B minus from CinemaScore, which is actually really good for a horror film. The Curse of La Llorona would have to have tragically short legs to not earn first place after a start like this. Look for an opening weekend of $26 million. More...

Featured Blu-ray and DVD Review: On the Basis of Sex

April 20, 2019

On the Basis of Sex opened in limited release at the very end of last year, so it was clearly aiming for Oscars. That didn’t happen. However, while it wasn’t an Awards Season player, it did very well in limited release and earned nearly $25 million despite never expanding truly wide. Did the film deserve to win awards? Or is it more of a mainstream crowd-pleaser? More...

Thursday Night Previews: Breaking the Curse

April 19, 2019

The Curse of La Llorona opened with $2.75 million in previews. This is more than Pet Sematary managed a couple of weeks ago. However, this film is earning much weaker reviews and, since it is part of a franchise, it could have shorter legs. That said, even with short legs, it should still top our prediction and earn first place for the weekend with about $20 million. More...

Avengers: Endgame TV Spot 2

April 19, 2019

The grand finale opens worldwide April 26 ... Full Movie Details. More...

Limited and VOD Releases: A Little Hope for New Releases

April 19, 2019

Little Woods is the biggest, and one of the best, limited releases on this week’s list. It has a real shot at earning some measure of mainstream success. There are also several films on this week’s list that could do well on the art house circuit, but likely won’t expand significantly. These include Grass, Hagazussa: A Heathen’s Curse, and Rafiki. More...

Weekend Prediction: Can Shazam Continue its Streak or will New Releases Break Through?

April 19, 2019

It’s Easter weekend and, while it is not a true long weekend, there are enough kids out of school to give the box office a boost. On the negative side, Avengers: Endgame comes out next weekend and no one wants to try to compete against that. Because of this, none of the three wide releases this weekend are in the top tier. The one with the biggest potential is The Curse of La Llorona, but it is also earning the worst reviews of the weekend. Breakthrough is the first film made by Fox to come out since the studio’s acquisition by Disney was finalized, so there’s some significance there. Finally there’s Penguins, a film I thought would be a hit, but isn’t garnering much attention. This is not a strong contingent of new releases and Shazam could remain on top. This weekend last year wasn’t Easter weekend, so maybe that will give 2019 the edge. I don’t think 2019 will win in the year-over-year competition, but hopefully it will at least be close. More...

Theater Averages: Smells Like Victory

April 18, 2019

While there were no breakout hits on this week’s theater average chart, but there are few members of the $10,000 club. Her Smell led the way with an average of $12,314 in three theaters. Teen Spirit did well with an average of $10,905 in four theaters. Meanwhile, Wild Nights with Emily just managed to grab a spot in the $10,000 club with an average of $10,070 in three theaters. More...

Booksmart Trailer

April 18, 2019

Comedy starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever opens May 24 ... Full Movie Details.

Two academic superstars and best friends, on the eve of their high school graduation, suddenly realize that they should have worked less and played more. Determined never to fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night. More...

International Box Office: Shazam Flies Higher than Dumbo

April 17, 2019

Shazam remained in first place on the international chart, despite not opening in any new markets, major or otherwise. This caused it to fall to $35.3 million on 24,633 screens in 79 markets lifting its totals to internationally and $258.4 million worldwide. The film fell 84% in China down to $4.79 million over the weekend for a two-week total of $40.30 million. It held on better in the U.K., down 47% to $2.83 million in 611 theaters for a two-week total of $11.65 million. The film’s last major market is Japan and it opens there this week. If it does well there, then it will have no trouble crossing $400 million worldwide, which is a great run for a film that cost $85 million to make. More...

Dark Phoenix Trailer 3

April 17, 2019

Superhero action movie starring Sophie Turner opens June 7 ... Full Movie Details.

