Theater Averages: 1917 Keeps Racing to the Top

January 15, 2020

1917

It’s rare for a film to remain in the $10,000 club for three weeks in a row, especially when they expand. However, 1917 managed this rare feat at the weekend with an average of $10,775, despite now playing in well over 3,000 theaters.

None of the rest of the new limited releases came particularly close to the $10,000 mark with Les Misérables coming the closet with an average of $6,039 in four theaters. That’s a disappointing figure for a film with lots of Awards Season buzz. Afterward and Chhapaak had nearly identical averages of $3,239 and $3,168 respectively; however, the two films had wildly different theater counts, playing in 2 and 100 theaters respectively. Sarileru Neekevvaru was an even wider release, playing in 300 theaters and it earned an average of $2,737. Met Opera: Wozzeck has a special engagement in 1,000 theaters, and earned an average of $863. However, since it was a special engagement, you can’t compare it to a true theatrical release and it would be unfair to say it opened below the Mendoza Line. Likewise, Three Christs opened below the Mendoza Line with an average of $472 in 31 theaters, but it was playing on VOD, so its box office numbers are immaterial.

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

  • Ip Man: The Finale made it to $3 million before the weekend and it has a chance at $4 million.
  • Honey Boy did get to $2 million, which is a little unexpected. That is as far as it will go, on the other hand.
  • Pain and Glory reached $4 million. It too will go no further.
  • Parasite made it all the way to $25 million and its performance at the Oscar nominations strongly suggests it isn’t done.
  • Bombshell also hit $25 million and it might get to $30 million.
  • 1917 exploded this weekend to blow past $35 million. It will clearly fly past more milestones, and getting to $100 million seems likely at this point.
- Theater Average Chart

Filed under: Theater Averages, Three Christs, Honey Boy, 1917, Afterward, Parasite (기생충), Bombshell, Les misérables, Yip Man 4, Chhapaak, Sarileru Neekevvaru, Met Opera: Wozzeck