Weekend Wrap-Up: Krampus Feeling Jolly, But Hunger Reigns on Top
December 8, 2015
Krampus was unexpectedly potent, while the holdovers it was competing with slipped further than expected. This allowed the movie to open in second place behind The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2. Overall, the box office fell 46% to $98 million. That is a massive decline, but we are talking about the weekend after one of the biggest weekends of the year, so this is not a shocking decline. In fact, last year was worse and this weekend was 25% better at the box office. Year-to-date, 2015 has pulled in $9.69 billion, which is 4.3% or just shy of $400 million more than 2014 had earned at this point. With less than four weeks to go in the year, it would take something spectacular for 2015 to not win in the year-over-year comparison. For example, if Star Wars: The Force Awakens just doesn't come out.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 fell 64% to $18.86 million over the weekend for a three-week total of $227.37 million. This isn't that much lower than anticipated, but it does put its per theater average below $5,000. Even if it drops just 40% next weekend, theater owners are still going to be looking to drop the film when Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Or at the very least, move it to smaller screens and not run it as often. Because of this, $300 million is likely out of reach, even with Christmas and New Year on the way.
Krampus is a Black Comedy as much as it is a horror film and that is a genre that is really hard to get right. Fortunately, the reviews are at the overall positive level and the film got off to a very fast start. ... At least for this time of year. It opened with $16.29 million, which is more than it reportedly cost to make. It could still be playing in wide release by the New Year and if that happens, it will break even before it reaches the home market. If not, it could still be a big hit on the home market becoming a Christmas tradition amongst some, playing along side Bad Santa and The Ref.
The Good Dinosaur is turning into just another animated film and not a Pixar-level hit. It added $15.32 million over the weekend to its running tally, which now sits at $75.76 million after 12 days of release. It will easily get to $100 million, but even $150 million seems out of reach.
Creed was right behind with $14.99 million over the weekend for a running tally of $64.59 million, also after 12 days of release. Its next goal is to reach $100 million, which should be enough to pay for its production budget and most of is advertising budget.
Spectre rounded out the top five with $5.52 million over the weekend for a total of $184.62 million after a month of release. It should get close enough to $200 million that the studio would push it over the top, assuming The Force Awakens doesn't completely kick it out of theaters next weekend.
Victor Frankenstein was the only film in the sophomore class not in the top five. In fact, it barely made the top 15. The film fell 70% to just $747,000 over the weekend for a 12-day total of $5.11 million. Had it earned that much opening day and had the same legs, it would be barely be above its production budget. As it is, Fox might has spent more money making prints and shipping them to theaters than its share of the box office.