The X-Men face their most formidable and powerful foe: one of their own, Jean Grey. During a rescue mission in space, Jean is nearly killed when she is hit by a mysterious cosmic force. Once she returns home, this force not only makes her infinitely more powerful, but far more unstable. Wrestling with this entity inside her, Jean unleashes her powers in ways she can neither comprehend nor contain. With Jean spiraling out of control, and hurting the ones she loves most, she begins to unravel the very fabric that holds the X-Men together. Now, with this family falling apart, they must find a way to unite—not only to save Jean’s soul, but to save our very planet from aliens who wish to weaponize this force and rule the galaxy. More...

Home Market Releases for April 16th, 2019

April 17, 2019

We’ve hit the summer doldrums on the home market, but we do have the first major hit of 2019 to talk about. Too bad Glass earned reviews that are so weak. Unfortunately, none of the smaller releases really rise to the level of Pick of the Week. Fans of animation are in luck, as both Dragon Ball Super: Broly and Justice League vs. The Fatal Five are both worth picking up. Bend of the River is a great western. Meanwhile, if you like B-movie cult classics, The Manitou is for you. More...

Child’s Play Trailer

April 16, 2019

Horror movie starring Aubrey Plaza and Gabriel Bateman opens June 21 ... Full Movie Details. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Shazam Shocks the New Releases

April 16, 2019

Shazam easily topped the weekend box office chart with $24.45 million. This is significantly more than the best new release of the week, Little, which managed $15.41 million during its opening weekend. That film will break even sometime during its home market run. The same can’t be said of Hellboy, After, and Missing Link, all of which will lose money. This caused the overall box office to fall 24% from last weekend to just $110 million. This is also 25% lower than this weekend last year. Year-to-date, 2019 has fallen further behind 2018 and it now behind with $550 million or 17% at $2.68 billion to $3.23 billion. Avengers: Endgame will have to be unreasonably big at the box office for 2019 to turn things around any time soon. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Steven Universe: Season Two

April 15, 2019

The second season of Steven Universe comes out this week. I previously reviewed the first season and loved it. Is the second season as strong? Or was the first season a fluke? More...

Avengers: Endgame Clip—The Team Plans an Attack

April 15, 2019

The grand finale opens worldwide April 26 ... Full Movie Details. More...

Weekend Estimates: Shazam Stops New Releases Cold

April 14, 2019

Shazam really bounced back from a poor Friday performance. So much so that it almost match our prediction with an estimated $25.14 million over the weekend for a two-week total of $94.31 million. Internationally, the film is projected to earn $35.9 million on 23,752 screens in 79 markets to push its international total to $163.9 million. This means its worldwide total rose past $250 million after just two weeks of release. The film will have no trouble breaking even after a run like this, even with Avengers: Endgame looming large. More...

Friday Estimates: Friday Results are More Little Than Needed

April 13, 2019

It’s going to be a terrible weekend at the box office with almost no film living up to expectations. Shazam fell faster than anticipated, down 69% from its opening Friday to just $6.37 million yesterday. Because it’s a holdover, it will bounce back more than the new releases, but it will still likely fail to match our prediction and is on pace for between $23 million and $24 million for the weekend. It is still going to break even, but if it doesn’t bounce back before Avengers: Endgame debuts, it will merely be very profitable and not amazingly profitable. More...

Limited and VOD Releases: Taking a Highway to Hell

April 12, 2019

Her Smell is arguably the biggest hit on this week’s list of new films in limited release. Meanwhile, Penguin Highway has 100% positive reviews and Wild Nights With Emily isn’t that far behind. Hopefully all three, and maybe some others on this week’s list, can find an audience. More...

Thursday Night Previews: Going Through Hell

April 12, 2019

Hellboy opened with $1.38 million in previews last night, which is not enough to be a hit. This would have only put the film in third place last Thursday, well behind both Shazam and Pet Sematary. Furthermore, due to the film’s terrible reviews, it will likely be more front-loaded. Fortunately, this wasn’t too far below expectations. More...

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Trailer

April 12, 2019

The sci-fi nonology reaches its climax on December 20 ... Full Movie Details. More...

Amazing Grace Trailer

April 12, 2019

Concert performance by Aretha Franklin opened April 5 ... Full Movie Details.

