Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe star in AMERICAN GANGSTER(2007).
© Universal
Bee Hive Stung by AMERICAN GANGSTERS
By: Jarrod Sarafin, News EditorDate: Sunday, November 04, 2007
Never underestimate the power of great performances from Oscar-caliber stars, not even against the family-movie. That’s what I should say to myself when I begin having doubts on the studio’s decision making. All week long, I had some serious doubts on whether a 2 hr & 37 minute Rated-R film could hold up at all against a family-oriented 1 hr & 40 minute Rated-PG film. In fact, Gangster had two things going against it. They had some overwhelming screen competition against wider demographics and the fact of the reported bootleg version that has been circulating major U.S cities, apparently for more than a week.
This week, we had American Gangster-- starring Russell Crowe, Denzel Washington & Cuba Gooding Jr---all three of these Oscar winners directed by Ridley Scott. The doubts came into play when we saw that Jerry Seinfeld’s Bee Movie was also getting a higher theatrical release, nearly a thousand more screens, combined with nearly an hour shorter running length. Both of these films would do very well but who would do better? Who would win?
Well, as I say, never underestimate the power of great performances from Oscar-caliber stars…
Universal Pictures & Imagine Entertainment’s American Gangster strikes 1st place this weekend, pulling in over 46.3 million in cash. The Ridley Scott film came included with a 3,054 theater release, averaging $15,174 per showing on each of those prints. This kind of great theatrical opening has it in 11th place on the All-Time-November-Opening List right behind MGM’s Die Another Day, a film which pulled in 47.0 mil in 2002. As I said above, like any other month, wide-released family films tend to own this month. The top 7 spots for openers in November consist of three Harry Potter films, three Pixar films and Disney’s Grinch adaptation.
Paramount/Dreamwork’s Bee Movie may have come in 2nd place this weekend but it still did very well for an opening, especially in terms of how poor the box office performed over the past month. The CG-film pulled in 39.1 million over the weekend. With a release of 3,928 theaters, it came up with an average-showing-per-screen of $9,954. It comes up in 17th place on the All-Time-November-Opening List, just $300,000 behind 1998’s Waterboy release. It does come up as the biggest November opening for a Paramount or Dreamworks release.
Landing in 3rd place is the returning Saw IV release from Lionsgate, a film which is already a clear success. The fourth installment in this torture-horror genre grabbed another 11.0 million over the weekend; dropping 65.3% amidst so much competition with the above two films. Still, with a budget of only 10-14 million, it now has 51.0 million making this a clearly profitable film for the studio. The film also has been released in some oversea markets pulling in another 12.4 million making for a 63.4 worldwide release.
Following behind in 4th place is Dan in Real Life, taking in 8.1 million in its second weekend. The film is doing pretty well from an alternative-programming standpoint released on Halloween for last weekend. In two weeks of release, it has 22.9 million to show for it. Not bad for a film released on 1,925 theaters set with a small budget. Out of all the returning films this weekend, this one came up with the highest average-per-showing rate of $4,220.
While the first 4 films of this box office report make up for 105 million, the last 6 ranked films account for only 23 million. Nothing ranked 5th place or higher crossed the $2,000 per showing mark.
Sony’s 30 Days of Night takes 5th place this weekend, pulling in 4.0 million on 2,627 theaters across the nation. This makes for a 41.7% drop-off from its previous weekend totals and accounts for an average-per-showing of only $1,522. In three weeks of release, it has 34.2 million for its domestic release. It has yet to be released in foreign territories
Following very close behind is Disney’s The Game Plan, a family-sports-themed release which pulled in 3.8 million over the weekend. Nothing spectacular for this weekend but it was the biggest October 2007 film, pulling in 81.9 million over the last 6 weeks of release. The Dwayne Johnson film has begun its foreign release last week, grabbing another 5.2 million in sales.
New Line’s Martian Child is the last new release of this box office report, opening up in only 2,020 theaters and having only 3.6 million to show for it. The film, starring John Cusack, averaged only $1,806 per showing.