A documentary presenting the live recording of Aretha Franklin's album Amazing Grace at The New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles in January 1972. More...

Weekend Prediction: Will Hellboy have a Heavenly Start? Will Little open Large?

April 12, 2019

There are four wide releases this week, but it seems Shazam will remain the top draw, potentially by a significant margin. Hellboy was supposed to challenge for top spot, but its reviews are going to kill its box office chances. Little is earning better reviews, but its reviews are not good enough to overcome its smaller stature. Missing Link is earning amazing reviews, but that hasn’t helped other stop-motion animated films succeed in the recent past. After has the quietest buzz of the week and almost no reviews. This weekend last year wasn’t a great weekend at the box office, but it will certainly be better than this weekend will be. Avengers: Endgame can’t come soon enough. More...

Theater Averages: High Life Reaches High Heights

April 12, 2019

High Life led the way on the theater average chart earning an average of $24,835 in four theaters. Amazing Grace was next with an average of $14,674 in eight theaters. Meanwhile, the overall number one film, Shazam, was the final film in the $10,000 club with an average of $12,688. More...

Tolkien Trailer

April 11, 2019

Biographical drama starring Nicholas Hoult and Lily Collins opens May 10 ... Full Movie Details.

An exploration of the formative years of the renowned author’s life as he finds friendship, courage and inspiration among a fellow group of writers and artists at school. Their brotherhood strengthens as they grow up and weather love and loss together, including Tolkien’s tumultuous courtship of his beloved Edith Bratt, until the outbreak of the First World War which threatens to tear their fellowship apart. All of these experiences would later inspire Tolkien to write his famous Middle-earth novels. More...

International Box Office: Shazam Hits Century Mark During Opening Weekend

April 11, 2019

Shazam stormed to the top of the international chart with an opening weekend haul of $102.3 million on over 40,000 screens in 79 markets. The film’s biggest market was unsurprisingly China, where it earned second place with $30.4 million on 20,939 screens. The film earned first place in a quartet of major markets. This includes Mexico ($5.8 million on 2,669 screens); the U.K. ($5.3 million on 1,533); Russia ($5.2 million on 3,072 screens); and Brazil ($5.1 million on 1,509 screens). This is a great start, especially for a film that “only” cost $85 million to make. However, there’s some bad news here. There’s almost no where left to open, as its only other major market debut is in Japan on the 19th of April. More...

Home Market Releases for April 9th, 2019

April 11, 2019

We’ve hit the summer doldrums on the home market, as there are no major winter releases that haven’t come out and none of 2019’s early releases were amazing, so there’s going to be a large gap between monster hits. One of the biggest hits is On the Basis of Sex, which is also one of the best. Another contender for Pick of the Week is Mirai while last week’s Archer: The Complete Season Nine: Danger Island would have been a contender last week, if the screener had arrived on time. In the end, it wasn’t a particularly close race and the Oscar-nominated movie won. More...

The Lion King Trailer 2

April 10, 2019

Adventure with the voices of Donald Glover, Beyoncé, and James Earl Jones opens July 19 ... Full Movie Details. More...

Avengers: Endgame TV Spot

April 9, 2019

The grand finale opens worldwide April 26 ... Full Movie Details. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Shazam Can’t Keep 2019’s Streak Going

April 9, 2019

Shazam topped expectations over the weekend, albeit by a small margin. However, it was the only new release to do this and the overall box office wasn’t particularly strong as a result. It did rise 6.2% from last weekend reaching $146 million. However, it wasn’t able to keep 2019’s winning streak alive in the year-over-year comparison, as this was 11% lower than the same weekend last year. 2018 extended its lead over 2019 and now has an advantage of $500 million at $3.03 billion to $2.53 billion. If you are looking for good news, then the percent difference actually closed by a fraction of one percent. To call that good news is stretching. More...

Stuber Trailer

April 8, 2019

Action comedy starring Kumail Nanjiani and Dave Bautista opens July 12 ... Full Movie Details. More...

Weekend Estimates: Shazam Flies to First Place with over $50 million

April 7, 2019

Shazam is easily topping the weekend box office chart with an estimated $53.45 million for a total of $56.78 million, including its previous special engagement. This is marginally better than our prediction, but not as strong as I thought it would be after its surprising previews. The film should have strong legs with its amazing reviews, its A from CinemaScore, and its family-friendly target audience. On the other hand, Avengers: Endgame is on its way, and that film could practically end Shazam’s run at the box office. Internationally, Shazam is opening with an estimated $102 million in 79 markets. This includes $30.9 million in China, as well as $6.2 million in Mexico. On the other hand, it only managed $5.3 million in the U.K., which is far less impressive than its debut here. More...

The Biggest Little Farm Trailer

April 7, 2019

Documentary opens May 10 ... Full Movie Details.

A testament to the immense complexity of nature, The Biggest Little Farm follows two dreamers and a dog on an odyssey to bring harmony to both their lives and the land. More...

Featured TV on DVD Review: Archer: Season Nine

April 7, 2019

I have reviewed the first four seasons of Archer and loved them. In fact, the show has been a contender for Pick of the Week multiple times. On the other hand, this is a relatively high-concept show and high-concept shows tend to not last long before jumping the shark. Is that the case here? Or is Season Nine still going strong? More...

Friday Estimates: Shazam’s Shockingly Strong Start

April 6, 2019

Shazam was able to take full advantage of its impressive previews, and its $20.5 million Friday debut should be enough to carry it above our initial prediction. Its reviews remain above 90% positive and it earned an A from CinemaScore. Furthermore, its a hit with families, so that should also help its legs over the rest of the weekend and beyond. As for the film’s international debut, it is almost as impressive, as the film earned $29.2 million on Friday for a three-day total of $44.0 million in 79 markets. It is not doing as well as it is here, at least relative to the sizes of the markets, but this is still a fantastic start for a film that cost $85 million to make. If there isn’t already a sequel in the works, there will be one shortly. More...

Yesterday Trailer

April 6, 2019

Musical drama starring Himesh Patel, directed by Danny Boyle opens June 28 ... Full Movie Details.

Jack Malik is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie. Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed… and he finds himself with a very complicated problem, indeed. Performing songs by the greatest band in history to a world that has never heard them, and with a little help from his steel-hearted American agent, Debra, Jack’s fame explodes. But as his star rises, he risks losing Ellie—the one person who always believed in him. With the door between his old life and his new closing, Jack will need to get back to where he once belonged and prove that all you need is love. More...

Thursday Night Previews: Shazam Surprises with $5.9 million

April 5, 2019

Shazam! got off to a fantastic start with $5.9 million during its previews last night, for a running tally of $9.2 million, including its special engagement run last month. That’s not too far behind Ant-Man, which earned $6.4 million during its previews. This is great news for Shazam! and means it should top our prediction. Not only are the film’s reviews a major asset, but since it is not opening during the summer holidays, it shouldn’t be as front-loaded during its opening weekend. It is still too early to tell where the film will end up, but we should know more when Friday’s estimates show up tomorrow. More...

Poms Trailer

April 5, 2019

Comedy starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier, Celia Weston, and Rhea Perlman opens May 10 ... Full Movie Details.

Martha is a woman who moves into a retirement community and starts a cheerleading squad with her fellow residents, Sheryl, Olive and Alice, proving that it’s never too late to follow your dreams. More...

Limited and VOD Releases: Only a Couple of This Week’s Films are Amazing

April 5, 2019

If I were to use just one phrase to describe this week’s list, it would be “Good, but not great.” More than half of the films on this week’s list have reviews that are exactly that, merely good, but not good enough for limited release. Of the exceptions, Amazing Grace is the one I want to see the most. More...