Warner Bros. released Michael Clayton continues to stand in the top 10 despite having very little box office totals from week-to-week. This weekend, the legal drama grabbed only 2.9 million in 8th place. Over the course of its 5 weeks of release, it has 33.1 million in domestic sales.
The second-best October 2007 release was the other Lionsgate film, Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married. Over the weekend, it pulled in another 2.7 million in 9th place making for an average-per-showing of $1,945. It has 51.1 million in domestic sales over the course of its 4 weeks of release.
Taking up the 10th place position is the returning Miramax film, Ben Affleck’s directed Gone Baby Gone. This adaptation of the Dennis Lehane novel was the smallest released film in recent weeks, opening up in only 1,617 theaters and its box office results show as a result of it. This weekend, it pulled in only 2.4 million and over the course of its three weeks, it has a domestic total of 14.9 mil.
| Rank | Movie | Weekend $ | Theaters | Average | Total $ | Week # |
| 1 | American Gangsters | 46.3 mil | 3,054 | $15,174 | 46.3 mil | 1 |
| 2 | Bee Movie | 39.1 mil | 3,928 | $9,954 | 39.1 mil | 1 |
| 3 | Saw IV | 11.0 mil | 3,183 | $3,459 | 51.0 mil | 2 |
| 4 | Dan in Real Life | 8.1 mil | 1,925 | $4,220 | 22.9 mil | 2 |
| 5 | 30 Days of Night | 4.0 mil | 2,627 | $1,522 | 34.2 mil | 3 |
| 6 | The Game Plan | 3.8 mil | 2,844 | $1,354 | 81.9 mil | 6 |
| 7 | Martian Child | 3.6 mil | 2,020 | $1,806 | 3.6 mil | 1 |
| 8 | Michael Clayton | 2.9 mil | 2,107 | $1,376 | 33.1 mil | 5 |
| 9 | Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married | 2.7 mil | 1,403 | $1,945 | 51.1 mil | 4 |
| 10 | Gone Baby Gone | 2.4 mil | 1,617 | $1,484 | 14.9 mil | 3 |
November is the month when Hollywood begins their second season of high-profile tent pole releases. Sure, the summer season has the higher expectations but November is the time when they release their remaining big budget affairs. Families tend to come together for the holidays and films tend to show great box office success as result of it, especially over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Here are the top 10 November Releases of All Time:
| Movie | Weekend $ | Theaters | Average | Domestic $ | Date |
| Harry Potter-Goblet of Fire | 102.6 mil | 3,858 | $26,616 | 290.0 mil | 11/18/05 |
| Harry Potter-Sorcerer’s Stone | 90.2 mil | 3,672 | $24,590 | 317.5 mil | 11/16/01 |
| Harry Potter-Chamber of Secrets | 88.3 mil | 3,682 | $23,997 | 261.9 mil | 11/15/02 |
| The Incredibles | 70.4 mil | 3,933 | $17,917 | 261.4 mil | 11/05/04 |
| Monsters, Inc | 62.5 mil | 3,237 | $19,331 | 255.8 mil | 11/02/01 |
| Toy Story 2 | 57.3 mil | 3,236 | $17,734 | 245.8 mil | 11/24/99 |
| How the Grinch Stole Christmas | 55.0 mil | 3,127 | $17,615 | 260.0 mil | 11/17/00 |
| 8 Mile | 51.2 mil | 2,470 | $20,745 | 116.7 mil | 11/08/02 |
| The Matrix Revolutions | 48.4 mil | 3,502 | $13,842 | 139.3 mil | 11/05/03 |
| Die Another Day | 47.0 mil | 3,314 | $14,203 | 160.9 mil | 11/22/02 |
Friday November 9, 2007 Releases:
Wide Releases
Fred Claus (3,400+ Theaters)
Lions for Lambs (2,200 Theaters)
P2 (2,000 Theaters)
Limited Releases
After Dark’s Horrorfest 2 (330 Theaters)
Saawariya
I’ll Believe You
No Country for Old Men
War Dance