Weekend Prediction: Shazam Should have a Super Start

April 4, 2019

Shazam is the biggest release of the weekend and will almost certainly be the second biggest hit of the month. It also has some of the best reviews of the year so far. Pet Sematary should be in a solid second place, both in terms of box office dollars and reviews. Finally there’s The Best of Enemies, which is not only the smallest release on this week’s list, but it is also earning the weakest reviews. However, the biggest box office hit of the weekend will very likely be Avengers: Endgame, as tickets went on sale during the week and I suspect advanced ticket sales for that film will top everything coming out this week. (Early tracking for that film is nearing $300 million just for its opening weekend.) This weekend last year, A Quiet Place opened with just over $50 million, a little more than the next two films combined earned. Fortunately for 2019, there was a huge drop-off from the top three to the rest of the releases, so if we have better depth this year, then 2019 could continue its winning ways. More...

My Spy Trailer

April 4, 2019

Comedy starring Dave Bautista and Chloe Coleman opens later this year ... Full Movie Details. More...

Theater Averages: Dumbo is Lonely at the Top

April 4, 2019

Dumbo was the only film in the $10,000 Club at the weekend, as it earned an average of $10,798 while earning first place on the overall chart. The best limited release was Diane, which earned an average of $8,156 in three theaters. More...

International Box Office: Dumbo’s International Flight

April 3, 2019

Dumbo opened in first place with $71.0 million in 53 markets during its opening weekend on the international chart. This is about as good as its debut here. The film’s biggest market was China, but it only made $10.75 million during its opening weekend there. It did relatively better in the U.K. and in Mexico. The film earned first place in both markets with $7.92 million in 666 theaters and $7.71 million respectively. There are no more major markets for the film to open in, so it will have to rely on long legs to break even any time soon. More...

Home Market Releases for April 2nd, 2019

April 3, 2019

Bumblebee is the last of the major winter release to hit the home market and with that we enter the summer doldrums. Fortunately, it is a great movie, even if it can’t live up to its Tomatometer Score, but it is still worth picking up and a contender for Pick of the Week. The only other contender is A Silent Voice on Blu-ray. It wasn’t a really close contest and A Silent Voice truly earns that honor. More...

Featured Blu-ray and DVD Review: Bumblebee

April 2, 2019

Bumblebee is the latest installment in the Transformers franchise. The film was already in pre-production when The Last Knight missed expectations at the box office. There were some changes made to the movie, but most assumed it was going to be dumped into theaters while the studio worked on a full reboot. Then the first trailer came out and people started to get excited about this movie. Its reviews were more than 90% positive. Is the film really this good? Or were fans and critics just overwhelmed because the movie wasn’t complete trash, like the previous four sequels were? More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Dumbo Marches to the Top

April 2, 2019

Dumbo wasn’t able to match expectations, but it still topped the chart over the weekend with $45.99 million. This isn’t enough for this weekend to match last weekend, as it fell 7.3% to $137 million. This is better than the same weekend last year by a tiny 0.6%, but anything that keeps 2019’s winning streak alive is good news in my book. Year-to-date, 2019 is still behind 2018 by practically the same margin as it was last weekend. In fact, the margin in raw dollars rose to $470 million, while the percent gap dipped below 17% at $2.34 billion to $2.81 billion. Hopefully things will improve in April. More...

The Hustle Trailer

April 1, 2019

Comedy starring Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson opens May 10 ... Full Movie Details.

Two female scam artists, one low rent and the other high class, compete to swindle a naïve tech prodigy out of his fortune. More...

2019 Preview: April

April 1, 2019

March was a good month at the box office with most films beating expectations. The biggest hit was Captain Marvel, which is still on pace for $400 million domestically and may have crossed $1 billion worldwide by the time you read this. The biggest “miss” was Dumbo, but it is still going to top $100 million domestically with ease. This month, it is a battle between Avengers: Endgame and last year’s Infinity War. To be fair, A Quiet Place got last April off to a very fast start and Shazam! should do the same this year, so there will be more than one potential box office hit to talk about. That said, Endgame will almost certainly open with more than any other April release earns in total and if 2019 is going to cut into its deficit with 2018, it will be on the back of that one film. More...

The Numbers News - April 2019

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